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Dear John

How can I stop my CVs going in the bin marked 'no thanks'?

First published 12th October 2006

Question:
I'm constantly sending out CVs, letters and showreels and constantly getting generic 'No thanks' letters back. Are there any tips you can give for getting past this hurdle?

Answer:
Since the Dear John column moved to a weekly frequency it has been very gratifying to see the increase in the number of requests for advice from beginners to those who are not so new. Dear John's philosophy is there are no stupid questions, just stupid things we do based on not asking the right questions. A case in point is the variety of other correspondence which tends to arrive with worrying regularity, ranging from requests for personal management or invitations to produce a show, to applications to be my personal assistant at "all those A-list functions I so frequently attend'' - stock answers to the first two, sorry not something I do anymore and, as for the third, don't I just wish that were true. Even when I have been in the position of casting or producing, I've still seen that very same phenomenon in operation - perfectly good job applications which have no chance of getting off the starting blocks, simply because they were sent to a person who doesn't do the kind of work you think they do. Assuming your own application gets to the right place, here is some advice from two people who have been on both sides of the casting and application fence.

What the experts say:

Amina Taylor

Amina Taylor hosts the flagship morning show at the UK's newest talk radio station, Colourful. Amina has a track record of success in both print and broadcasting, with career highlights including a stint as editor of Pride magazine - at the tender age of 24 - and frequent appearances on Sky News, CNN, BBC3, Channel 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live. Her written work is regularly featured in the Voice, the Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Guardian and Pride magazine, for which she still writes monthly columns.

"There are never any guarantees to landing the perfect job but there are things you can do that will make you stand out from a crowded field and increase your chances of being seen by those who could determine your career future. It sounds so simple to start off with but doing some research on the organisation you want to join or the individual you want to work with is simply paramount. There is nothing that scuppers your chances faster than having the interviewer or casting person feel like they are sitting face to face with someone who has randomly selected them from a industry list and is simply 'doing the rounds'. No matter how good your acting ability, it shows through in technicolour when you're just applying for jobs at random and have no real passion.

"As a broadcast journalist with radio and television and a former magazine editor, I have had the experience of conducting interviews where the applicant was ill prepared and the even more galling one of being caught out myself when I didn't prepare properly. So check your facts and then double check them. Unsure about who your application needs to be directed to? A simple phonecall should see you straight. I have been sent job seeking letters with my name misspelt (Armina, Ameena, Amenia, Armenia). That's just sloppy and guarantees your query gets 'filed' in my special drawer - the bin.

"Always take every opportunity to show how passionate you are about a role - without being obsessive, of course. Prospective employees, like audiences, want you to succeed, that's why they are taking the time to consider you.''

Ron O'Brien

Following a long career in photography, in 1982 Ron worked as a model booker/agent with FAME Agency before going it alone with Characters Agency. In 1986 he took the innovative step of starting the casting information service, Castcall, which was the first to offer three updates per week. In addition he worked as a casting director for three video production companies from 1985-98.

"It may help if you put yourself in the position of the casting director for a change and think about your job search from their point of view. They have a production to cast and a large number of applications to wade through - most of them for people they may not know. So think, if you were in the same position, what would you want to see landing on your doormat or in your email?

"A subscription to services such as Castcall, that updates regularly throughout the week, can certainly ensure that job information is current.

"Your application should always look professional and organised. Think very carefully about the photo that accompanies your CV. Does the photo look like the same person the CV is describing? Getting the presentation right is a step surprisingly few artists give enough thought to but even more to the point, you should always ensure that you and your skills adhere 100% with the brief. Many people have a number of CVs each tailored to suit different areas of work. Your covering letter should be short and designed merely to bring relevant skills and experience to the casting director's attention.

"Keep records on jobs you've applied for and to whom and keep that casting director up to date on any additions to your work experience or skills, especially if you have auditioned for them. Most actors just starting out also have inflated ideas about their abilities so applying for West End leads when you have nothing on your CV is going to lead to disappointment, be realistic."

John sums up

It's interesting that both our contributors independently came up with the advice to 'pretend you are the person receiving your application rather than the one sending it'. I often advise people to actually send a copy to themselves - leave it a day or two when it arrives and then open the envelope or email with exactly the same 'distance' as a casting person or producer would. If you do this, try to forget everything you already 'know' about you and put together a mental picture of the performer you are looking at, purely from the details contained in the initial contact material. Most people I've recommended this to have ended up making changes and quite a few of them have found they started getting more interviews as a result - which even with the recently revised postage rates is not bad value for the price of a stamp.

* Amina Taylor presents The Colourful Breakfast 9am-noon on Colourful Radio at www.colourfulradio.com and Sky Digital channel 0194.

* The Castcall website is www.castcall.co.uk where Ron O'Brien (who may well regret this!) says he is happy to offer further advice

* Feedback/queries are welcome to dearjohn@thestage.co.uk

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