No, your production credits resume won't cut it for all Hollywood jobs

You’re applying for entertainment industry jobs, so you should list all your credits on your resume, right? Wrong. Credits lists are intended for those looking to work on the production side of the industry, but they don't make sense for everyone. 

​We often see candidates trying to break into an office-based role with a resume that focuses more on credits than on actual job responsibilities. And sure, if you’ve got an exceptionally strong and long roster of credits (we're talking five to ten roles as a PA, Production Coordinator, or any other below-the-line job on a network TV series or studio feature), maybe you can get away with it. But if you’ve directed seven short films or indies no one’s heard of -- or worse, AD’ed seventeen -- you’re not presenting yourself with the right skills to impress someone looking to fill a spot in their office.

Rethink how you describe your role in some of the films you’ve worked on (or reconsider listing them at all) and add in non-industry jobs that paid your bills between gigs. When you can showcase how the skills you’ve gained on set or in non-industry positions will translate to the office, you’ll get called in for an interview. But simply listing titles no one’s heard of is a sure way to get your resume thrown in the trash.

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--Angela Silak & Cindy Kaplan