Where should I put it all???

[DeeCap]

Hi Everyone,

I'm having a problem with my resume. I have gone through all the resumes on the browsers with no success.

I have about 15 years experience as a stage manager/asm
I am currently working as a stage crew manager at a university (school of music)
I am currently stage managing shows towards my MFA.

Right now for my main stage manager resume, I have the normal list of shows/theatre/director.
Underneath it I have current experience and it's description. Is that too confusing?
Where should I put my school shows?

I will be more than happy to send my resume. I just don't know how to format it without it looking confusing.

I will appreciate any help I can get.

[Maribeth]

Hi Dee-
Sorry it's taken so long to reply. Why don't you post your resume? I think it might help us see what you're thinking about. You could list your educational shows as a separate category, or integrate them with your other shows, or put an asterisk next to them and explain below. How is your resume broken down?

[loebtmc]

you don't need to put it all. What is your goal? your focus? Start there.

You can group shows by area (starting w better known directors/theaters) or types or recent work, depending on what you are seeking. You don't need to list everything you've ever done, just a sampling, with (for example) shows using animation or lots of rail cues being included when you go for a theater or a show that uses that skill. And, school shows will fall by the wayside as you replace them with professional work.

Fwiw PSMKay had a great suggestion a week or so ago about creating specific structures so you can easily rearrange your resume for something in a specific discipline.

And, at the bottom, you can list other skills /training/unions where appropriate. It shd still fit on a page if possible (tho mine is 2 pages, with the "other" things on p. 2)

(and, sorry, this post didn't pop up until today, prob my system, so apologies for not generating a discussion sooner)

[Mac Calder]

Another thing is to use your cover letter to "explain" your resume structure... something like:

Included in my resume are a selection of shows, which I believe best illustrate the diverse range of events I have been involved in during my 15 year career.

0r

I have included a selection of shows from my 15 year career which I believe best illustrate my suitability for this show......... yadda yadda yadda..

It illustrates that "here are a few highlights... but there are more I havn't listed"...

Cover letter is far more valuable than the attached resume when you are looking at SM's in my opinion... It reveals the charactor of the SM far more than a selection of shows will.

[missliz]

Just in terms of format- I used to have "selected educational credits" and "selected professional credits", then "training" which had my college as well as 2 study-abroad programs I did. Then I have a section for "related skills" that lists things like Special Olympics volunteer, animal wrangling, spotlight op, etc.