Voice Actor Resume Example
Pursuing a career as a voice actor provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving collaborating with directors and recording high-quality audio. A strong resume for voice actor applications showcases your skills, experience and achievements and helps you stand out from other candidates. In this article, we'll discuss how to create a voice actor resume that catches the eye of employers, with tips and examples to help you write your own.
After reading this guide, you'll know what it takes to create a resume that really stands out from other voice actor applicants. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Read on to learn tips from Jobseeker's careers experts, that will show you how to demonstrate your creative mindset and skills in your resume.
Main elements of a voice actor resume
The key sections to include in a voice actor resume are similar to those for any role or profession.
Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:
Resume Header and Personal Information
Your voice actor resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. Keep your header clear and concise, with only the most necessary information included. Opt for a stylish, professional design that creates a strong first impression.
Make sure the email address you list in your header is professional-looking and doesn't contain any inappropriate content such as nicknames or unsuitable language. Opt for an email address based on your name or profession, or a combination of both. Finally, check your contact details before sending your resume, to ensure everything's up-to-date.
Jose Bailey
jose.bailey@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
124 Conch Street, Bikini Bottom, CA
linkedin․com/in/jose–bailey123
Resume Objective
The next section is the resume summary. The section might also be called 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. This is a brief introduction to you, your key skills and your career achievements and ambitions. While a resume summary focuses on your career achievements and experience, a resume objective typically focuses on your ambitions for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for voice actor roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.
Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.
A strong resume summary focuses on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for voice actor roles in a clear, quantifiable way. It also gives an insight into your personal qualities, to help the reader understand why you're a suitable candidate. See below for some great examples of how to approach your voice actor resume.
Experienced Voice Actor with a proven track record in delivering high-quality voice performances for various media, including animation, video games, commercials, and audiobooks. Skilled in vocal modulation, character development, and emotional expression. Adept at taking direction and collaborating with creative teams to achieve desired outcomes. Passionate about bringing characters to life and enhancing storytelling through voice
Voice actor with experience in various projects involving voice work. Worked on different types of media and have some skills in changing voice and creating characters. Able to follow instructions and work with others to get the job done. Interested in making characters interesting and adding to stories with voice
On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your voice actor resume summary.
Work Experience
Next, list your relevant employment history and any key achievements that show you're suitable for a voice actor position. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.
Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to voice actor roles.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.
Voice Actor, January 2022 - Present
VocalVista Productions, Tucson
- Voiced lead character in award-winning animated series, increasing viewer ratings by 35% over two seasons
- Provided voice for multiple AAA video game titles, contributing to over 10 million units sold globally
- Awarded "Best Voice Actor" at the 2022 Animation Awards for diverse range of character portrayals
Voice Actor, January 2022 - Present
VocalVista Productions, Tucson
- Participated in various voice acting projects, enhancing overall production quality
- Contributed to numerous animated series, supporting creative storytelling
- Engaged in voice work for several video games, improving player experience
The example above can give you some idea of what not to include in your resume work experience section. Less effective resume work experience sections might take a more vague, descriptive approach to previous jobs. They focus on responsibilities and everyday duties rather than referencing career achievements and the value you've added for previous employers.
Personal Portfolio or Work Samples
It's a great idea to show examples of your work, including any successful projects or campaigns you've worked on. This might include a portfolio, a website or other work samples you can share to show your voice actor skills.
You're most likely to have a portfolio of previous projects if you work in a creative sector, such as design, web development or architecture. If you decide to include examples of your work, consider adding a link in your resume header or a separate section with links to published work or finished projects. Conversely, you might work in a non-creative sector but still have work published online that's worth showcasing. Include links to that work in this section.
Educational Achievements
In your education section, include details of your most relevant voice actor qualifications and educational achievements.
It's not usually necessary to have a degree for jobs as a voice actor. Nevertheless, it's still crucial to list your highest or most relevant educational achievements. These might include Edge Studio Certification, and other certifications or courses that highlight your voice modulation techniques or ADR synchronization skills.
List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.
If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts, 2017 - 2020
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
Hard and Soft Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a voice actor role. Skills such as audio editing proficiency or effective communication skills are particularly useful for voice actor jobs. Again, refer to the voice actor job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.
How to list hard skills on your voice actor resume
For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a voice actor. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in voice actor roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. It's best to aim for four or five key hard skills that match the job description. These can really showcase your suitability for the job.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a voice actor resume below.
- Audio editing proficiency
- Script interpretation expertise
- Voice modulation techniques
Soft skills on your voice actor resume
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a voice actor job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.
An effective voice actor resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.
- Effective communication skills
- Emotional expression range
- Active listening abilities
Expert Tip:
Craft your creative resume to highlight innovative projects, such as developing interactive art installations or pioneering new techniques in your field. (1) Include a link to a portfolio that not only showcases your work but also provides insight into your creative process and technical expertise. (2)
Certifications and Training
In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a voice actor. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, make sure you list the dates of your certifications and licenses so employers can see they're up-to-date and valid.
See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a voice actor resume:
- Voice Arts Award, 2022
- Edge Studio Certification, 2022
- Gravy For The Brain, 2022
Optional Information
If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a voice actor resume. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for voice actor jobs.
Personal Interests
Adding your hobbies and interests is a legitimate way of showing off your skills and personal qualities. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Only include hobbies and interests that showcase your personality and personal qualities, and add something different to your application.
Voluntary Work
Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for voice actor roles. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
It's not typical to include references in a voice actor resume, but some employers might ask for them. Don't add references unless requested by the employer. Before adding any referees to your resume, ask them for their assistance and prepare them for contact by the employer.
References are available upon request.
Best words to use in a voice actor resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.
- Performed
- Narrated
- Voiced
- Portrayed
- Delivered
- Enacted
- Characterized
- Interpreted
- Improvised
- Modulated
Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.
Example resume for voice actor applications
Now that you know everything that needs to go into your voice actor resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:
124 Conch Street, Bikini Bottom, CA
•
jose.bailey@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/jose–bailey123
Experienced Voiceover Artist with a versatile range, delivering high-quality vocal performances for commercials, animations, video games, and corporate narrations. Proficient in various accents and character voices, with a strong ability to interpret scripts and bring stories to life. Skilled in audio editing and familiar with professional recording equipment. Reliable, creative, and dedicated to meeting client needs and project deadlines.
Voiceover Artist
2020
-2022
VocalVista Productions (San Diego)
- Voiced lead character in award-winning animated series, receiving critical acclaim and contributing to show's international success
- Provided narration for bestselling audiobook, achieving top spot on major platforms and earning a prestigious industry award
- Delivered voice work for major video game, enhancing player experience and contributing to game's commercial and critical success
Audio editing proficiency
Script interpretation expertise
Voice modulation techniques
Effective communication skills
Emotional expression range
Active listening abilities
Voice Arts Award
Edge Studio Certification
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Key tips for a voice actor resume
- Mention your key educational achievements, such as degrees and professional qualifications, along with grades such as your GPA, if they're high.
- Quantify the impact you've made in different roles by offering evidence of your key abilities and your contribution.
- Aim for a brief, concise voice actor resume. One page is ideal for junior roles, while two pages are more suitable for senior positions.
- Proofread your resume to ensure it's free from spelling and grammar errors. Even minor errors can make a difference to your chances.
- List your relevant work experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent job.
- Don't use elaborate formatting or layouts. These can make your voice actor resume less readable and harder for applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan.
- Don't use passive language because it can switch off the reader. Adapt phrases like 'the work was completed' to 'I completed the work'.
- Don't lie or exaggerate any information on your voice actor resume, as this can cause you problems further down the line.
- Don't add work experience that's unrelated to the role you're applying for, as it isn't likely to help your chances of success.
- Don't use jargon or acronyms when you can use simple, straightforward language to say the same thing.
How to make an ATS-friendly resume
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. There are several things you can do when writing your voice actor resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Follow these guidelines to create the best ATS-friendly resume:
- Use a traditional resume format, such as reverse-chronological or functional. These will give your resume a structure that's easier for ATS systems to scan.
- Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
- Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
- Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
- Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
Frequently Asked Questions about a voice actor resume
Most of the time it's not recommended to add a personal photo to your resume. Photos on resumes can look more interesting and engaging, but they can also jeopardize the fairness and neutrality of the selection process by introducing biases, either conscious or unconscious.
The only time it's advisable to add a personal photo to your resume is when you're likely to be making public appearances, and presentation is important. This could be for acting or modelling, meeting clients, presenting or public speaking engagements.
Accompanying your resume for voice actor applications, you'll want to produce a cover letter that similarly leaves a positive impression on hiring managers.
Firstly, choose whether you're going to write a full cover letter, or whether a brief email confirming your application and drawing attention to your resume will be sufficient.
A traditional cover letter should follow formal letter-writing conventions and structure, including a header, the recipient's address and professional greetings and sign-offs. For the main body of the letter, open with a short paragraph introducing yourself and explaining your reasons for applying for the voice actor role. Follow that with an explanation of your skills and experience and how they're relevant to the position. Close by expressing your gratitude and enthusiasm, and leaving a call to action that encourages the employer to open a dialogue with you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
If you have no experience, it's still possible to write a professional voice actor resume that makes a positive impression on hiring managers. Opt for a skill-based resume format instead of a traditional layout. This places your skills and education in a more prominent position on your resume. Optional sections at the end of your resume can play a stronger role if you're lacking relevant work experience. Use certifications and training, hobbies and interests, volunteer roles and internships to show you've got the necessary skills for the job.
Picking a suitable font for your resume is one of the key design decisions that can set the tone for your application. It's important to choose between clear, professional serif and sans serif fonts, and use a readable font size (typically between size and 10 and 12). For a creative job application, a sans serif resume font is probably the most suitable. This modern, dynamic style is easy to read and fits with industry design norms. As such, sans serif fonts are probably the most suitable for a voice actor resume.
The top resume format for your applications will vary according to a couple of factors. First, how much professional experience you have. Second, what type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. If you're applying for a junior position or changing careers, you might want to consider a functional resume. This highlights your skills and education over your work experience. Once you have some relevant work experience, and for senior positions, a reverse chronological resume format is typically best. This emphasizes your work experience, which will probably be the key thing employers want to know about.
Key takeaways for your voice actor resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.
Jobseeker has a wealth of resume tools, including resume templates and examples, to help you create a winning job application. Sign up today to get started. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.
Sources:
(1) Careers for creative people, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/creative-careers.htm
(2) Occupational Outlook Handbook, Craft and Fine Arts, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/craft-and-fine-artists.htm
