One of the most important sides to being an actor is finding work. And unfortunately, it's also one of the most difficult. Even those of you with formal training may find that your course didn't give you the skills or information you actually need to land jobs. Drama schools are brilliant at teaching you to act, but not always so brilliant at teaching you the business side of things.

So here is a practical, no-nonsense guide to getting work as an actor, whether you're just starting out or looking to take your career to the next level.

You Are Your Own Business #

If you wanted to open a shop, start a plumbing company, or set up as a lawyer, you'd spend time and money getting yourself equipped and ready before you opened the doors. Acting is no different. The sooner you start treating your career like a business, the sooner you'll start seeing results.

Before you even begin looking for work, you need to get your foundations in place.

Professional Headshots #

Your headshot is your calling card. It's the very first thing a casting director sees, and in many cases it determines whether they even read your CV. A good headshot doesn't need to cost a fortune, but it does need to look professional. Avoid selfies, holiday snaps, or photos where you've cropped someone else out. Find a photographer who specialises in actor headshots and invest in a proper session. You'll need at least two looks: a clean, natural shot and something with a bit more character or edge. Update them every couple of years, or whenever your appearance changes significantly.

Your CV #

Even if you have no professional credits yet, you still need a CV. List your training, any student or amateur productions you've been involved in, and your relevant skills. Can you ride a horse? Do you speak another language? Can you do a convincing regional accent? All of this matters. Keep it to one page, be honest about your experience, and format it cleanly. A casting director who has to hunt through a messy CV to find what they're looking for will simply move on to the next person.

A Cover Letter #

Prepare a template cover letter that you can quickly adapt for each application. It should be brief, professional, and to the point. Mention who you are, why you're right for this particular role, and where they can find more about you. Personalise it every time. Casting directors can spot a generic copy-paste job from a mile away.

Your Online Presence #

In today's industry, your online presence matters almost as much as your talent.

Get a website.

It doesn't need to be elaborate. A simple site built on WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace with your headshots, CV, showreel, and contact details is enough. The point is to give people a single place where they can find everything they need to know about you.

Clean up your social media.

Go through your personal accounts and remove anything you wouldn't want a casting director to see. Better yet, create dedicated professional pages for your acting career. Use them to share your work, connect with other professionals, and show that you're active in the industry. Social media is a shop window, so make sure what's on display is worth looking at.

Update your email signature

Add your website address and, if you have one, a link to your showreel. Every email you send becomes a subtle bit of self-promotion.

Build Experience Any Way You Can #

Nothing beats experience. Nothing. And at the start of your career, you need to be creative about how you get it.

Student films

These are one of the best places to start. Film schools are always looking for actors, and while the pay is usually non-existent, the experience is invaluable. You'll learn how a set works, how to hit your mark, how to take direction, and you'll come away with footage for your showreel.

Make your own content

With a decent phone camera and some free editing software, there's nothing stopping you from creating your own short films, sketches, or monologues. It's practice, it's content for your social media, and it shows initiative.

Community theatre and fringe productions

Another excellent route. The standard can be surprisingly high, and it keeps you performing in front of live audiences while you build your professional credits.

Extra work

It might not feel glamorous, but it gets you on set, it gets you familiar with the rhythms of a professional production, and it puts a credit on your CV. For someone with no professional experience, a few days as a background artist on a TV show is worth its weight in gold.

Find the Jobs #

Unless you have an agent (which, realistically, is very difficult to secure without professional credits), you need to find work yourself. This means actively and consistently searching for casting opportunities.

Casting Websites

The single most effective way to find castings is through dedicated casting platforms. These sites aggregate opportunities and allow you to apply directly. Here are some of the main options depending on where you're based:

• enCAST covers the UK and Europe with castings across 24+ European languages, and consistently posts more castings than many of its competitors. It's a strong option particularly if you're based in Europe or work across multiple European markets.
• Backstage is well established and covers the US and UK markets extensively.
• Spotlight is the industry standard in the UK, though it requires membership and is more geared toward actors with some professional experience.
• Casting Networks is widely used in the US and has been expanding into other markets.

Whichever platforms you use, the key is to set up your notifications properly. Most sites let you filter by location, role type, and other criteria so you only receive relevant alerts. Check your castings every single day. Smaller jobs are often cast at the last minute, and if you're 24 hours late to the party, someone else may already have the role.

Beyond Casting Websites #

Don't limit yourself to online platforms. There are jobs out there that never make it onto the big casting sites.

Local newspapers and community boards sometimes mention productions filming in your area that need extras or local talent. Keep an eye on them.

Facebook groups are a surprisingly useful resource. Search for acting groups, casting groups, and film-making groups in your area and check them regularly. Many independent filmmakers post opportunities in these groups before they post them anywhere else.

Industry events, workshops, and networking meetups are places where you can meet directors, producers, and other actors face to face. The connections you make at these events can lead directly to work.

Tell Everyone You're an Actor #

Without being obnoxious about it, let people know what you do. When someone asks what you're up to, tell them you're an actor.

The film and television industry runs on word of mouth more than almost any other business. Here's a scenario that happens more often than you might think: you mention to your neighbour that you're an actor. They mention it to their daughter, who happens to work as a makeup artist on a local TV production. The production has a last-minute cancellation and needs someone to fill in this weekend. Your name comes up, and suddenly you're on set.

This isn't fantasy. It genuinely happens. The more people who know you're an actor, the wider your net becomes.

Stay Sharp and Stay Visible #

One Task a Day

Commit to doing one thing every single day that advances your acting career. It might be submitting for a casting, updating your CV, watching a masterclass, reaching out to a director whose work you admire, or practising a monologue. One task a day adds up to over 350 career-building actions a year. That consistency makes a difference.

Never Stop Learning

Read the industry press. Follow trade publications and blogs. Know which productions are filming in your region, which studios are commissioning new projects, and what trends are emerging in the industry. The more informed you are, the better prepared you'll be when an opportunity comes your way.

Take classes when you can. Even experienced actors continue to train. A workshop in a skill you don't yet have, whether it's stage combat, accent work, or on-camera technique, makes you more castable and keeps you growing.

Build Your Network

Connect with other actors, filmmakers, writers, and crew online and in person. Join social media groups and actually participate in them. Comment on other people's work. Share useful information. Be genuinely supportive. The acting community is smaller than you think, and the people you're connecting with today might be the ones offering you work tomorrow.

Create Content

Consider starting a YouTube channel, a TikTok account, or a podcast. It doesn't have to be polished or expensive. What matters is that you're creating, you're visible, and you're building an audience. Casting directors increasingly look at an actor's social media following as part of the package, and having your own content shows that you're proactive, creative, and comfortable in front of a camera.

A Final Word #

Finding work as an actor is hard. There's no getting around that. But the actors who work consistently are almost always the ones who treat their career like a business, who are relentless about finding and creating opportunities, and who never stop improving their craft. Talent matters, but so does persistence, professionalism, and the willingness to put yourself out there day after day.

Start today. Get your headshots done, update your CV, sign up for casting sites, and tell someone you're an actor. The work won't always come quickly, but if you keep showing up, it will come.