TV Runner CV Advice (Free Downloadable Template)

So you've made the decision to try and get into the TV industry but don't know where to start when it comes to writing a CV - hopefully this post can help a little! Generally, a CV should be formatted with the most important information at the top and the least important information at the bottom so employers do not have to read the whole page to find out what you can do. In this blog post, I shall start at the top of the page and work my way down, giving you little hints and tips along the way that I've pulled together from my experience getting a foot into the TV industry door. I have also put together a Word document template that you can download at the bottom of this post and fill in with information relevant to you and your previous work experience to go alongside the advice here.

Firstly, the most important information you can put on your CV are the details about yourself. Always use your full name and avoid any nicknames, followed by your general location (not your address!) and your contact information. These need to be clear, simple, and accurate as employers will use this information to keep in contact with you if they want to take you on. Along with this information, your job role is important. This should change depending on the job you are applying to as employers want to know straight away what you do and the role you are applying for as they might be hiring for multiple positions at once.

Following this, a personal statement is a nice way to introduce yourself and your relevant experience. This information should follow on at the top of the page and is often the first bit of information read by employers - if you can hook them in here they are more likely to keep reading and give your CV a chance! 2-3 lines should suffice, anything more than this and it takes up a lot of room on the page and is too long for employers to quickly scan and read.

The next section is where you should list your skills. I tend to bullet point these to make them easier to read. Here you should list key skills and things you have learned in your role. Do you have any specialist skills others might not? Can you speak another language? Do you know your way around the camera kit? Can you drive? Even without TV experience, you will have a host of transferrable skills you can highlight here alongside an emphasis of a willingness to learn and get stuck in and you shouldn't have a problem finding yourself a role.

The skills section is then generally followed by your credits - these are not your "on screen" credits as some roles may not "credit" the crew, but any and all the productions you have worked on. The further into your career you go, the more tailored you can make these credits to your CV but in the beginning I would list them all until they no longer fit on the page. These all need to be formatted the same way, I have given two examples in the downloadable Word doc of how I have previously set these out. The information you need to include is as follows: Production name/the name of the show - Production company you worked for - The commissioning channel or service - Your role - Dates you worked - Who you reported to/referee.

Keep your TV and Film experience separate from your student experiences or alternative employment. It's fine to list student projects and other jobs as they host a range of transferrable skills, however these should not be mixed with your broadcast credits as the job roles tend to differ and if you're listed as both a Director, a Retail Assistant and a Runner in one go this could get confusing. Keeping them separate avoids this confusion and lets employers see clearly what you have worked on, for who, and when.

Finally, one of the last things to list is your education. If you have a degree, this is all the education you need to list. There is no need to write out all of your A levels and GCSEs, however, if you do not have a degree then simple bullet points highlighting your relevant grades is enough. This is also where you can list any relevant training you have undertaken, and it is super important you include a GDPR statement saying "This CV may be kept on file and distributed for employment purposes". Without the GDPR statement, employers are legally not allowed to keep hold of your CV for future positions.

Always save your CV as a PDF, this is the easiest format to open by employers and keeps all your formatting in the correct place. Save these files as "YOUR NAME - JOB TITLE - YEAR" - I tend to also put the month in as my CV tends to change quite regularly depending on the job I'm applying to and my updated experiences. For example, my most recent CV is saved as "Shannon Devine PA-Runner July 2022".

FREE TV Runner CV Template.

Download • 33KB

I think it is important to point out that no one template will work for everyone, each CV should be personalised to you, your previous experience, and the job role you are applying to.

You should also customise each CV for the different Runner roles you are applying to as each role will need different skills highlighting. For example, an Office Runner CV would need to highlight skills more relevant to an office role like the use of Microsoft Word or Excel whereas a Location Marshal CV might need more emphasis on driving or radio communication. I have found that I tend to apply for similar roles each time as a Production Runner or Floor Runner and a blanket CV has been fine for these, however, whenever I have been applying to more specific roles making the effort to tailor the CV has helped it stand out amongst the crowd.

I do not claim to know which CV style will work for everyone, I just know that this format worked for me so I popped it into a template for you. All advice has been formulated from my own experience and from tips I've picked up from employers I've met and in the People in TV: Runners Facebook group. Their post developed by multiple TV employers on CV formatting can be found here: People in TV: Runners | If you are finding it difficult to write your CV for the TV production industry – here are some starting tips of what to include.

Good luck job hunting!

SD x