RESUME MISTAKES
Turn Your Comedy Career into a Show‑Stopping Resume
Avoid the pitfalls that keep funny talent hidden and get booked faster.
How This Page Helps
Help comedians craft a professional, punchy resume that lands gigs, auditions, and representation.
Identify the most common resume blunders for performers
Learn how to highlight stage experience and media appearances
Optimize for talent‑agent ATS systems
Create a clean, readable layout that reflects your brand
Use the right keywords to get discovered
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Listing jokes instead of achievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Doesn't demonstrate measurable impact
- Hard for agents to gauge experience
- Looks unprofessional
How to fix
- Translate each performance into results (e.g., audience size, sold‑out shows)
- Use action verbs and numbers
- Focus on roles and responsibilities
❌ Before
Performed a 5‑minute set at The Laugh Factory.
✓ After
Headlined a 5‑minute set at The Laugh Factory, entertaining 300+ audience members and receiving 4.8/5 rating on audience surveys.
ATS Tip
Include keywords like 'stand‑up', 'headliner', 'tour', 'audience size'.
Detection Rules
Contains phrase 'joke' without metrics
Lacks numbers or outcomes
Resumly Tip
Turn punchlines into performance metrics for impact.
Using a generic objective statementMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Fails to differentiate you
- Wastes space
- Doesn't align with hiring manager goals
How to fix
- Replace with a professional summary highlighting niche (e.g., improv, satire) and key achievements
- Keep it under 3 lines
- Mention target role or market
❌ Before
Objective: To obtain a position as a comedian.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Award‑winning improv comedian with 6 years touring nationally, featured on Comedy Central, and a proven track record of increasing audience engagement by 30%.
ATS Tip
Start with keywords like 'improv', 'satire', 'touring', 'Comedy Central'.
Detection Rules
Starts with 'Objective:'
Less than 10 words
Resumly Tip
Swap objective for a punchy summary that sells your brand.
Formatting with multiple fonts and colorsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Confuses ATS parsers
- Looks unprofessional
- Distracts from content
How to fix
- Use a single clean font (e.g., Arial, Calibri) 10‑12pt
- Stick to black text on white background
- Use bold for headings only
❌ Before
Header in Comic Sans, bullet points in red.
✓ After
Header in Calibri Bold, black text, consistent bullet style.
ATS Tip
Plain text ensures ATS can read each section.
Detection Rules
Contains font names other than standard
Uses color codes
Resumly Tip
Keep design simple; let your jokes do the talking.
Omitting dates or using vague timeframesMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Makes career timeline unclear
- ATS may flag missing dates
- Hiring managers can’t assess experience length
How to fix
- List month and year for each gig
- Use consistent format (MM/YYYY)
- If ongoing, use 'Present'
❌ Before
Performed at XYZ Club – Summer 2022.
✓ After
Performed at XYZ Club – June 2022 – August 2022.
ATS Tip
Standard date format improves parsing.
Detection Rules
Dates missing month/year
Uses seasons instead of months
Resumly Tip
Precise dates show steady work and growth.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Info, Professional Summary, Key Skills, Performance Experience, Media & Awards, Education, References (optional)
Naming: FirstName_LastName_Comedian_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State (or Country)
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a clear, professional font
- Include a punchy professional summary
- Quantify every performance
- List dates in MM/YYYY
- Add relevant comedy keywords
- Keep layout to one font and black text
- Save as PDF with proper file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Workday, iCIMS, Greenhouse, JazzHR
Keyword Strategy: stand‑up, improv, headliner, tour, audience, comedy club, TV appearance, festival, satire
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Professional Summary', 'Performance Experience', 'Skills'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current comedian resume text
- Convert jokes to metrics
- Standardize dates
- Replace colorful fonts with Calibri
- Add keyword suggestions
Ready to turn laughs into bookings? Get your perfect comedian resume now!
Download Free Resume Template
