Having a bio is essential for any career in the arts or entertainment. Whether you are applying for a job or preparing for an audition, your bio is where you need to shine. It might also be the one piece of career-related advice you receive the most. So it’s about time you knew how to write a successful bio.
Know Your Audience
For those of you unfamiliar, a bio is your basic life story, usually divided into three parts:
- Your full name (first name, middle name, and last name)
- Your date of birth
- The location of your current residence
Usually, you won’t find yourself in need of a bio in everyday life; it’s more commonly encountered in the entertainment industry. However, even in these cases, you’ll still need to know how to write one. Below, we’ll discuss the elements that you need to include in order to write a successful bio.
Your Full Name
Even though most of us know how to write professional biorhythms, having a full name is still crucial. And no, we don’t mean your middle name. Your full name is the name you were given at birth. Your first name is the name you were called at birth, and your last name is the family name. Your full name should appear at the top of your bio in bold, upper case letters. You can also include any titles or degrees you have earned, such as MA, MFA, or Ph.D. You need to include your full name regardless of whether you’ve performed arts or entertainment-related work or not. A strong, consistent name-branding strategy is crucial to brand recognition and authority. Don’t be afraid to be unique with your choice of name, but make sure it’s applicable to your profession.
Your Date of Birth
Your date of birth is the date you were born. You don’t need to include your date of birth for those of you who were born after 1963; the year you were born will suffice. For those of you who were born before 1963, you have the option of including either your date of birth or your year of birth. When you write your date of birth, you should include the following information:
- The month and day of your birth
- The year (with the century)
You need to include your date of birth for those of you who plan on applying for a job in the arts or entertainment industry. It’s a good idea to include your date of birth for those of you who were born after 1960 because many employers in the entertainment industry don’t accept applications from people born after 1963. You also need to include your date of birth for those of you who apply for graduate school because many universities have an age requirement for their programs.
Your Residence
Your residence is the location of your primary residence. If you’re not absolutely sure where you’ll be staying, you can include either your city or state. You should include the following information:
- Your city and state (USA)
- The room number and bedding arrangement (if you have a bedridden or disabled relative, you can include this as well)
- The address of your current (or last) residence
- The address of your office (if you have one)
You need to include your residence for those of you who plan on applying for a job in the arts or entertainment industry. It’s also a good idea to include your residence for those of you who plan on applying for graduate school, particularly if you’re applying to a private school. Many private schools have their own admissions requirements, and most require you to have a current address or a permanent address in the country. Having a residence in another state or country might disqualify you from admission to some universities or colleges. You might also need to include a few other residences, such as other countries or other states for those of you who belong to a church group that regularly moves around the country for evangelism meetings, conferences, or retreats.
Your Height
Your height is the measurement of your height, in inches, without shoes. To find out your exact height, take your shoes off and stand on a scale. If you are over 6’2″, you need to include your height in your bio. If you are under 6’2″, you can either leave it out or write something like, “I’m a little person.” Although your height doesn’t matter in terms of how you write your bio, it’s always a nice addition. Remember that your height can be used to your advantage. If you are shorter than your potential boss or collaborator, you might not have the leverage you need to negotiate a better deal. Taller people have an advantage in terms of being able to see over others’ heads, which can be helpful, especially if you are doing artwork that is meant to be displayed above your head.
Your Weight
Your weight is the measurement of the weight of your whole body, including the weight of your head. People who were blessed with good genes and stay active tend to have a relatively low weight, and people who were blessed with bad genes and stay inactive tend to have a relatively high weight. Regardless of whether you have a high or low weight, you need to include it in your bio. Although your weight doesn’t matter in terms of how you write your bio, it’s always a nice addition.
Your Ethnicity
Your ethnicity is the group you belong to by descent, such as white, black, Asian, or Native American. You can also included your ethnicity as a member of a specific group, such as Irish, Italian, or Polish. You should include your ethnicity in your bio if you think it might benefit your application for a job or graduate school in the arts or entertainment industry. If you don’t want to write about your ethnicity, you can simply leave it out, but it’s a good idea to include something about your heritage, particularly if it’s a part of your identity that is linked to your career. People who are proud of their heritage usually include it in their bio. It might not seem obvious, but having a bio is crucial for those of you who are applying for a job in the arts or entertainment industry.
Your Hobbies And Interests
Your hobbies and interests are the things you enjoy doing in your spare time, such as reading, hiking, drawing, painting, etc. You can include anything that is interesting or unique about you, particularly if it relates to your arts or entertainment background. In terms of applying for a job, your hobbies and interests can be a good way to show that you are a well-rounded person who has diverse interests. If possible, you can also include the following information:
- A short description of each hobby
- A short description of how you enjoy spending your free time (e.g., I love going for walks. I spend the majority of my free time drawing, reading, or hanging out with my family)
You need to include your hobbies and interests for those of you who are applying for a job in the arts or entertainment industry. It can also be a good idea to include your hobbies and interests for those of you who are applying for graduate school in the arts or entertainment industry. If you don’t want to write about your hobbies and interests, you can leave it out, but it’s a good idea to include something about your hobbies and interests, even if it’s only for a short while. People who are proud of their hobbies usually include them in their bio, so including them can be a good way to boast a little bit about yourself.
Your Education & Training
Your education & training are the different steps you’ve taken to become a professional in the arts or entertainment industry. You should include your education & training in your bio if you think it might benefit your application for a job in the arts or entertainment industry. You should also include your education & training for those of you who are applying for graduate school in the arts or entertainment industry. Even though most of us know how to write a bio, including your education & training can help those of you who are applying for jobs or graduate school in the arts or entertainment industry to stand out from the crowd.