DJ Resume Example

This complete guide to a DJ resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. 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 find out how to show your creative side in a professional resume, with key tips from Jobseeker's career experts.

Key sections for a DJ resume

A successful DJ resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.

The order you present these sections can vary according to your career stage, but it's still essential to include each of the following:

Resume Header

Your DJ 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. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.

Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.

Resume Profile

Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for DJ roles.

Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.

A great resume summary should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for DJ roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description and provide evidence to support them. It should also introduce your personality and unique qualities to the reader, to help them start to form an opinion about you as a candidate. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for DJ jobs below.

Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.

Employment History

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a DJ. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.

In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.

The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.

See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with 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.

Portfolio and Work Samples

If you have a website, portfolio or other examples of your work available to share, it's important to include them in your DJ resume.

Online portfolios tend to be most relevant for creative roles, but you could provide details of any previous successful projects or work published online. Add a link to your portfolio or include separate links to your previous projects in this section. Conversely, for non-creative careers, it's still worth adding examples of your best work to this section, if you have them available online.

Education

In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to DJ roles.

Working as a DJ doesn't usually require a degree. Even though a degree-level education isn't a necessity, it's still important to highlight your key educational achievements, including a DJ Certification Program or other courses or training that showcases your mixing and blending or track selection expertise.

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 can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.

If you took part in any volunteering or you were a leader or member of any university societies, you could also mention these in your education section.

Skills

The skills section of a DJ resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include DJ software proficiency, crowd reading or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for DJ positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.

How to list hard skills on your DJ resume

For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a DJ. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key DJ duties and responsibilities. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.

If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a DJ resume, see below.

Soft skills on your DJ resume

Soft skills are the personal skills and qualities that make you a good fit for the job. They include transferable skills and strengths that help you settle into the role, adapt to new challenges and build effective working relationships. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.

The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a DJ resume.

Certifications

Under this section, list any relevant certifications or licenses that are relevant to DJ jobs. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a DJ. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.

See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a DJ resume:

Optional Information

To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a DJ resume. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.

Hobbies and Interests

Listing your hobbies and interests can reveal key qualities that some employers may value. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world DJ experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.

Volunteering

If you're lacking relevant DJ work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Write your volunteer section in a similar format to your work experience, including your role, the organization name, relevant dates and the details of your contribution.

References

It's not typical to include references in a DJ resume, but some employers might ask for them. Don't add references unless requested by the employer. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best action words for your DJ resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.

For help creating an eye-catching resume design to catch the attention of hiring managers, see Jobseeker's professional resume layouts. You can also use our clear, effective cover letter templates to complete your application.

Sample DJ resume

Now that you know everything that needs to go into your DJ resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

How to make your resume ATS compliant

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to streamline their hiring process. They can store and process data, including applications and applicant data, quickly and efficiently. One of the jobs ATS applications are increasingly responsible for is initial candidate screening. The systems can quickly scan and rank resumes based on how closely they match the job description. When drafting your DJ resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.

Here a some simple tips to follow for an 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.
• Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
• Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
• Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.

Takeaways for your DJ resume

Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Pick a resume format that matches your experience levels, and tailor the content of your resume to reflect the details of the job description.

HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

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