The life of an actor is one that many kids dream about. It seems so glamorous and exciting. It is, but it’s also a challenge. Being a working actor takes a lot of training, work and luck. The acting life is undeniably challenging. Take some things into consideration before pursuing it to increase your chances of success.

1. Nothing endures but change. Acting work isn’t steady unless you are one of the fortunate few to get a regular series gig. Even those that do still branch out into other work. You’ll often have to adapt to working with new people every few weeks. Being able to adapt to a lot of change is a necessity to being an actor.

2. Flexibility is the number one consideration when seeking a survival job. Most actors will need a job that has a good amount of give. An acting career can excel only if it’s given the priority status in your life so focusing on a job that can adjust to your changing schedule is important.

3. Be able to memorize. Take a class on it if it doesn’t come naturally. Memorizing lines must sometimes be done in minutes. You need to develop tricks to trigger your mind and ways to help yourself memorize, whether it’s mental ways or using a tape recorder for repetition.

4. Spend as much time on your resume as you do on your headshot. Accentuating your experience and talents can really get you in the door for an audition as often as the sometimes over-rated and expensive headshot.

5. Be a couch potato for your craft, at least part-time. You should know television shows that are currently on the air in order to appropriately judge the mood and style of a show in case you get the opportunity to audition for it.

6. Continue to study. Grow in the art. Acting is an art form that nobody has completely mastered, and there’s always room for improvement. Aside from making all the difference in your art, having a regular acting studio can give an actor a constant in the sea of change that is show business. It can even be a support source if it’s a good studio with teachers who truly care.

7. Get a reel together. If you don’t have on-camera experience, pay for a professional reel. Go to film school to apply for parts to build the reel if you don’t have any clips. You’ll need a good reel to send to agents and casting directors if you want to win major parts.

8. Socialize with others in show business. Actors can lift one another up. Get to know casting directors, agents and managers. Always send thank you notes after an audition. Build personal relationships that you want in your life within show business; it will strengthen your life apart from the business.

9. Prepare for an audition carefully. Spend at least an hour on any speaking audition. If you can’t prepare, it’s better to skip the audition rather than leaving a casting director who may be the deciding factor for future auditions as well.

10. Be persistent. The actor with the most ambition is usually the one that succeeds.

For the best website to find acting auditions, visit TalentPostings.com. If you already have acting talent, you can create a Talent Profile and get discovered by talent agencies and easily land an acting gig.