DJ Resume: Templates, Examples & Essential Skills

As a DJ, getting the crowd involved with your playlist and setting the atmosphere is what you’re great at. But, is your resume not hitting the right tune with hiring managers? If that’s the case, our expert resume templates will get hiring managers moving to your resume’s beat.

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ResumeGiants Team
Written by
ResumeGiants Team
Resume and Cover Letter Experts
Updated on July 16, 2024

Looking to make a career out of spinning decks? This job market is competitive, so having an impressive DJ resume is key!

With a strong disc jockey resume template, you’ll find it easier to get gigs and book those dream sets!

In this article, we’ll discuss 

  • How to write an effective resume for DJs
  • The best format for your DJ resume template 
  • How to make sure your disc jockey skills  are highlighted
  • Writing DJ job descriptions

If you’re unsure where to even start, take a look at our site and find a great DJ resume resume template to download free!

DJ Resume Sample

While there are many different ways to format your resume, below we’ve put together a professional DJ resume sample  that should be a great fit for most.

Resume Example
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[Ricky Discs]

[Professional DJ]

[201 Mimosa Avenue, Austin, TX, 78652   |   555-010-7279   |    rickydiscsdj@gmail.com]

Summary

High-energy and hard-working DJ with 4+ years of experience in the Austin club scene. At Laguna Club, DJ’d 100+ events with 100 to 300 guests per event. Received the ‘Best Latin Beats DJ  Award 2022’ from the Austin Music Guild. Would love to bring my brand of entertainment to Joey’s as I think we would be a good match.

Experience 

Resident DJ

Laguna Club | Austin, TX

2020 – 2022

  • DJ’d 100+ events with 100 to 300 guests per event
  • Created unique playlists tailored to each club night and public
  • Ensured a monthly release of my original mixes online, which helped to promote the club and improved attendance at gigs by 40%

DJ

Self-employed | Austin, TX

2018 – 2020

  • MC’d and DJ’d over 100 large and smaller events, including weddings, corporate events, and private parties
  • Cultivated long-lasting professional relationships with the owners of various Austin establishments, promoters, and fellow artists.

Education 

BA Sound Engineering

University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX

2015 – 2018

  • President of the Electronic Music Club
  • Volunteered for 3 years as a Sound Technician at campus music bar
  • Achieved a 3.5 GPA

Skills

Soft skills

  • Creative thinking
  • Organization
  • Physical stamina
  • Self-motivation
  • Time management

Hard skills

  • Computer skills
  • Creating sets and playlists
  • Sampling
  • Scratching
  • Setup & teardown

Awards

  • ‘Best Latin Beats DJ Award 2022’ – Austin Music Guild

Hobbies and Interests

  • Contribute 2 monthly articles to Austin DJ World magazine 
  • Frequently travel to speak at EDM conferences around the country
  • Rock climbing enthusiast

Now let’s go through each section one by one so you can start putting together your own impressive DJ resume example. 

 What’s the Best Disc Jockey Resume Format?

If you’re just getting started, it can be difficult and overwhelming to figure out how to write your resume. 

To get you started, here are some of the best formats that have worked for other DJs:

  • The chronological format involves listing all of your previous jobs in reverse chronological order with the most recent listed first. This is useful if you have a lot of experience in the same field but want an easy way to organize everything chronologically on one page.
  • The functional format is a great choice if you’re changing careers because it focuses more on relevant skills instead of previous job titles and responsibilities. 

Your DJ resume should be easy to read and uncomplicated. You want it to look professional, but you don’t want it to be boring or difficult for your potential employer to understand.

 How to Write a DJ Resume Summary or Resume Objective

A resume summary or objective is a statement that serves as an introduction to your professional experience or goals, located under the disc jockey headline for the resume.

A summary is basically a short version of your resume, with just a few sentences that offer information on your background, experience, and why you would be a good fit for the role. 

A well-written DJ resume summary will help recruiters quickly determine whether or not they want to read more about you. You can see an effective summary in the club DJ resume sample above. 

However, if you’re just starting out in your career, you might want to opt for a DJ resume objective instead.

💡 top tip

An objective is basically the same as a resume summary, but it focuses more on your skills and career goals. Therefore, it’s more apt for an entry-level resume writer. 

DJ Resume Objective Example

How do you write a DJ resume objective?  It should be short and to the point, but still tell a story about who you are and why they should hire you. 

Let’s take a look at these right and wrong DJ resume objective examples for inspiration:

Wrong ❌

My objective is to eventually work in the music industry as one of the best DJs. If you give me a shot, you can help me make it happen.

In the first example, the applicant merely states their ambition without giving any idea as to why they might be qualified for such a job. It comes across as presumptuous and a little arrogant.

Right ✅

I am a passionate music enthusiast with a knack for making people dance! My goal is to become an experienced DJ so that I can share my love of music with others. If given the chance, I would be delighted to bring my skills and experience to your event or venue.

This candidate is much clearer in stating why they are applying for the position and what they have to offer. They are not shy about their lack of experience, but their enthusiasm comes through loud and clear. 

How to Describe Your DJ Experience on Your Resume

When it comes to listing a disc jockey job description on a resume, the most important thing is to be specific. Start with the most recent job and describe your responsibilities.

Include the company name and location, as well as a list of accomplishments you achieved during your stint in the role. Break down the duties and responsibilities of this position by listing them bullet point style. 

The job descriptions for a club DJ or radio DJ resume might look slightly different from a freelancer as it’s likely you held these posts for longer periods of time. It’s better to focus on your day-to-day roles in the position, as well as achievements within the role.

💡 top tip

Don’t just say “I played music at an event.” Describe what kind of music you played and to how many people, e.g. “I mixed house music for over 200 people.”

 DJ Resume Examples: Experience

Let’s take a look at 2 DJ job description resume samples:

Wrong ❌

Resident DJ

Laguna Club | Austin, TX

2020 – 2022

  • DJ’d at this trendy club in downtown Austin
  • Created unique playlists and released my tracks online

The key difference here is that the first is lacking any sort of quantifiable data that shows how successful the candidate was in his endeavours, and how his performance was received.

Right ✅

Resident DJ

Laguna Club | Austin, TX

2020 – 2022

  • DJ’d 100+ events with 100 to 300 guests per event
  • Created unique playlists tailored to each club night and public
  • Ensured a monthly release of my original mixes online, which helped to promote the club and improved attendance at gigs by 40%

The second DJ job description resume example  is much more effective, as it indicates how much work the candidate puts in by explaining how many events he performed at and to what kind of audience size. 

He also hints at the ability to self-promote, something very important to music industry recruiters, and exactly how much his efforts helped improve business. 

 Is Your DJ Education Section Playing Last Year’s Beats?

A lot of people wonder if they should include an education section on their DJ resume. The answer is that it’s optional, so only add it if you think it will help you get the job.

If you have a degree, you can include it in this section. You can also include any other relevant training or qualifications here too, such as membership with an industry body like ASCAP.

Education should be listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent institution of higher learning. First come degrees, then diplomas and certificates earned from specific courses or programs.

💡 top tip

There’s no need to include your earlier educational experiences – unless you don’t have a degree/higher educational qualification.

 DJ Resume Education Section

Let’s take a look at a right and a wrong example of a DJ Resume Education Section:

Wrong ❌

Sound Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

2015 – 2018

The first example gives a hint that you have some relevant education, but there is no indication of what kind of course it was, whether a degree or a short workshop. There’s also no indication of your achievements during your education.

Right ✅

Education

BA Sound Engineering

University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX

2015 – 2018

  • President of the Electronic Music Club
  • Volunteered for 3 years as a Sound Technician at campus music bar
  • Achieved a 3.5 GPA

This is a much stronger example, as it clearly indicates you studied for a degree, and includes achievements and extracurricular activities that would be of great interest to a recruiter. The use of bullet points is a great touch too. 

 The Best DJ Skills for a Resume

The best disc jockey skills for a resume are those that help you get gigs. Skills like having proficiency in music mixing software, creating playlists, and knowing how to interact with a crowd are all important technical skills you should list. 

However, these could all be classified as ‘hard skills’. It’s also important to list ‘soft skills’ on your DJ resume, such as creative thinking, problem-solving, communication, and time-management skills

Here are some examples of both that would be of benefit to any DJ resume.

Soft Skills

  • Active listening
  • Creative thinking
  • Customer service
  • Detail oriented
  • Efficiency
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Organization
  • Physical stamina
  • Problem solving
  • Self-motivation
  • Teamwork
  • Time management

Hard Skills

  • Computer skills
  • Creating sets and playlists
  • Crowd interaction
  • EQ
  • MIDI
  • Making loops
  • Mashups
  • Remixes
  • Live performance
  • Sampling
  • Scratching
  • Setup & teardown
  • Traktor Kontrol S8

However, you don’t want to oversell yourself, and listing too many skills will just clutter up your resume. You should keep the number of disc jockey skills you include to 4 or 5 for each section.

 How to Add Other Sections for an Effective Resume

To make sure you have an effective DJ resume, you should strive to include some other sections to give a full picture of your worth and capabilities!

For example, you could add an Awards & Achievements section. This is a good place to list any awards, honors or accolades you may have received at school or in your career.It’s also a good idea to include personal interests/hobbies on your DJ resume! 

Disc Jockey Resume Sample Extra Sections

Find below both poor and strong Disc Jockey Resume Sample Extra Sections:

Wrong ❌

Other activities 

  • Rock climbing
  • Scuba Diving

This is a weak extra section because it is vague and completely unrelated to the rest of the DJ resume. tIt’s fine to include hobbies on a resume, but you want to bolster them with other activities that are related to your professional pursuits if possible.

Right ✅

Awards

  • ‘Best Latin Beats DJ Award 2022’ – Austin Music Guild

Hobbies and Interests

  • Contribute 2 monthly articles to Austin DJ World magazine 
  • Frequently travel to speak at EDM conferences around the country
  • Rock climbing enthusiast

This is much better. Not only do the extra sections include an ‘Awards’ section that will catch the recruiter’s eyes, but the hobbies and interests reflect activities that are both relevant to your career and personal endeavours. 

 Key Takeaway

As a final step, let’s take a look at some key takeaways for writing an effective DJ resume example:

  • Use a Disc Jockey resume template to ensure a professional format and layout
  • Use a chronological format if you have a lot of experience
  • Use a skills-based CV if you are new to the field
  • Use bullet points when describing your previous roles
  • Remember to proofread for any typos or grammatical errors on the document before sending it anywhere!

We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of what makes for a great DJ resume. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to put in the work and make something that’s truly amazing!

If you need help and want to make life easier for yourself, use our free online resume builder tool with a 14-day trial period, so you know you’ll end up with a professional DJ resume to download!

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