Arts and technology

Lighting technician CV: example and template

This example is for lighting technicians, operators and programmers at theatres, technical companies working on concerts and events, in TV and on film sets, and for electricians who want to work in stage lighting.

The employer wants to know which consoles you programme, which equipment you work with, which events you have run and whether you hold electrical and working at height qualifications. We show you how to describe this on your CV.

Create your CV in the builderSee the example

Example CV: lighting technician

All the details in this example are fictional. Treat it as a model of layout and wording, and replace the content with your own experience.

Mateusz Kalinowski

Lighting operator

Warsaw +48 123 456 789 mateusz.kalinowski@example.com

Professional profile

Lighting operator and programmer with 8 years of experience at a drama theatre and a technical company working on concerts, festivals and TV shows. I programme lighting consoles, prepare lighting plots and run shows live. I hold SEP and working at height qualifications and also work with media servers.

Work experience

Lighting operator and programmer

03.2020 - present

Event technical company, Warsaw

  • Programming and operating lighting at concerts and festivals, about 70 events a year.
  • Lighting plots and visualisations for clients before the event.
  • Working with moving heads, LED fixtures and DMX and network control.
  • Operating lighting for live TV shows.
  • Supervising truss assembly and rigging of equipment.

Lighting technician

09.2016 - 02.2020

Drama theatre, Warsaw

  • Rigging and focusing lanterns before performances.
  • Operating the console during performances.
  • Working with the lighting designer on premieres.

Education

Electrical technician

2011 - 2015

Electrical Technical School in Warsaw

Skills

  • Programming lighting consoles
  • Live lighting operation
  • DMX and network control
  • Moving heads and LED
  • Lighting plots and visualisations
  • Media servers

Licences and training

  • SEP electrical qualification certificate up to 1 kV
  • Working at height qualification
  • Console programming training, 2021

Languages

  • English: B2

Additional information

  • Driving licence, category B, ready to work on tour

I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).

How to write a lighting technician CV

Professional summary

Write where you work in lighting, for how long and what you do: rigging, programming, live operation. Add the consoles you know and your qualifications, because they appear in job ads almost always. If you design lighting plots or work with media servers, say so in your summary.

Electrical technician with an SEP qualification and experience rigging lighting at outdoor events. I know the basics of DMX and console programming. I am looking for work as a lighting technician at a theatre or a technical company.

Experience: duties and achievements

Describe the types of events, their number, the equipment and your tasks. Show whether you programme and operate shows on your own. At a theatre add your work with the lighting designer.

Weaker: Running the lights.

Better: Programming and operating lighting at concerts and festivals, about 70 events a year.

Weaker: Preparing events.

Better: Lighting plots and visualisations for clients before the event.

Weaker: Work at a theatre.

Better: Rigging and focusing lanterns before performances, operating the console during performances.

Skills worth listing

List consoles, control systems, equipment and visualisation software. In your soft skills show an eye for aesthetics and calm during live shows.

Professional skills

  • Lighting consoles
  • Live operation
  • DMX
  • Lighting equipment
  • Visualisation
  • Rigging and safety

Personal skills

  • Eye for aesthetics
  • Calm under pressure
  • Teamwork
  • Accuracy
  • Availability

Licences and training

List your SEP electrical qualification, working at height qualification and console training. Without electrical qualifications it is hard to get rigging work at a technical company.

Lighting technician CV with no experience

Describe electrical school, placements, helping at events and lighting at a club or a community centre. Give the equipment you know.

Get an SEP qualification and working at height training. Technical companies are glad to take on new people for rigging and teach them programming.

Tailoring your CV to the job offer

A theatre looks for work with the lighting designer and running performances, a technical company for programming and touring, and TV for live operation and lighting for camera. Move to the top what the job ad is about.

The most common mistakes on a lighting technician CV

Questions and answers

What should a lighting technician put on a CV?

Consoles, equipment, the types and number of events, programming, live operation, lighting plots, qualifications and availability.

Does a lighting technician need an SEP qualification?

At many companies, yes, because the work involves connecting electrical equipment.

How do you become a lighting technician with no experience?

Through rigging work at a technical company or at a theatre. Electrical school and an SEP qualification help.

Is it worth naming consoles?

Yes, job ads often name specific consoles.

Create a lighting technician CV in the builder

In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.

Go to the CV builder

See also

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Career guide

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