If you’ve always longed to become an actor then now is  as good a time as any to try to achieve your dream.

The theatre world is a notoriously hard one to break onto it. There can be many pitfalls, especially if you are young and wanting to venture into the profession.

Starting out in the industry can be an absolute maze often without any guidance to advise you on the best way to break into the acting world.

The first step, ideally, is to find an agent . Agents are going to be the best people in terms of getting you out there and being your cheerleader (as well as helping you with contracts once you’ve booked!)

But even finding an agent is not always easy. If you are studying at a theatre school then this might not be too much of a problem because some schools have their own agencies. If not, you need to scout around online, to find someone to represent you. But care needs to be taken, not everyone is scrupulously fair. If you do decide to just approach agents at random you really should check them out by looking at Google reviews or join a facebook acting group and ask members who are the best agents and which people are best avoided.

If you are in doubt you can email youngtalentexpo to check out the person.

When it comes to finding work one option is to follow casting directors on twitter and instagram and see if they post any open calls. You can also follow @youngtalentexpo to see if any roles are posted.

But once again, be careful, and remember to do your homework. Unless it is a well known, reputable company, make sure you check them out!

You will also need some headshots so make sure you have a good photo handy! And, in case you are wondering, a good headshot is one that shows your character, ideally against a plain background. A picture with you as the main focus- so not you and your tasty looking ice cream on holiday in Portugal! There are plenty of companies that can take your headshot or you can ask someone to do it for. If you are not sure what you need to do, google headshots and you will get an idea of what you need to do. And maybe have a few done so you can use the best, and most appropriate one, when you apply for a part.

As an actor, you might come across many setbacks, such as ‘rejections’. This is all part and parcel of being an actor and the key is to enjoy and have fun at the auditions, and then forget about it. If you let rejections weigh you down, then auditioning starts becoming unenjoyable, and auditioning is a huge part of being an actor. Even really well known household names don’t always win the part they long for, so don’t be too downhearted if you aren’t given a part. If you are lucky enough to be offered an audition, give it your best shot then try not to obsess about it. When you go in for your audition you may see just a couple of other people trialling for the part but what you don’t see is the hundreds and hundreds of applicants who originally applied for the role. Just to get an audition is an achievement, it means you’ve stood out amongst a load of other  people. If you don’t get this part there are sure to be others coming along. The secret is to try to relax, if you are too nervous, it can impact on your performance.

If you’re unsure about an audition and its legitimacy, you should go online to research and find out more about the director and the people auditioning you. And when you go for the audition make sure you always meet in a public space, and take a family member or friend with you. Don’t go alone.

And remember, never do anything that doesn’t feel right. And if someone wants you on your own, without your friend or relative present, that should sound alarm bells.

YoungTalentExpo takes place in October in London every year. It was set up to help and protect aspiring actors. The Expo provides budding young actors with the opportunity to meet agents, to find out about the industry and learn from theatre professionals.

This year the expo is on Saturday October 7th at Young Talent Expo: ETC Venues, 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3YD from. Starting at 10am last admissions are at 5pm before the 6pm finish. And don’t worry, if you can’t be there in person, you can still find out all about it and catch up afterwards by watching the seminars online.

Event entry is 10 as are any individual seminar or workshop tickets or you can purchase an ‘All Access Event Pass’ for 95 which includes your entry fee and access to all sessions which you can attend in person or receive as a recording. All tickets must be booked in advance.