Should I take that full-time job as an actor?

Now that is the question.

To have got to this point, you have probably been around the block a few times. You’ve attended auditions, landed a mix of paid and unpaid work, and balanced it all with a job that offered some flexibility — perhaps alongside colleagues who half-jokingly said they’ll be watching out for your BAFTA speech one day!

Or maybe you’ve found yourself in one of those well-known call centres full of actors and creatives all quietly working towards their exit, everyone focused on their own path, waiting for the moment their real career takes off.

If you are asking this question, you are certainly not alone.

The financial reality

A lack of financial stability - being broke - is a common theme among actors. There is a widespread assumption that appearing on television or performing on a major stage means financial security; for some, that is true, but for most, it is not.

Asking whether to take on a full-time job often signals a shift. It is no longer just about covering basic expenses or sacrificing for the craft; it becomes about wanting more stability — the ability to save, to travel, to build a life beyond survival, especially now in a cost-of-living crisis.

You may find yourself comparing your life to peers — people you went to school or drama school with — who seem to be progressing in more traditional ways: stable careers, homes, families, holidays.

The comparison trap

But here’s the reality: everyone has to run their own race.

For some, financial instability eventually outweighs the joy of acting. For others, the fulfilment of the craft far exceeds the discomfort of uncertainty. For as long as they can stay afloat and remain connected to the work, they continue to pursue their dream.

Neither path is wrong.

What is dangerous is constant comparison. Conversations about careers can quickly become dominated by what others are doing — and when financial pressure is added, that can lead to doubt, frustration, and even thoughts of walking away entirely.

So, should you take the full-time job?

The honest answer is: only you can decide.

But if you have spent years trusting your instincts in your career so far, this is no different. Trust yourself to make the right call for your circumstances — not someone else’s expectations.

If you choose stability

Taking a full-time job does not have to mean the end of your acting journey.

It can be a strategic pause — a chance to rebuild financially, regain energy, gain new life experience, and create a foundation that allows you to return stronger. Things change, and people evolve, but it is entirely possible to come back.

If you choose the pursuit

If turning down that job feels necessary to stay connected to your craft, then commit to that choice fully.

Keep the momentum going. Keep showing up. Keep that flame alive. Live the life many admire from a distance because they possess not the courage to throw caution to the wind and follow their dreams and ambitions.

It is not an easy path. While others may prioritise security, you are choosing to pursue something uncertain but meaningful.

You may be broke at times doing it, but you’d certainly be broken without it.

This article is brought to you by Dramanic, a UK casting call and auditions information service.