Start by acting in community theater, church and school productions. You won't get paid, but you will learn techniques that college classes can't provide, according to actingbiz.com. If you don't win the part of your choice, volunteer to work behind the scenes--which is a good way to connect with like-minded creative people.
Consult college and university media departments, if available, since students always need actors for class productions. These are also nonpaying efforts, but do offer the chance to quickly acquire credits. Get a copy of the finished project to have something for showing talent agents.
Scan your local newspaper's arts and entertainment section for upcoming auditions and productions, or regularly read trade publications like "The Hollywood Reporter." This is one way to learn about projects happening in regional or national markets. Regional theatre directories are also good resources for this kind of information.
Open a Youtube.com account and beg, borrow or rent a camcorder to shoot your own videos, if no film or theatre outlets exist in your area, actingbiz.com suggests. Choose a monologue or routine that sums up your style, and upload it onto Youtube. A creatively-shot clip makes an ideal calling card for talent agents, for whom Youtube is one of many resources to find new faces.
Consider subscribing to Actors Access, a casting website for agents and managers. Seven-year acting veteran Eitan Loewenstein advised artofmanliness.com readers to do so, because he saw the site as having the most comprehensive listings. Using your computer, visit related sites like craigslist.org, and less obvious places like community bulletin boards, as well.
Choose cities with strong independent art communities--such as Chicago, and Minneapolis, which host healthy alternative and improvisational theater scenes, www.actortips.com observed. A third option is Seattle, which boasts more than 150 alternative, classical and contemporary theater companies in the Puget Sound Area alone, the site noted.
Stay mindful of connections between the different communities you discover. The Canadian metropolis of Toronto seems like an unusual choice, but the Second City improvisational team's main education office is based there, www.actortips.com notes. Also, with 80 different theater companies, Toronto life offers steadier work than more heralded areas, the site contends.
Think hard before hiring a talent agent. As Loewenstein told artofmanliness.com readers, it is simpler to spend five minutes auditioning for a casting director, than pounding the pavement to impress an agent who won't handle your career without a reasonable chance of profit. Getting recommendations from a friend or peer in the business is the best way of finding an agent, should one be needed.
Seek as many different outlets as possible, such as voiceover and training film work. Do not overlook local TV or cable commercials, which pay reasonably well. Find out which ad agencies are handling the projects, and call them up. Obtain contact information for the person who makes the casting decisions, so you can approach them directly.