As every actor or actress knows, the most nerve wracking experience, by far the most difficult aspect of an acting job to get through are the auditions, however, since they are an essential aspect of the job, it's something that everyone has to learn how to handle.

The audition process generally works in this fashion:

Your agent, or you, submits a resume and a headshot to the casting director or to whomever is casting the roles for the job you're seeking.

Once in a while you will hear about "open calls", where they will accept anyone to audition, and in fact, literally hundreds of people may show up. These are also called, in the business, cattle calls because the auditioners are herded through like cattle, however they aren't the rule but the exception. Most of the auditions you will go to are by invitation only.

When you get called for an audition you should get "sides". What these are amount to a couple pages of the script that they expect you to read for the audition. You can also, or perhaps instead of, be asked to have a musical or a monologue ready for the audition. In any case, whatever you're doing, it's time to prepare for it.

To do so you are going to want to:

**Read your script, and study it carefully, taking in as many details as you can about the character that you're going to audition for. Don't concern yourself at first with the lines you're speaking but instead, focus your attention on finding out all you can about the personality, and the persona you're trying to portray.

Once you think you know all there is to know about the person behind the lines, then take the time to learn them, using whatever method of memorization works best for you.
Although at most auditions you won't be expected to know all the lines, it's always better to be safe, because in some few cases you will.

When you dress for any audition, try to dress in character. No, I don't mean wear a peasant dress from the sixties, but if you're auditioning for the role of a flapper, then dressing as a gaucho isn't going to cut it.

When you're ready for the audition, one of the things you're going to want to do is to warm up for it, in much the same way a gymnast warms up for a competition. Stretch, vocalize and go over your lines one last time.
This is also a great way to help you to feel that you've done your best to be completely ready and to get over the nervous twitch that we all feel. You don't want that to be the biggest thing you show the director.

Sign in at the audition, and you will most likely have to wait a bit. There will be others as well who are waiting to audition for the same part. While visiting might be fun, stay focused on the reason you are there and socialize when you're finished.

The casting director will probably be the person you audition for, and depending on how busy they are they may speak with you for a few moments or just say good morning and ask you to start.

Forget to the best of your ability that you are auditioning and pretend for that moment that the part is already yours. Be the character you are auditioning for and remember that it is a competition. Do the best job you can and look at the director as an ally.

Above all be sincere in your dealings with the casting director and when you've finished, don't self critique.

Most likely they will offer you a few words and let you go. Above all don't ask if you will be called back. IF your performance was good enough you will be.