10 of the top places to find voice acting jobs in 2024

Voice acting is a creative, fun, and rewarding profession. If you have a unique voice and enjoy performing, reading out loud, or even narrating video tutorials at work, voice acting might be a genuinely rewarding career path for you.

In this article, we delve deeper into what constitutes a voice actor's career, how to begin voice acting, the advantages of taking voice acting jobs, and, most importantly, the best platforms for booking voice acting jobs.

What is voice acting?

Voice acting is the occupation of using one's voice for character portrayal or narration purposes.

Voice over work encompasses a wide range of audio content production, including cartoon, anime, and video game character portrayals, audiobook or podcast narration, promotional or commercial voice overs, documentary voice overs, online tutorial narration, automated voice responses, and even pre-recorded and automated announcements.

Although not entirely apparent at first glance, voice overs are essentially everywhere: from public transportation announcements you hear during your daily commute to the commercials you see on the TV or the internet.

While some voice actors prefer to stick to a particular niche of voice acting (e.g., strictly audiobook narration or character portrayals), others enjoy branching out and working on various projects. The good news is that if you have the skills to provide voice overs in the first place, you can easily branch out and explore more work opportunities.

The advantages of working as a voice actor

When it comes to pursuing voice acting as a full-time career (or even a side hustle), the advantages are numerous. Let's take a look at some of them below:

Voice acting work is fun

Although this advantage may initially seem unimportant, it's one of the most important points to consider. Many people choose career paths that don't feel creative or rewarding simply because they are concerned about stability and income.

Although 9-5 office jobs are perfect for some, individuals with a more creative or unconventional streak may find themselves feeling unfulfilled.

Thankfully, voice acting is a dynamic and creative profession and can be an excellent alternative for those seeking a less conventional career path. Additionally, voice artists can make a substantial income if they are willing to work hard and dedicate time and energy to perfecting their craft.

Voice over jobs are often flexible

Flexible work schedules and freelance opportunities are on the rise, especially post-pandemic, and voice acting is no exception. In fact, voice acting gigs tend to be flexible or remote, for the most part, allowing you to complete your recordings on your own terms.

Depending on who you collaborate with, most voice-acting work can be completed from the comfort of your own home. As long as you're willing to invest in essential recording equipment (e.g., a high-quality microphone) and ensure a quiet environment during your recording sessions, you may not need to leave your house entirely - given that most business meetings can easily be conducted online.

Voice acting: An excellent side hustle

Voice acting jobs are viable full-time occupations and excellent side projects. If you already have a 9-5 that you are pleased with but would like to earn extra cash on the side (without additional expenses), voice acting may be an excellent choice.

Given that voice acting work is flexible, you can easily bypass additional costs like commute expenses, allowing you to focus on what really matters - establishing yourself in the sphere and making extra income.

No higher education requirements

Unlike many other professions, voice acting does not require a formal higher education. Although some voice actors hold degrees in spheres like drama, communications, or performing arts, this is not a mandatory requirement.

When it comes to voice acting jobs, agents and potential clients will be more interested in your voice talent, experience, and ability rather than the presence (or absence) of a university degree.

How to pursue a career in voice acting

If the benefits of voice acting have inspired you to pursue a career in this field, look no further than our step-by-step guide on how to get started.

Before you read any further, we'd like to preface this checklist by mentioning that, although fun, voice acting is not an overnight income generator. You must possess a certain degree of dedication and passion for the craft to stick with a plan and not give up when presented with your first challenge.

That said, let's take a look at some of the steps you can take if you're just starting on your voice acting journey.

Consider attending acting classes

Taking acting classes may not be a core requirement for voice acting jobs, but learning or honing in on your acting skills certainly helps. By learning to play different roles and embody various characters, you also develop the necessary skill sets for expressive voice acting, including speech pattern variations, conveying emotions through voice, switching intonations, and more.

Practice and develop your skills

Talent without regular practice will only get you so far. Ensure you dedicate the necessary time to your new vocation by practicing whenever possible. Practice sessions can include reading pieces of text out loud and recording your own voice to play it back, listening to other voice actors and picking up on some of their mannerisms, or even completing online courses in your spare time.

Likewise, if you're working with a professional coach, ensure you complete the required exercises and practice what you've learned at home to get the most out of your sessions.

Set up a home studio

Whether you plan on working exclusively from home or not, recording equipment is an absolute must! Thankfully, most beginner recording equipment is affordable and easy to get the hang of.

Essential items include:

• A high-quality microphone (a popular choice for beginners is a USB microphone like the Blue Yeti);
• A pop filter to soften distracting sounds, like "p" or "b" pronunciations;
• Good-quality headphones to ensure accurate playback;
• Recording software (you can start with a free tool like Audacity);
• A computer or laptop to manage recordings and voice over projects;
• A recording space, preferably in a quiet environment.

Record a few samples

Before auditioning for on-site voice acting work or searching for freelance voice acting gigs, ensure you've recorded a few high-quality, clear audio recordings to showcase your voice over capabilities. Make sure to use quality equipment and record in a quiet environment for the best results.

You'll then be able to share them on your online profiles or attach them to outreach emails, allowing potential clients to understand your skills better. Additionally, consider recording a high-quality demo reel if you plan on auditioning for extensive or high-end projects.

Start auditioning for work

Now that you've trained your voice, invested in sound recording equipment, and recorded a few samples, it's time to start auditioning for work. Depending on your connections, you might be able to get your first gig through your current network.

However, looking for voice acting jobs online is an excellent choice if you don't have direct industry connections.

The top ten places to find voice acting jobs

Although there are many platforms to choose from, we've scoured the internet to find the best places online to help kickstart your voice acting career. From passive income generation to freelance platforms to networking opportunities, this list covers everything.

ElevenLabs

We understand that not everyone has the time, resources, or energy to switch professions in the blink of an eye. Moreover, daily life can become hectic, leading many people of all occupations to consider passive income generation.

Although it might come as a surprise, voice acting can absolutely generate a stable, passive income as long as you know where to look. This is where ElevenLabs comes in.

In 2024, we rolled out a new Payout program that empowers professional voice actors and voice-over enthusiasts to receive cash rewards by allowing their voices to be used by the ElevenLabs community for various projects.

So, how does this program work?

It's very simple. All you need to do is sign up for ElevenLabs' Creator Tier by creating a new account or logging in with Google. After that, navigate to the Voice Library and upload a clear 30-minute audio recording. Toggle the "Enable Financial Rewards" switch and choose your rewards system. Depending on your individual preferences, you can either set a default rate or a $/character rate and receive rewards whenever someone uses your voice for their projects.

If you're wondering how this is possible, ElevenLabs uses comprehensive AI voice cloning technology for our text-to-speech and voice-generation solutions. Regarding safety and security, we provide live monitoring to ensure your voice isn't used for any content categories you're uncomfortable with or misused in any way.

For more information, visit our Payouts section for an overview and official documentation.

Bonus voice acting tips from ElevenLabs

Voice acting requires a certain level of dedication to become a rewarding career path. In addition to the tips listed in this article, we've also compiled a list of bonus voice acting tips to help you get ahead and outshine the competition.

1. Don't hesitate to reach out to casting directors, agencies, or potential clients. Whether you prefer sending emails or dropping messages on networking platforms like LinkedIn, don't hesitate to contact potential clients and employers.
2. Speaking of LinkedIn, make sure to build your network and interact with people. Connect with other voice actors or casting directors in your area and interact with their content. When it comes to networking, even a little goes a long way.
3. If you're looking to move on to high-end projects, consider hiring an agent. A professional voice-acting agent will help you find a broader range of opportunities and ensure you are fairly compensated.
4. We already touched upon this, but we want to emphasize this aspect one more time - practice! Whether you're practicing your commercial voice by reading the back of a cereal box out loud or dedicating several hours to perfecting a script, any amount of practice is better than 0.
5. Don't hesitate to take on niche or less-profitable gigs when starting as a voice actor. Although such projects may not offer much compensation or exposure, they provide you with experience and examples of your work (both of which are priceless).

Final thoughts

We hope this article has inspired you to consider voice acting as a career path and provided you with all the information and advice necessary to feel confident about your choice.

Keep in mind that you don't need to start your voice acting career by taking on huge projects. Even smaller steps like signing up as an ElevenLabs creator or taking on smaller gigs can go a long way if you're dedicated and passionate (not to mention that sharing your voice on our Voice Lab will help you make some extra cash).

That said, we wish you the best of luck on your voice acting journey, and hope you get to narrate the character, script, or audiobook of your dreams.

FAQs