Top 5 Advice On How To Successfully Write a Freelancing Resume

Sharing is caring!

Freelancers face unique challenges when it comes to writing a resume. Unlike traditional employees, freelancers often have to sell their skills and experience to multiple clients, and they don’t have the benefit of a consistent work history with one employer. It also means getting creative with the job application – skills like learning how to make fake high school transcripts can go a long way in the freelancing world.

With that said, a strong resume is still one of the most important tools a freelancer can have in their arsenal. It’s what will speak for you when you’re not in the room, and it’s often the first impression a potential client will have of your work.

Here are five tips to create a freelancing resume that will make an impact:

1. Keep it Simple

When it comes to your resume, less is more. You don’t need to include every single job or client you’ve ever worked with – in fact, doing so can actually be counter-productive. Stick to the basics: your name, contact information, and a brief summary of your skills and experience.

When it comes to that summary, customize your resume as much as you can. Only include information that’s directly relevant to the position you’re applying for. As an example, if you’re applying for a job as a social media manager, there’s no need to include your experience as a babysitter.

2. Highlight Your Skills, Software & Tools That You Use

One of the biggest differences between a traditional employee and a freelancer is that freelancers trade skills, not the potential of being a long-term employee. That’s why most clients prefer seeing a list of skills and tools on a freelancer’s resume, rather than a traditional work history.

Again, tailor it to the project or position you’re gunning for. Here are some examples:

  • Social media manager: skills might include copywriting, SEO, Photoshop
  • Developer: skills might include specific coding languages, experience with different types of software
  • Virtual assistant: mention if you’re proficient in project management software, have experience with customer service, or can speak multiple languages

3. Specify Your Successful Projects & Clients

One of the most important parts of a freelancer’s resume is their portfolio. This is where you can really show off your skills and experience, and what better way to do that than by including some of your most successful projects and clients?

This doesn’t mean you should include your entire portfolio in your resume. Just pick a few of your most impressive projects, and make sure to include specific details about what you did and how you helped the client.

For instance, did you help a client increase their social media following by 10,000 in one month? Did you design a website that resulted in a 20% increase in sales? These are the types of details that will really make your resume stand out.

4. Use Numbers & Data to Your Advantage

When it comes to writing a freelancing resume, numbers and data are your best friend. If you can back up your skills and experience with tangible results, you’ll be much more likely to land the gig.

So, when listing your projects and clients, make sure to include specific numbers and data whenever possible. This could be things like website traffic statistics, social media engagement figures, or sales conversion rates. It could also be things like the number of clients you’ve worked with, or the total value of projects you’ve completed.

5. Keep Your Tone Professional

Even though you’re a freelancer, it’s important to keep your tone professional when writing your resume. This doesn’t mean you need to use overly formal language – just avoid using slang, abbreviations, or anything else that might come across as unprofessional.

Additionally, make sure your resume is error-free by proofreading it carefully before sending it off. Typos and grammatical errors will reflect poorly on you and could cost you the gig.

6. Format Your Resume for Easy Reading

When it comes to your resume, first impressions matter. That’s why it’s important to format your resume in a way that’s easy on the eyes and easy to read.

Here are a few tips:

  • Use clear, concise language
  • Stick to a simple format and font
  • Use bullet points whenever possible
  • Use proper heading
  • Highlight the most important information
  • Try to keep it to one page

It’s also a good idea to use tools like Grammarly, or even built-in tools on Microsoft Word and Google Docs to spot errors.

7. Save Your Resume in the Right Format

When you’re ready to send off your resume, make sure you save it in the right format. PDFs are usually the best option, as they’ll keep your resume looking consistent no matter where it’s viewed.

Additionally, make sure your file name is professional and easy to remember. Something like “JohnSmith-FreelanceResume.pdf” will do the trick.

And that’s it! Freelancing is an exciting world, but you do need to be creative and have a few tricks up your sleeve to make the most of it. Hopefully, these resume tips will help you get started on the right foot.