8 Tips On Writing A Freelance Resume That Will Attract Clients

Alongside your portfolio, your freelance resume can highlight your talent, expertise, and experience in the best possible way.

Whether you’re currently making a career out of freelancing or you’re pursuing gigs on the side, having a well-crafted resume can do wonders for you. It’s a staple document that can help you land larger clients, effectively find work through third-party agencies, and reel in your most coveted projects.

If you’re looking for ways to In today’s blog, we’ll be sharing with you 8 useful tips on writing a freelance resume that will attract clients. Let’s go!

How to (and Why) Add Freelance Work to Your Resume

Traditionally, a resume introduces your qualifications to potential employers. It outlines your experience, education, skills, and accomplishments that are relevant to the kind of work you are seeking.

These days however, when almost everyone has a side hustle, transforming your regular resume into a freelance resume might just be what you need to land your next big gig.

If you’re a full-time then your resume should invariably include information about your previous projects and former clients. This provides a snapshot of what you have to offer as an independent contractor which can help you land new clients.

On the other hand if you’re taking freelancing gigs in addition to your career, including your side projects still has its merits. Adding your freelance projects to your resume can underscore any new skills you’ve acquired in the course of pursuing these gigs.

Furthermore, adding freelance work in your resume also enhances your intrinsic value as a service provider by showcasing your proficiency in self-management, project management, planning, decision-making, and leadership.

If you’re unsure how to list gigs and side projects in your freelance resume, then here are three things you need to keep in mind:

Use a Position Title Reflecting The Nature of Your Freelance Work

Freelance work is work so it deserves to be treated as such in your resume. Indicate a title that corresponds to the type of work you’ve done in your projects. This helps potential clients understand the role you’ve undertaken during the course of that gig. Use titles like “Independent Graphic Designer”, “Lead Mobile App Developer”, or “Freelance Blog Writer” to provide a clearer picture of work.

List Client Names If You Can

If you’ve done work for big companies or well-known brands and your contract allows it, go ahead and list them. This can be an impressive part of your freelance resume that amplifies your value as a service provider. Most hiring managers appreciate seeing reputable and recognizable names. Often, they associate this with high-quality service. Be sure to add a contact person for added credibility since some hiring officers may opt to verify this. If you’ve done a lot of freelance work then it may be best to highlight the 5 biggest clients you’ve had. However, if your contracts prevent you from mentioning a brand, then it’s best to describe the work only.

Describe Your Services and Accomplishments

A freelance resume is a great place to highlight your accomplishments as an independent service provider. In addition to a blurb that explains the type of work you’ve performed, it’s also a good idea to indicate results of your work. For example, you can say: “Worked as a social media content creator for a lifestyle brand. Provided daily social media posts with graphics and captions with an average of 1000 likes each.”

8 Tips for Writing A Strong Freelance Resume

A strong and well-written freelance resume should always be relevant to the project your applying for or the client you want to land. Therefore, it should always include elements that indicate:

• Relevant experience
• Your skills that matches the posting
• Achievements related to the goals the project or client needs to reach
• What makes you stand out from the competition
• Aspects of your career you’re most proud of

To achieve this, here are 12 things you need to remember when writing a freelance resume:

Know the Basics of a Resume Writing

Follow the standard rules of writing a resume. Just because you’re not following the traditional employment doesn’t mean your resume shouldn’t follow some basic guidelines.

Of course there’s some space for creative freedom, it’s your resume after all but don’t forget the basics too. This includes:

• Writing in the third person
• Making sure your resume is easy to read
• Avoiding spelling and grammar errors
• Labelling your file correctly
• Using logical formatting
• Keeping your resume visually appealing

Customize Your Resume for the Project You’re Vying For

Using a general resume is one of the quickest ways to get dismissed early in the hiring process. Remember that most recruiters and hiring managers sift through countless resumes before they can fill a single position.

So if you want to stand out, your resume needs to let your potential clients know how you can solve their problems through your services. Make sure that everything you put on your freelance resume is relevant to the client you’re trying to land including experience, skills, and even training and education.

It’s also a good idea to have multiple freelance resumes that are intended for a specific kind of project. For example, if you are a designer, you can have a separate resume for web design, another for graphic design, another for UI/UX, and another one for animation.

Use the Inverted Pyramid Format

Hiring managers don’t always have the luxury of time to go through a disorganized resume. If they can’t find the information they need quickly, then you’ll likely get tossed aside in favor of the competition.

So your resume should have a clear visual hierarchy using the inverted pyramid format. The most important information should be at the top so they catch the reader’s attention first. Using clear headings and short but strong descriptions can also help get your message across much more effectively.

Use Keywords in the Job Description

Most freelance work opportunities start with a description from the potential client that contains keywords pertaining to their requirements. Include these keywords in your resume to let a potential client know that you can meet their most important criteria.

Another reason to use these keywords in your resume is because many companies now use automated software to screen resumes submitted to them. This improves your chances of landing

Highlight Your Skills and Achievements

A freelance resume is most effective if you use a skills-based format. Instead of listing your past projects chronologically, design your resume in such a way that puts your skills front and center. A good way to start is to mention your skills that matches what a potential client is looking for. Under these skills, you can list specific projects or companies for which you’ve leveraged them. You can also get a little more creative and use an infographic to rate your each one of them.

Your freelance resume gives you the perfect opportunity to shine. So when applying for projects, don’t be afraid to show off your talents and accomplishments. Declare that you’re the best choice among the rest and prove it through the contents of your resume and portfolio.

Include Relevant Education or Courses You’ve Taken

One of the most marketable characteristics of a freelance professional is the desire to pursue further education in his or her field. While you may think your educational background may not be as important as your experience and skills, it still deserves a place in your freelance resume.

Potential clients may be interested in knowing how you’ve cultivated your talents over the years. They may also find it note-worthy that you take your niche seriously. Continuing education matters especially in fields that constantly evolve with time and with the advancement of technology.

Include Contact and Portfolio Information

It’s always a good idea to put your contact information in a spot that’s easy to see. Don’t forget your name, phone number, email address, and website. If you have a social media presence where you feature your relevant work then include that as well. Industry-specific profiles are also a great addition to your resume.

Don’t Forget to Include a Call-to-Action

Once a hiring manager is done perusing your resume, there’s no guarantee that they’ll got out of their way to look at the resources you’ve provided. So it’s always a good idea to include a call-to-action to lead them to the next step. You can add a request for them to view your website or online portfolio, check your references, or contact you for more information if they need it. But don’t go overboard with your CTAs. One CTA is enough per application.

Conclusion

Creating a resume that highlights your freelance work doesn’t have to be a difficult endeavor. With the tips above, we hope you can build a strong resume that can attract your most coveted clients. Are you ready to land your next big client? Then the FreeUp marketplace has your back! Sign up today to get access to hundreds of freelancing opportunities every week, set your own hourly or fixed rates, and work in your own time.