In our previous blog posts, we shared our expertise on how to write an effective resume for professionals from different industries. This article is from that series only this time we would like to address the profession that is becoming more and more popular nowadays. Actually, this is not a profession even, it is rather the type of employment. Today we would like to talk about how to develop a resume for freelancers. More and more people choose to freelance as this type of employment has a lot of benefits and can help you save time for your family and friends as well as have a flexible work schedule. But what if you have an opportunity to work for a reputable company and you are required to provide a resume. Or you just decided to switch from being a freelancer to having a regular job so you need to compile a resume (CV) to apply for job openings.
A Freelancer Resume
Start with recording all of the completed projects. Writer several main points under each of them noting what you have done and what was the result of your work. It is important that you remember all of the assignments you were responsible for. It is a good idea to keep records because as time passes by we use to forget some things. It would be cool if after each project you would record about gained experience. Then it will be easier to recall some things for your resume as well as choose your portfolio samples.
After you have done that it is important that you define where you are gonna apply for. Research the company you have chosen that would be your top priority and make sure you choose the most recent and relevant projects for your resume. Despite the temptation to develop a skills-oriented resume, it is considered better if you stick to reverse chronological order. The problem with skills-based CVs is that it doesn't give the opportunity for hiring authorities to differentiate your previous experiences. Besides, it makes it impossible for employers to see your progress if you stick to a skills-oriented CV. If you worked for large clients the names of which are quite recognizable make sure you make it visible. We believe it is reasonable to include 3-6 most recent freelance projects that you worked on. You may choose any job title you want; it is important that is related to what you actually did. Remember that employers like numbers and facts. So if you've accomplished something that could be expressed in $ or % you are very welcome to do so.
After you are done with the experience and accomplishments section you may list your educational credentials (including any relevant trainings as well). Now let's talk a little about things you shouldn't do when writing a resume. Make sure you don't go into details under each project name. HRs will never read long and boring CVs. 2 pages is more than enough to list all of your relevant experience and qualifications. Don't try to exaggerate. Most freelancers tend to do this because they think no one is going to check on them. However, it is very easy to look up what you actually did by contacting the person you have worked for. Also, forget about the objective at the beginning of your resume (it is far better to use a brief summary).
