Freelance Resume Example & Writing Guide
- What is a freelancer’s job?
- Why use this freelancer resume example?
- How to write a great freelancer resume
- Which key skills are relevant to a freelancer's resume?
For the seasoned freelancer, showcasing your diverse skill set and passion for problem-solving on your resume is important. You also need to be able to demonstrate that you have a track record of successful projects for the industries you’ve worked with. In this resume example, we will take a look at the best ways to develop your resume so that you will be able to land that next great freelance job.
What is a freelancer’s job?
A freelancer is often an expert in a particular field, such as web design, photography, marketing, writing, or graphic design. They use this expertise to provide their services to clients in a variety of industries. Most of the time, freelancers are self-employed, which means it will be up to you to find your clients, negotiate your project and prices, execute the project scope, and complete all the billing and invoicing processes.
Why use this freelancer resume example?
This resume example is perfect for a freelancer who is looking for a great career because it showcases the most important skills and experience that a freelancer has in a way that will help get you noticed.
Right from the start of the skill summary, you will find important keywords and details about your career that will be important for a hiring manager to see. It also enables you to list many of your key skills in the areas of expertise section.
The career experience section allows you to highlight some of your biggest achievements, and it also provides a place to describe how you’ve used all the specific skills you’ve acquired over the years. Hiring managers will love this resume because of its layout and how easy it is to find important information regarding your freelance career.
How to write a great freelancer resume
The most important thing to keep in mind when writing your freelancer resume is that the goal is to showcase your skills and qualifications so that you stand out to a potential client. Here are some tips that can help you to create a fabulous freelancer resume:
Contact information. As with other resumes, you should put your professional name and contact information at the very top of your resume.
Portfolio. Don’t forget to add a link to your portfolio in the contact information header so your potential client or hiring manager will be able to see samples of your work.
Keep formatting clean. Avoid cluttering up your resume with too much text. Keep things organized, concise, and easy to read. Bullet points help to draw attention to your most important skills and achievements.
Use keywords in your summary. In the skill summary section, make your resume stand out even more by adding keywords regarding important skills in your industry or from the job requirements you find in the job listing.
Work experience. When adding your work experience, show your most recent work first, but don’t be afraid to put especially important projects in bold so they stand out.
Which key skills are relevant to a freelancer's resume?
You’ve probably built up quite a list of skills during your time as a freelancer. When writing your resume, you’ll want to highlight them. Along with showing you can collaborate with teams, work with a client’s voice, and complete the work a company needs, here are some of the skills you may want to consider adding to your resume:
Content creation
Market trend analysis
Business development
Video production
Project management
Web development
Social media
Data analysis
Adobe photoshop
Press releases
Summary example
Goal-focused, resourceful professional with expertise in providing creative direction for cross-functional teams, while advancing brand loyalty and credibility.
Astute director skilled in multiple art forms and an array of fields, including magazine publishing, advertising, and broadcasting. Adept at managing and inspiring large teams to develop creative concepts that appeal to target audiences and meet business objectives. Talent for managing multiple projects simultaneously and delivering them on time and within budget to meet the expectations of stakeholders.
Employment history example
Freelance Style & Art Director
2020 - Present
Create graphic design for print, interactive, and broadcast projects. Track standards, processes, and trends in visual design. Lead pre-production meetings, while collaborating with writers, marketing team members, and external stakeholders. Head presentations and conduct multiple ad campaigns with high-value brands.
Coordinated resources for campaigns in excess of $1M, while ensuring multidiscipline teams stayed on track and met deadlines.
Oversee and guide teams with 10+ members to maintain quality standards and artistic vision.
Style Director at Rainbow Studios, New York, NY
2016 - 2020
Oversaw fashion stylists and assistants in New York City. Onboarded and trained freelance stylists at each studio. Implemented style programs for new clients and handled styling of all special projects/brand partnerships and e-commerce sites. Participated in formulation and revision of all brand-specific style guidelines in compliance with client specifications. Attended client-facing and internal director meetings to review brand upgrades, plan new projects, and address department issues.
Raised quality standards by conducting quality control meetings with all studio style team members.
Collaborated with high-value clients and delivered a broad range of revenue-generating design projects.
Recruited and trained style teams across the United States and Canada and executed systems that allowed teams to self-manage and grow.
Fashion Director at Elegant Bride Magazine, New York, NY
2010 - 2016
Conceptualized still-life and cover photographs for fashion, bridal, accessories, and fine jewelry sectors. Coordinated with bridal designers and jewelry executives to consolidate existing ties and to identify new markets and contacts to acquire new business and advertising. Managed fashion department and junior employees for special wedding and prom magazine issues.
Recruited and managed a highly productive team of graphic, set, and production designers.
Defined and implemented design concepts for target audiences that contributed to a 20% increase in revenue.
Education example
Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Skills example
Creative Direction
Team Management
Cross-Collaboration
Ad Campaigns
Content Curation
Presentations
Market Trend Analysis
Client Needs Assessment
Business Development
