How To Write A Resume For Freelance Writer

Resume Layout And Design: Your Lede

Writers spend a lot of time on the first sentence of their work for a reason: first impressions matter. They matter even more in the layout and design of your resume sample. You need to convey a professional, organized image visually as well as in words.

If your freelance writer resume is cluttered, unclear or disorganized , your prospective client is likely to wonder if your writing or research are the same.

Here are a few tips to keep the look clean:

• Stick with classic, easy-to-read fonts.
• Use color sparingly or not at all.
• Do not include a photo or any graphics. If any of your work includes those elements, link to them through your portfolio.
• You have an editor , so do the same with your resume. Make sure you have a friend or colleague proofread before you hit send.
• Consider using one of our resume templates, where the most tedious formatting tasks are a done deal.

Freelance Resume And Cover Letter Examples And Tips

Creating a resume and cover letter can be tricky, even if you work for an employer and your career is pretty straightforward. For freelancers, it’s even more complicated.

Not only do you have to grab the client’s attention, pitch your skills, and prove that you’re the best person for the job, you also have to make sure that the breadth of your experience makes you look accomplished, not scattershot.

Remember, even if you never have an employee or choose to incorporate, you are a small business owner, not someone who’s doing odd jobs.

Review these tips for writing resumes and cover letters that will help you get the gig. There are examples of both and templates you can download to get your own letter and resume started.

Freelance Web Developer Resume Sample

Web Developer , Miami, FL | October 2018 – Present

Worked within teams of creative freelancers to build the backbone of professionally designed websites from the ground up, including coding websites , designing UX wireframes, and fixing sites bugs.

• Collaborating with 3+ agencies, developed websites for clients in the e-commerce, portfolio and blogging industries.
• Validated completed sites, including testing and debugging of code.
• Responsible for quality assurance of finished websites, including validating web forms and links.

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Freelance Writer Resume Education Example

Freelance writers come from all types of backgrounds, so all your education is relevant. Thats especially true if you are writing about the subject you studied in school.

List all your degrees and certifications here. Any honors or distinctions should be noted here as well. If you hold a degree higher than a bachelors degree, you may leave out your high school.

If you have room while sticking with a one- or two-page format, you may consider adding any of the following sections if they apply:

• Awards and accolades
• Certifications
• Professional affiliations

Steer clear of personal information such as hobbies. If you hobby gives you a skill that will boost your candidacy, put that into your skills section.

See the resume example content below for formatting.

Content Writer Resume: Personal Information

In case of any possible shortlist, the recruiters will require some of your particulars to get in touch with you.

Given below is a list of what an ideal personal information section should contain:

• Contact Number

Hiration Protip: Including details like gender, passport details, date of birth, etc., depending on the country where you intend to work. Read the hiring norms for the country you are targeting before you include/don’t include these details.

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Resume Summary Example: Your Pitch

Working as a freelance writer means selling yourself over and over again, so you should have a great idea of how to develop this section. You want to start with your biggest client successes or most celebrated writing work. Then, use your writers voice to explain why you are the right person for this particular job.

You only have two or three sentences, but especially if you are in marketing or another writing field that requires quick attention-getters, you shouldnt struggle with this. Just dont sell yourself short. Talk up your ability to make tight deadlines or your technical expertise. You know you can do the job, so tell your prospect client!

If you need a little more guidance, check out our otherrelate resume samples, like this freelancer resume example, or if youre a newsperson, our journalist resume examplemay fit the bill. Ever try your hand at the movies? We also have a screenwriter resume samplefor your perusal. Our content writer resume samplemay also get your creative juices flowing.

See the resume example text for a summary below.

Prioritize What You Want To Include

Though you may have worked many contracts and developed a lot of hard and soft skills, you should focus your resume on the most important aspects. Keep your resume to one page of your relevant work and skills, and include a link to your portfolio or profile so recruiters can view all of your experience if they want.

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But Dont List Everything

While you certainly want to showcase the projects that youâre most proud of, be careful not to try to squeeze every single freelance project youâve ever worked on onto your resume. Only list the jobs that are strategically relevant to the job that youâre applying for. If youâre applying for a web developer position, you donât need to list the freelance transcription projects that you took on when you were just starting out.

Similarly, do not create individual headings for each project instead, summarize your freelance work within a single heading. The only exception to this would be if you changed your freelance career for example, if you started as a web designer but then moved on to web content writing.

Google Docs Resume Builder

Google Docs has a template that you can use to write your freelance resume.

When you go into Google Docs, look under Start a new document. You should see a couple of templates for resumes.

To expand on this selection, click the button that says Template gallery and find resumes.

This are very simple resume templates that use font color and size to add some visual interest.

Simply fill in your information, removing any sections that do not apply to you. Just like in Canva, watch out for gaps and crowding.

You can save your resume as a document or PDF.

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What About A Format

There are three types of resume formats. Chronological, functional and hybrid. While most job seekers would benefit from a hybrid resume format, most freelancers will benefit from a functional resume format.

A functional resume puts your qualifications and skills front and center rather than focusing on experience and education. This makes it easier for the hiring manager to see if you can complete the specific tasks they need assistance with, and doesnt waste time on the details or history that are ultimately irrelevant for freelance hires.

Describe Your Skills In Detail

If you have decided to go for an untraditional resume format, then you may want to consider using an alternative to a standard list of skills. You can use an infographic, rate your levels of expertise or organize your resume by themes in your skills. For example, you can list each skill you have which you then describe by pulling from your work experiences.

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How To Write A Freelance Writer Resume

If you have been sending out freelance writer resumes and not hearing back from potential clients, it doesnt necessarily mean that you are not qualified for the job.

It could be that your freelance writer resume doesnt showcase your knowledge and experience in way that catches the eye of a hiring client.

When it comes to writing your freelance writer resume, there are 5 sections you should include:

The overall tone of the resume should be straightforward and relevant to the job posted but also include a bit of your personality and creativity which Ill show you exactly how to do.

Lets look at each section more closely:

How To Pitch For Jobs

Pitching for work is intimidating when youre first getting used to it. Its well worth investing time in creating high quality targeted pitches for clients youre interested in working work. Find prospective customers on freelance marketplace websites like UpWork, Problogger, Fiverr and Textbroker, or contact companies and sites you love directly.

Your pitch should be a short and pithy introduction which gets customers interested. For example:

Im a freelance writer and digital nomad, specialising in creating engaging copy about the products, services and tools which make life better as a traveller and remote worker. Id love to discuss how I can help you grow your business with compelling blog posts and articles, and by generating energy in your social media channels

Use it as a chance to get the readers attention, before providing more background, examples of your work, and your rates.

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The Top Digital Marketing Director Resume Sections

• Writing experience

WRONG

For prospective employers, skills and values should be as measurable for both the applicant and the employers side.

The wrong section isnt clear about the employees successes anyone can write great content, but not everyone can prove it.

See what kind of a difference metrics can make?

Master Content Writer Resume

Start by creating a master writer’s resume wherein you can store all the details of your information that may be required in a resume.

Simply pick any information related to your professional experience or educational qualification and any certifications or internships that you possess.

You should also gather any details related to your details that can help the recruiters get in touch with you for any likely shortlist.

Even if you are confused with any information, just list them in your master resume to use them in future resume updates for writers.

This master resume is your master folder of information, so gather every piece of information and use them whenever required.

Doing so can save you time and find every detail in a single place instead of wasting time trying to gather scattered information.

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Writer Resume: Current Location

Do not give out personal address details like your house number, street number, or your locality in your resume for writers.

If you are looking for a job in your own country, mention the city and state of your residence.

But if you are looking for a job outside your country, simply mention your city and country of residence.

Read the hiring requirements before filling out any personal details.

To have a visual understanding of an ideal personal information section, take a look at the creative content writer resume sample below:

Our Online Resume Builder can help you put together a perfectly fashioned resume.

Use Facts And Figures

Try to show a direct link between your work and a positive outcome for your client. Objective figures showing the impact of your work are a great way to demonstrate your skills. For example, a freelance web designer could list, “Used visual design layout skills to improve user functionality, increasing click-through rate by 13%.”

Related:

Also Check: Do I Need A Skills Section On My Resume

How To Write Your Creative Writer Resume

You need to create a notable resume and not just any average resume to get closer to your dream job.

Follow the three steps given below to write a thoroughly curated resume:

• Step 1: Master Content Writer Resume
• Step 2: First Draft of Content Writer Resume
• Step 3: Final Draft of Content Writer Resume

Writing Resume: Key Skills

This section can help you highlight the most critical skills you are equipped with as a professional.

You can also rank high on the ATS by establishing an effective key skills section.

Scan through your writer’s resume, pick out the core skills that have been justified in your professional experience section, and objectively frame them in the key skills section.

Doing so can make it easier for the recruiters to recognize your potential.

Read Hiration’s Guide on what skills to put on a resume to curate your key skills in this section efficiently.

Given below is a creative content writer resume sample showcasing the perfect key skills section:

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Do You Need A Resume As A Freelance Writer

For the most part, you can get away with only having a portfolio as a freelance writer. Its not all that common for people to ask to see your resume, but it all depends on what type of freelance writing jobs youre applying to.

As a rule of thumb, if youre applying for more general writing jobs, resumes usually never come up in the conversation. For technical, legal, and medical writing, however, you will have to whip out that resume often.

More specialized writing jobs tend to pay a lot better. However, the barrier to entry for those types of gigs is also high. To deter people without the proper qualifications from applying, employers often require you to submit a resume.

Unless youve never had a traditional job, you know submitting a resume doesnt need to be something scary. Most of us have one and all we do is update it from time to time.

Once you start looking at other peoples resumes, youll quickly notice most of them suck. People in general often have no idea what they should include in theirs or how to format them. If you know how to do both those things well, your resume will stand out not only among other freelancers, but in general, and thats never a bad thing.

What Is A Content Writer Resume & Why Do You Need It

Your resume for writers is the primary source of your introduction to the recruiters in your quest for the targeted job profile.

It helps you make the recruiters recognize you as a suitable candidate for your dream job.

Most of the recruiters swear by ATS to filter resumes, so you need a flawless resume that can make you rank high on the ATS.

Use the keywords used by the recruiters for the job listing and make sure to establish them in your professional writer resume.

In the meanwhile, you can get your existing resume professionally reviewed by qualified professionals with Hirations Resume Review Service.

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Three Tips For Making More Money As A Freelance Writer

Like any new business, itll take time to grow your freelance writing career and develop the connections you need to start earning money. However, once youre up and running it can be a great second income or a full time job if youd like it to be.

Here are some tips on taking your freelance writing to the next level, and earning more money as you go:

The right goals for you will depend on whether youre writing for fun, as a second stream of income to supplement your full time job, or as a future career. However, having some goals set out in writing is the best way to make sure you stay on the track that works for you. Your goals might be to write a certain number of pieces per week, to get published in a particular magazine, or to earn a fixed monthly amount, for example.

Working freelance means youre in charge of your own time. This is an amazing perk but also can mean that you spend longer than you realize on some pieces of work, or that you blur the lines between work time and leisure time. Tracking how you spend your time is the best way to make sure youre charging the right amount for your work, and can help you see ways to earn more by focusing on the writing which pays best per hour.

Final Draft Of Content Writer Resume

Once you are done drafting your first draft of your resume, you need to compose the two segments listed below:

• Key Skills: To frame this section, you have to recognize your core skills from the professional experience section of your resume and objectively list them in the key skills section of your writer’s resume. Do this at the last second step of resume writing.

• Summary/Objective: The final step to wrapping up your resume is by composing a resume summary if you have more than three years of work experience. Else, write an objective for your writers resume if you have fewer than three years of work experience.

The above-discussed stages of resume-writing can help you curate a resume that can effectively make the recruiters recognize your potential.

Raise the chance of getting shortlisted to your dream job by religiously following these three stages of resume-writing.

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Tips For Creating A Freelancing Resume

While writing your freelancing resume, follow these tips:

• Use action words such as “plan,””won” and “improved” to describe your achievements.

• Tailor your resume to the specific job where you are applying.

• Research the standard for resumes in your industry for any sector-specific advice.

• Focus on your best, most relevant strengths.

• List excerpts of positive reviews from previous contracts.

More Freelance Resume Tips

• Regardless of your industry or type of employment youre looking for, you should always customize your resume for every single job.
• Each freelance job you apply for will be asking for specific qualifications. You have the power to customize your qualifications to match exactly what the client is looking for.
• Include numbers and statistics where you can to help explain the value and results you bring to the table.
• Prioritize past work experience from the same industry or company type.
• Just like with regular roles, dont list your rates or fees on your resume.
• While you may freelance for creative tasks, theres need to get too imaginative with the colors or visuals of your resume. Keep it simple and standard.
• No need to write references available upon request on your resume, this can be discussed via phone or email if needed.
• While you likely will have a portfolio of your work to submit in addition to your resume, keep them in separate files.

Customize and use this guide, and I guarantee youll start getting more, higher-quality freelance jobs!

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