How To List Freelance Work on a Resume With Examples, Tips, and Guide
Freelance jobs on a resume can help you show relevant experience, plus emphasize soft skills like flexibility or time management. But if you add these positions too hastily, they may take up unnecessary space and make your resume less focused and effective. To avoid these problems, center on your relevant projects and consolidate job details where possible.
The guide below will show you how to follow these practices so your freelance work adds value to your resume and job search.
How To Put Freelance Work on a Resume
The most common challenge of adding freelance jobs to a resume is it can make your experience section repetitive.
Say you’ve recently been a freelance editor for three client companies. Your main job duties and contributions have been essentially the same for each client. If you followed the standard resume format, you’d likely end up using the same job title and bullet points three times, only varying the company names and work dates:
Editor (freelance),[Client 1], Minneapolis, MN | May 2024 to present
- Proofread and finalized marketing copy
- [Key job duty or contribution]
- [Key job duty or contribution]
Editor (freelance),[Client 2], Minneapolis, MN | December 2023 to May 2024
- Proofread and finalized marketing copy
- [Key job duty or contribution]
- [Key job duty or contribution]
Editor (freelance),[Client 3], Minneapolis, MN | August 2023 to December 2023
- Proofread and finalized marketing copy
- [Key job duty or contribution]
- [Key job duty or contribution]
As you can see, this format quickly fills up space on the page and can become distracting and tedious for the hiring manager. But there’s an easy solution. Present the job title and bullet points once, and use the first bullet to provide details on your client base:
Editor (freelance), Minneapolis, MN | August 2023 to present
- Proofread and finalized marketing copy for [Client Name], [Client Name], and [Client Name]
- [Key job duty or contribution]
- [Key job duty or contribution]
If you did similar freelance work for many clients, feel free to cite that next to your job title and again use the first bullet point to give context:
Editor (freelance),various clients, Minneapolis, MN | August 2023 to present
- Proofread and finalized marketing copy for 11 firms including [Client Name] and [Client Name]
- [Key job duty or contribution]
- [Key job duty or contribution]
Let’s put it all together and examine two resume examples that list freelance work:
Resume Example 1: Freelance Graphic Designer
[Your Name]
[Your Address] | [Your City, State, ZIP] | [Your Email] | [Your Phone Number] | [LinkedIn URL] | [Portfolio Link]
Professional Summary
Creative and detail-oriented freelance graphic designer with 7+ years of experience delivering impactful designs for a variety of industries, including healthcare, technology, and e-commerce. Proven track record of increasing engagement and brand awareness through strategic visual storytelling. Adept at managing multiple projects simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines.
Professional Experience
Graphic Designer (freelance), Various Clients, Remote | March 2016 – Present
- Designed branding materials, including logos, brochures, and advertisements, for 15+ clients across diverse industries.
- Increased client social media engagement by 40% through the creation of eye-catching visual content tailored to target audiences.
- Developed and optimized responsive websites, resulting in a 25% boost in user engagement metrics.
- Managed project timelines, budgets, and client communication to ensure all deliverables were completed on time and to client specifications.
Graphic Designer, ABC Creative Agency, New York, NY | June 2013 – February 2016
- Collaborated with marketing and content teams to develop branding guidelines for Fortune 500 clients.
- Designed digital and print assets for large-scale advertising campaigns, increasing campaign ROI by 18%.
- Mentored junior designers, providing guidance on tools and design best practices.
Skills
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
- User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design
- Project Management and Client Communication
- HTML, CSS, and WordPress
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
University of California, Los Angeles | May 2013
Resume Example 2: Freelance Content Writer
[Your Name]
[Your Address] | [Your City, State, ZIP] | [Your Email] | [Your Phone Number] | [LinkedIn URL] | [Portfolio Link]
Professional Summary
Dynamic freelance content writer with 8+ years of experience crafting engaging, SEO-optimized content for businesses across industries. Specializes in blog writing, white papers, and marketing copy that boosts brand visibility and drives lead generation. Strong background in digital marketing strategies and brand storytelling.
Professional Experience
Content Writer (freelance), Various Clients, Remote | January 2015 – Present
- Produced high-quality blog posts and articles for 20+ clients, resulting in a 35% average increase in organic website traffic.
- Created long-form content and white papers that strengthened client brand authority, driving a 15% uptick in B2B lead generation.
- Delivered email marketing campaigns that achieved an average open rate of 28% and a click-through rate of 7%.
- Partnered with clients to develop tone and messaging guidelines for brand consistency across platforms.
Content Specialist, XYZ Marketing Agency, Chicago, IL | March 2012 – December 2014
- Wrote compelling website copy, case studies, and blog content for a portfolio of 10+ clients.
- Assisted in the development of SEO strategies, contributing to a 20% improvement in website rankings.
- Collaborated with design teams to align written content with visual branding strategies.
Skills
- SEO Writing and Keyword Research
- Content Strategy and Editorial Planning
- Social Media Copywriting
- Google Analytics and SEMrush
Education
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | May 2012
Why These Resumes Are Strong:
- Clear Labeling of Freelance Work: Each freelance job is labeled with “freelance” and consolidated under one entry to avoid redundancy.
- Relevant Achievements: Focus is placed on projects and metrics that align with the target job.
- Balanced Design: Includes a professional summary, relevant skills, and concise bullet points to keep the resume focused and impactful.
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Put Freelance Work on a Resume
Probably not. Most freelance assignments are short-term, so you’ve likely worked on too many to fit on one resume.
Instead, brainstorm and keep a separate record of every freelance gig you can remember. Then review and choose the most relevant ones to showcase in your experience section. By filtering your information this way, you can make your resume focused and concise enough to help generate interviews.
The same way you make any job stand out on your resume: connect it to your target position. Cite duties and achievements that show you have the skills to excel in the job opening at hand. Start each bullet point with a strong action verb like “Created” or “Increased,” and quantify your work with relevant data when possible.
Yes. In your experience section, specify any freelance jobs in parentheses right after the position title. For example:
Graphic Designer (freelance),XYZ Corporation, New York, NY | June 2019 to July 2020
Proofreader (contract),ABC Incorporated, San Diego, CA | December 2023 to May 2024
This presentation puts your work in context for hiring managers. It also helps you not come off as a job-hopper if you’ve done many short-term projects or client engagements. And by placing the detail to the right of your job title (as opposed to, say, “Freelance Graphic Designer”), this format focuses on your role at each organization.
Any that don’t speak to your target job. The only exception is if omitting the job would create a gap in your recent work history. In this case, include the job but keep your description brief so it doesn’t obscure your more relevant work.
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