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Home Articles How to Write a Proper Resume for Freelancers & Self Employed - Proper Resume Format for Freelancers

FREELANCERS, SMALL & HOME-BASED BUSINESSES: HOW TO WRITE A PROPER RESUME

Writing your resume is a major step when in search for a job. Making sure that you write your resume properly is of great importance.

However, no matter how good your resume is, a resume isn't what will win you your dream job. But, for the most part a good resume can lead to an interview, which is more than you would get with a resume that lacks quality. If you are new at the resume game, you might want to take a look at a few example resumes. I suggest taking a look at this web site .. quintcareers.com/resume_samples.html . for about a dozen sample resumes. Remember - Don't Copy - Imitate! Also, it is very important to use off white 8 1/2" x 11" high-quality paper.

		SPOTLIGHT CONSULTANTS FROM OUR FREELANCE COMMUNITY

First impressions are important, consider this thought. This resume that you are about to write will be your first impression that you will send to your potential employer. Who is your audience? If you are sending out a resume for a graphic design job in an ad agency, gear your resume towards art directors. What do these people need to know about you? An important thought to begin with is that this resume is a summary of "you". Write notes down about yourself and your employment history. Make sure you don't leave anything out, and think back and try to figure out dates and other things that you might not know off the top of your head.

There are 3 different types of resumes that you can choose to write. Your choices are as follows:

**CHRONOLOGICAL -

The Chronological Format is the easiest resume format to write, and it is also the most popular with employers.

The way that this resume is written is by writing the most recent employment and educational history first. In other words, your resume will be written in reverse chronological order. Writing your resume in this fashion would be great for you if your most recent job was in a position similar to the one that you are applying for.

The Chronological Format is the most popular format, but you might want to think twice about using this format if you are a recent graduate from college or you are just reentering the job market. The Chronological Format will highlight your lack of experience, easily pointing it out to potential employers. If you are just entering the job market, consider using The Functional Format, which will be explained next in this article.

**FUNCTIONAL -

The Functional Format incorporates all of your information organized by areas of expertise rather than by job titles.

Your job skills that you will bring into your next job are emphasized rather than employer's names and titles. Your employment history is avoided all together in The Functional Format, which might raise concern in your potential employers mind. Potential employers might think that you are trying to hide your inexperience, which might not be the case.

**COMBINATION -

As the name implies, The Combination Format is a combination of the Chronological and Functional formats.

In The Combination Format, the skills are still listed first, but you will need to list your employment history as well. The Combination Format is a great way to emphasize your skills.

The rest of this article will emphasize the Chronological Format. This will be the easiest format to start with, but there is no reason that you cannot later convert your resume over to Functional or Combination. It is your choice.

It is important to separate the sections of your resume with bolded titles. You should experiment with which fonts and sizes look the most professional. I suggest using font size 12 for the body text, and 14 for the bolded text. Times New Roman is a nice font that is easy to read and fax.

**Contact Information -

At the top of your resume you should include your name, telephone number, and complete address (also email and web site address if relevant). If employers cannot find you, they won't be able to get in contact with you. Also, change your answering machine message for potential employers that you might miss.

**Objective -

This is an optional step. It is important to include a quality objective that makes sense if you do add one. The objective is a summarized sentence stating what type of work you are in search of, the type of organization in which you want to work, and the type of skills in which you can add to the employer's organization.

**Education -

Include in this section all degrees, certificates, and awards received. If you have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, add your grade point average as well. The way that you lay your Educational information out is:
- Name of College or University
- Location ( City, State)
- Degree or Certificate received
- Date of Graduation (Month / Year)
- Major

**Special / Computer Skills -

In this section, list which skills that you are going to bring over to your next position. If you are a graphic designer, you might have tons of graphic software knowledge. You might consider placing all of this information in a table (with invisible borders ) in order to organize all of your computer knowledge.

**Related Work Experience -

Include in this section any extracurricular activities, part-time work, internships, research projects, volunteer work, or full-time jobs that relate to the job that you are applying for. Write these jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent job first.
- Job Title
- Name of Organization
- Location of Employment (City / State)
- Dates of Employment (Month / Year of Start Date and Month / Year of End Date )
- Skills employed in this position

**References -

You might want to just type on the bottom of your resume - "references available at request". I have never used a resume that actually listed out references. I suggest typing up a separate sheet with the following information included:
- Name of Individual
- Company Address
- Phone Number
- Email Address

It has been suggested in the past to keep your resume to 1 page. This rule has been changed to 1 to 3 pages. Still, remember that a resume is a summary of your experiences and keeping your resume short is still important. But, the most important thing to remember in writing your resume is: BE HONEST! If you are caught in a lie after you are hired, the employer can and probably will fire you.

Good Luck in writing your Resume.

1. Always address client formally

(Mr., Mrs., Dr.) until client says you can do otherwise,

2. In written emails/faxes/physical mail always proof your writing,

making sure to spell check and to catch grammar errors. Try to write in a clear manner. If you doubt your writing capabilities, find another adult to proof your writing.

3. Do some work.

Research this company. Start out with their web site (if they have one). What year did they start business? What is the nature of their business? Who are their competitors? What have been their biggest accomplishments? Look on the Internet search engines for other information you can find out about this company.

4. Keep all materials that belong with this project together.

I find that it has worked best to keep all materials in a huge envelope (And I mean huge). There are envelopes that are big enough to hold a few binders in them, try to find those. There is nothing worse than scrambling for your client's paperwork when they call unexpectedly.

5. If you need to make a presentation, whether over the phone or in person, you MUST rehearse first.

If you mess up a presentation, excuse my French, you are screwed. Why would a client want to hire a freelancer who can't even explain in a clear manner how he/she is going to make him money? Rehearse! Rehearse! Rehearse! Use images (if meeting in person) to help you thru the presentation. It is much easier to talk while the client isn't staring directly at you.

6. When speaking to a client, try to weed out the "ums".

This is hard to do, and even I do it all of the time. "Ums" are used to say something while you are thinking of something else to say. Your client might think that you are not a clear thinker. Even if this is not true, the client might think this.

7. To separate you as a freelancer from other freelancers, send a "thank-you" note thru regular mail.

This is a good way to set yourself apart from the rest. All you need to do is send a short note thanking the client for either considering or accepting you for the job (depending on whether you have already been promised the job or not). By doing this, you have put a human touch into your relationship with this client.

8. Don't answer the phone if you aren't ready to talk.

It is better to have a good, intelligent conversation with a client when it is less convenient for him than to have an awful conversation with him when it is convenient for him. Also, get a second phone line if you have kids, you don't want to sound like a stay at home mom or dad when you are talking to a client.

9. If meeting the client face-to-face follow these guidelines:

a. Dress for the occasion.

Brush your hair. Wear a suit or corporate casual if told to do so. Never wear jeans; you won't be taken seriously in jeans.

b. Be on time.

Never be late. If you are late on the first meeting, how late are you going to be on the clients' project? This is what will go thru the client's mind.

c. Bring all presentation materials that you need,

including paper, pen, projector and slides (if needed), portfolio (if needed), and what ever else you feel that you will need.

d. Look at other individuals directly in the eye

and state your name clearly and the purpose of your visit. Shake hands firmly. A limp hand shows that you are not confident. Show these clients that you have what it takes to take on their project.

e. As, stated above, try not to use "ums"

in your conversations. This might depict you as an unclear thinker.

f. Don't sit until a chair is offered to you.

It is a definite no no to sit before the client does.

g. Pass out business cards

at the end of your presentation.

Good Luck!