The “standard” resume format that most of us are familiar with is the chronological resume. In this style, the job seeker lists his or her previous jobs in reverse chronological order. This may not be the best choice for freelance writers, though.
We may have long-term clients that we work with regularly, a series of short-term projects, or a combination of the two. Using a strict chronological format may not present us in the best way to a potential client, especially if there are gaps in our work history or times that are less busy than others.
Another issue that freelancers can encounter when writing a resume is whether or how to list volunteer writing projects on it. I think that the fact that you worked on the project is what matters, as opposed to whether or how much you were paid for it, but other people feel that work experience should be limited to paid work only.
Enter the functional resume. You can use this style to focus the potential client’s attention on your skills, as opposed to who you have worked for and when you did the work.
You can check out an example of a functional resume here.
When you are writing your own functional resume, you can include sections for the different kinds of writing projects you have done (SEO, web copy, ebooks, ghost writing, press releases, etc.).
Do you use a chronological resume or have you tried a functional style? Do you feel that one is more likely to get you a gig than the other?
My first writing business was a resume writing business. So many people think of the resume as a stuffy document that is a fossil of formalities, but the functional resume is the freelancer’s delight. Thanks for sharing this invaluable tip.
Great tip! I’ve been using the stuffy old resume and it just doesn’t look effective to me. I always wonder about trends in resumes and what employers or clients really want to see.
Good article, Deb! I looked at the sample resume and I would change a couple of things. First, the education should not be foremost (it can date you and you don’t want that at first glance). The human brain automatically wants to calculate age and, good or bad, some assumptions can be made about you. Too old for the job, too young for the job. It’s not supposed to happen but why give the person reading it a chance to do so before reading your qualifications?
And he seems to list his high school work endeavors first rather than last. I think I’d flip his order and depending upon what sort of job he’s applying for…would depend upon the order of his sections too since a few overlap his college years (seemingly). Kind of hard to judge what his last job was…I can assume but, as a prospective employer, I like to KNOW that his skills have improved, progressed and exactly where he’s coming from. Can give me insights as to where he’s going or wants to be. Sorry, couldn’t help but tweak the guy’s resume. It was my job as a personnel recruiter to read/review hundreds of resumes, sort, interview and usually reformat (and edit) them. Habit. LOL
But, this is a good place to start for freelancers. I can see it working for freelancers (with a few tweaks), absolutely. LOL Oh, and I agree with you; I definitely would list volunteer work. It is a work assignment, period. And it adds depth to your character. Yup, I’d include it.
Depending upon what assignment or gig I’m applying for and what kind of company/business it is, I have a chronological resume as well as a functional resume on hand. I think it’s good to give yourself options.
@Lisa – Wish I could take credit for this wonderful post, but it was written by the talented Jodee Redmond. This is her blog and it’s filled with amazing advice.
Thank you so much for this post. My freelance resume has numerous gaps, and I’ve always wonder if that is all clients are looking at (rather than my accomplishments). I’m working on my functional resume right now!
I liked it. So much useful material. I read with great interest.
I’ve been using a chronological resume, but it never really sat right with me for the reasons you mentioned – some projects are long-term while others are not. It feels confusing to me. It’s good to see that an alternative is not only available, but appropriate! Thanks, Jodee!
Where is a good place to have a professional review your resume or CV? I went with a cv-style resume, but I’m just not 100% that I’ve done the best job on it. I started with a summary section, then an address to my online portfolio, and then a listing of credits/experience, and my education last (I didn’t want to date myself, just as Lisa said). I can’t point to increasing any sales or any spectacular accomplishments or big name assignments, but I do have a tremendously varied background and tons of solid clips. Any suggestions?
@ Terrisa:
I found this list of resume services on JobGoRound.com. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: http://www.jobgoround.com/review_resume_writers.php
I’m not that crazy about the functional resume that is given as an example, but I like the idea of having a functional resume, especially for people who don’t have a lot of formal writing jobs under their belts but do have skills they want employers to know about.
Functional resumes are great for freelance writers, but they are also good for more mature workers looking for a b&m job. As a result of our move, my husband is once again in the market for a job. His last job was as a railroad engineer, but he has over 20 years of warehouse and production experience. With a chronological resume, most employers stopped reading when they saw previous job titles – they didn’t look past that to see his skills. Once we changed to a functional resume for him, he started getting more response.
Thanks for the link! Much appreciated.
Beth V: An excellent point! Functional resumes aren’t just for freelancers.
Right now I’m using a chronological resume, but you make a good point that this may not be the best. Thanks for including the link to the example resume. Maybe I’ll rewrite mine soon.
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