How to Put Freelance Work on a Resume (Best Examples + Tips)

When you’re not sure about how to put freelance work on a resume, the short answer is to use the work experience section or a separate resume section. If you use the work experience section, either list each freelance project or client as you would any other job, or create an entry where you list your business name, role, and summarize your track record. If it’s a separate resume section, you can title it along the lines of “Freelancing” or “Projects.” From there, either list different clients you worked with and what you did, or list your business name and provide an overview of your role.

Beyond just the technical skills required to deliver a great service to clients, freelancing comes with invaluable business experience. 

You’re pretty much running a one-person business: finding and securing projects, retaining clients, marketing yourself, meeting deadlines, and managing your time efficiently. These are all skills that can impress any prospective employer. 

As someone who freelanced for a few years and worked with a couple of different clients, I’ll break down how to put freelance work on a resume with examples. I’ll also share how to write about your freelance experience in a way that effectively highlights your business acumen, industry knowledge, and technical expertise.

Is It Worth Including Freelance Work on a Resume?

Absolutely, including the right freelance experience on your resume can highlight valuable skills and qualities that employers value. 

Freelancing means finding your own work, managing projects independently, and handling a broad range of challenges. All of which demonstrate strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills, which can set you apart from other candidates. 

However, not all freelance work deserves a spot on your resume. 

Including irrelevant freelance projects or experience can distract from your overall qualifications. The key is to focus on freelance work that directly supports your case as the perfect candidate for the specific position you’re applying for. 

Here’s when to include freelancing on a resume:

• You gained relevant experience or skills that align with the job you’re applying for.
• Your freelance work fills employment gaps or demonstrates consistent work history.
• You worked with well-known clients, completed impressive projects, or received glowing reviews and testimonials. 

‍Here’s when to skip freelancing on a resume:‍

• It’s completely unrelated to the position or doesn’t highlight transferable skills.
• If you’re only going to list a one-off gig that doesn’t add significant weight to your qualifications.

3 Different Ways to Put Freelance Work on a Resume (Including Examples)

These are the ways you can put freelance work on a resume: 

• Add your position and company in the work experience section as usual, but specify your job title as a freelancer.
• Create a separate work experience entry.
• Add your freelance work in its own dedicated resume section.

Below, I’ll share examples of each approach and include when each format works best. Example 1: add your position and company in the work experience section as usual, but specify your job title as a freelancer

Use this format when:

• You’ve worked with one or more clients consistently for a significant period of time (e.g., for 6–12+ months).
• You worked with a client similar to a full-time basis for a significant period of time, and carried out multiple different tasks. 

Use this format when:

• You want to highlight your track record and achievements with a concise overview of your freelance experience.
• You’ve worked with multiple clients and projects, but also have a significant traditional work history to showcase. This format allows you to include your freelance work without overshadowing other roles, while still making it stand out.
• You prefer to summarize your freelance experience efficiently, presenting it as professional work without taking up too much space on your resume.

Example 3: add your freelance work in its own dedicated resume section

‍Approach 1:

Approach 2:

Use this format when:

• You want to clearly separate your traditional work history from your freelance experience.
• Your freelance projects were mostly one-off gigs or short-term engagements that weren’t consistent.

How to List Freelance Work on a Resume Using the Standard Work Experience Approach

Here’s how to list freelance work on a resume by approaching the work experience normally: 

• State your job title.
• Enter the organization you provided a service for.
• Include the location of the organization (city, country).
• Provide the dates you were hired (month, year).
• Write 2–8 bullet points detailing what you did and achieved.
• Repeat for all the different clients you worked for.

‍Why this works:

• Present your freelance work like any other job, which may give it more credibility and significance. 
• Use a standard format familiar to recruiters, making your work history easy to review and understand. 
• Emphasize significant skills, accomplishments, and contributions for each client you worked with without drawing undue attention to the freelance nature of the work. 

How to List Freelance Work on a Resume By Creating a Separate Work Experience Entry

Here’s how to list freelance work on a resume by creating a separate work experience entry:

• State your self-employed or freelance job position.
• Include your business name.
• Share the location of your organization (city, country).
• Provide the dates you operated as a self-employed contractor (month, year).
• Write 2–8 bullet points detailing what you did, key contributions, and notable accomplishments.

‍Why this works:

• Present your freelance work distinctly, without blending into other traditional roles from your work history. 
• Highlight your entrepreneurial background. 
• Save space and avoid unnecessary repetition, especially when you only offer a specialized service for a specific type of client.

How to List Freelance Work on a Resume By Using a Different Resume Section

Here’s how to list freelance work on a resume by creating a different resume section:

• Create a dedicated resume section titled “Freelancing” or “Projects.”
• List your freelance job title (e.g., Freelance Web Developer or Freelance Consultant).
• Include the dates you worked as a freelancer. 
• If applicable, share the location. 
• Write 1–3 bullet points highlighting the most important projects and accomplishments. 

‍Why this works:

• Emphasize breadth and variety of freelance work, demonstrating versatility and adaptability.
• Separate freelance experience from traditional work experience to place greater emphasis on traditional employment roles, while still highlighting your ability to self-manage and deliver results.

How to Write About Freelancing on a Resume

This is how to write about freelancing on a resume:

• Clarify the scope of the project.
• Mention any notable clients you worked with.
• Highlight key tasks and accomplishments using numbers.
• Emphasize relevant skills and experiences.
• Tailor to the job description by using keywords.

Below, we’ll go through each step in a bit more detail. 

1. Clarify the scope of the project 

Be clear and specific about the scope of your freelance projects. This means detailing in your work experience or projects section the type of work you handled and the scale of your responsibilities so that employers can easily understand your contributions. Mention what you did and the value you delivered.

Simply stating you were a "freelance graphic designer" doesn’t always provide enough clarity about your work. Instead, specify the exact tasks you were hired for and emphasize any significant results.

Example:

• “Designed branding and marketing materials for a regional tech startup, leading to a 30% increase in customer engagement.”

Mention any notable clients or testimonials

Mention any well-known companies or clients you’ve worked with (with their consent, of course). It adds credibility to your freelance experience and subtly communicates your ability to handle high-level projects or clients. 

Examples:

• “Acquired 20+ positive client testimonials for the [Skill or Field of Expertise] services provided.”
• “Partnered with industry-leading companies such as [Client or Company], [Client or Company], and [Client or Company] to achieve [Result].

Highlight key tasks and accomplishments using numbers

Focus on what you achieved through your freelance work. Quantify tasks and resume achievements to provide tangible proof of your contributions. This also makes it clear to hiring managers the value you can bring and how you can replicate those results in their organization. 

Example:

• “Devised a social media campaign for a bootstrapped startup, driving a 40% increase in lead generation within 3 months.”

Emphasize relevant skills and experiences

Highlight any specific resume skills or software applied during your freelance projects, especially those that align with the job description. Use an action verb that reflects the skills or knowledge you applied, followed by the outcome achieved. This illustrates that you’re a well-rounded candidate with a strong skill set.  

Examples:

• “Maintained e-commerce websites using WordPress and WooCommerce, improving site performance and reducing load times by 25%.”
• “Created and implemented professional training sessions on customer service for retail staff, leading to a 15% increase in customer satisfaction ratings.”

Tailor to the job description by using keywords

Customize your freelance entries and bullet points to align with specific company needs. 

Ultimately, employers look for candidates who not only have the right skills but also show genuine interest in contributing to their particular organization. To make sure hiring software and recruiters notice your qualifications—and to secure interviews—adding relevant resume keywords is essential. 

Simply review the job description and look for key terms or phrases. Naturally integrate them into your freelance experience where applicable. Or, if you want to automate the entire process, use tools like Rezi AI Keyword Targeting to scan job ads for you and instantly identify missing keywords from your resume. 

Freelance Resume Examples

We’ll share a few freelance resume examples that you can use for inspiration. If you want to look at further resume samples, feel free to check out our library of resume examples. 

Freelance SEO Specialist Resume Example

Freelance Virtual Assistant Resume Example

Freelance Writer Resume Example

Summary

Let’s recap on how to put freelance work on your resume:

• There are three ways to put freelance work on a resume. One option is to add it in the work experience section like any other job, which allows you to detail each specific client or project you worked on. 
• Alternatively, you can include freelancing on a resume by creating a separate entry for it in the work experience section or by listing it in its own dedicated section titled “Freelance Projects” or “Projects.”
• When describing freelance experience, use bullet points to highlight specific tasks, responsibilities, and outcomes. 
• Use numbers whenever you can to emphasize key achievements and contributions. 
• Tailor your freelance entries based on your professional strengths, work history, and the job description. 
• Include relevant keywords naturally to pass hiring software and capture the recruiter’s attention. 

When you’ve freelanced successfully, it can be just as impressive as traditional work experience, as it generally requires more self-management skills and business acumen. Done right, freelance work experience shows hiring managers a lot both in terms of the skills you’ve gained, the impact you’re capable of delivering, and the qualities you have to offer as a candidate. 

FAQs

Does freelancing count as work experience?

Yes, freelancing absolutely counts as resume work experience. You’re providing a professional service that clients are paying for. And if clients are willing to pay you for a particular skill, trade, or service, then it indicates your level of technical expertise and soft skills. So whether you worked with big-name clients or handled smaller gigs, frame your experience in a way that highlights the value you brought to the table while keeping it relevant to the job description. 

How to put self-employed or independent contractor on my resume?

To list self-employment on your resume, simply specify your job title to something that reflects the type of work you did, such as “Freelance Writer” or “Independent Contractor.” Alternatively, if you’re creating a separate entry in the work experience section, include your business name or write “Self-Employed.” 

What do I put for company name when self-employed?

When self-employed, you have a few options for the company name on your resume. If you have a registered business name or personal brand, use that (e.g., “Astley Cervania Creative Services”). If not, simply write “self-employed” or specify your job title, such as “Freelance [Your Profession]” or “Independent Contractor.” The key is to clarify that you worked independently, so potential employers or clients understand the context of your experience. 

How do I put side hustles on my resume?

It’s best to put side hustles under a “Projects” resume section. If the side hustle is freelancing, however, you could put it under the work experience section. Alternatively, create a custom section that best describes the side hustle. For instance, you could make the title of a resume section “Consultancy” if your side hustles are mainly about offering consulting services to clients. Next, write bullet points focusing on the skills, results, or unique achievements that align with the job description and your career goals.

If needed, how would I prove my freelance work experience to employers?

You can provide a portfolio, client testimonial, or project sample that showcase the scope of your work. Keep detailed records of any contracts, invoices, or email correspondence to verify your involvement. However, most times, a quick background check reveals it all. 

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