Change your life in just one hour per day by building a business and plotting your exit from cubicle-land.
You’ve put together a killer portfolio and writer’s website.
Then, you head over to the Problogger or other job board to apply for a freelance writing gig.
And they ask for your resume.
You roll your eyes.
You’ve got two options:
- Put together a freelance writer resume right then and there.
- Skip applying for the gig because you shouldn’t have to send a resume for a freelance writing gig.
You can cross your arms and refuse to go anywhere near employers that require resumes, or you can create a killer resume that impresses.
Your call.
But I would take the blue pill (aka the second option).
And here’s why…
3 Reasons to Create a Freelance Writer Resume
#1 Most employers still want/prefer them
If you apply for any position directly from the Problogger site, for example, there’s a spot to upload a document. Presumably, this is for your resume.
That document uploader is another way to showcase your skills. You might as well use it to your advantage.
If you apply for a freelance position on Indeed or Ziprecruiter, you’ll inevitably be asked to upload your resume. Hiring sites and recruiters need to see your resume, so you need to have one.
Actually I’ve only come across very few employers who don’t outright ask for your resume. Many just aren’t aware that freelance writers consider their portfolio their resume. Their HR departments are used to vetting traditional resumes, not freelance portfolios.
If you’re applying for job postings online, a freelance writer resume is a must.
#2 You get to show off your impressive skills
Do you know all the messages your writer’s resume conveys (aside from the obvious job history and credentials)?
- It showcases your writing, spelling, and grammatical skills.
- It shows your ability to refine your skills to the fewest words possible.
- It expresses the burning passion behind your work.
- It tells prospects whether you’re a confident, assertive business partner or a timid underling.
- It offers you an additional medium to build your brand image.
If your resume is bland and rife with errors, your credibility as a professional writer may be questioned.
On the other hand, if your resume appears modern, concise, and professional, it bolsters your credibility.
Your resume gives off all these impressions within the first few seconds.
I’ll let you in on a little secret: Every company style guide I’ve seen emphasizes the importance of trimming and tightening your words. They all say something along the lines of: “ruthlessly eliminate any word or phrase that isn’t necessary.”
Your one-page resume (and yes, the consensus still indicates a preference for one page) provides inescapable evidence that you can do just that.
It’s good practice.
#3 Your resume affords you another opportunity to rise above every other candidate
Think about this: you’re an employer who has just posted a position for a freelance writer and the applications come pouring in.
Most of them look pretty traditional.
One is way too “out there” for you. A purple perfumed resume tucked inside a copy of The Freelancer’s Bible.
(Okay, that might be a bit of an over-exaggeration, but you get my drift. Some resumes are too boring and some are over-the-top.)
Then, a distinctive resume with impressive credentials and a modern, eye-catching design comes across your desk.
It piques your interest just looking at it.
You put the resume at the top of your stack. You can’t wait to share this buried treasure with your colleagues.
So, what’s in that resume that makes it so impressive?
You!
Okay, let me be just a little less vague.
The design of your resume looks very modern and chic (find some cool designs on Canva) but still sticks to your traditional white-background, one-page expectations.
It’s modern. You can tell the applicant knows their way around the digital world. Thank goodness, because you might rip your eyes out if you see another dated “to whom it may concern” resume.
Your applicant treats their business like a business. They have a logo and a website and they own their freelance company.
Their skills descriptions don’t sound like they’ve been copied and pasted from a middle school career textbook. Instead, they suggest a creative soul who loves their job, because who else would list “knitting the right words together to express the soul of your business” as a qualification?
Straight to the top of the stack.
A hidden treasure.
Do you see what I’m getting at here?
If you want to land at the top of the stack, you need a writer’s resume. You need an impressive writer’s resume.
If you’re ready to start applying for freelance work, create your resume today!
If you haven’t put a resume together for awhile and you want to be sure you’re doing it right, I’ve got you, babe. I put together a simple guide, including a copy of my own personal resume, to help you design your own. Grab the guide here!
Drop me some thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you!