A common question newbie freelancers have is: what kind of resume should I give a potential client? Unlike a traditional corporate letter, a writing resume is usually arranged to highlight subject area rather than years on a certain job. Many freelance writing ads request a certain type of response, and writers need to follow this request to the letter in order to be considered.
Writers should always read the ad closely before submitting their resume. Sometimes a client will put specific questions in their ad just to see if you’re paying attention. So pay attention!
Here are some tips for creating a freelance writing resume that will get the job.
Highlight Experience
Tailor your resume to answer the questions or concerns a client has indicated in their ad. Sometimes a potential client will only want to see the relevant experience a writer has for a certain writing style or subject matter. In these
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cases, your resume should include links to articles that showcase specific knowledge area, focus, or theme. For example, employers may look for writers that can take news topics and create evergreen articles, write in the AP style, or have experience reporting on a certain topic.
For these types of jobs, a writer should answer the employer’s questions at the very beginning of the resume. For example, if an employer asked for health care experience, a writer may start her resume like this:
Staff Writer for Health Today (June 2008-June 2009)
▪ Article Sample 1 (url link)
▪ Article Sample 2 (url link)
Other related writing would then follow:
Related Writing Samples:
▪ Health Blog Sample Article 1 (url link)
▪ News Blog Post on Health-Related Topic (url link)
Finally, the writer’s chronological resume would follow. All of this information should comprise preferably one typewritten page and no more than two.
Showcasing Social Networking Experience
Many jobs, especially those for online writers, require a knowledge of social media. To that end, clients will ask you for links to your Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest handles so they can see that you’re active in social media.
In those cases, the employer is looking for competent writing and social networking skills. A writer may also want to document cases where she was able to increase the number of readers for a blog or corporate site, and how she went about doing it.
For example:
▪ Freelance Writer for XYZ Corporation (August 2005-2008)
▪ Started a corporate blog from scratch using the WordPress platform
▪ Increased readership from 10 unique visitors per day to 1,000 visitors in two years.
▪ Methods of marketing included submission to social networking sites, commenting on related blogs, and writing solid, evergreen content.
Things like Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and blog statistics are also important components to this type of resume.
▪ Twitter name: JaneDoe (10,000 followers)
▪ Facebook: JaneDoeWriter (1,000 fans)
▪ Jane Doe’s Thoughts – personal blog (6,000 unique visitors per month)
▪ Jane’s Craft Blog – personal blog (1,000 unique visitors and 10,000 hits per month)
With both of these types of resumes, a writer will answer the main question an employer has by including relevant information at the very beginning of her resume. She would then follow this information with a list of jobs that would be pertinent to the job opening.
The point is to make sure the potential client doesn’t have to search to find the answers to his questions. If a client asks for sample articles or experience, writers should place that information at the very beginning of the resume. The better a writer can answer any potential concerns a client has, the greater the chance to be hired. Writers can show they understand the client’s needs with a well-formulated resume.
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