This article is for freelancers who just recently went free and do not know what to present to the client as a resume for acquaintance. You do not have a website yet, you did not have time to create platforms in social networks, but you want to look professional in the eyes of potential customers. So you need self-presentation – that “clothes”, according to which you are met.
By the way, many old-timers of the freelance market do not have self-presentation. If you don’t have one either, this article is for you.
So, freelancer’s self-presentation includes a resume and portfolio.
WHAT IS THE SUMMARY?
freelancer resume
1. YOUR NAME
Notice, not the network name, “nickname”, but your real name and surname. Unless, of course, you have good reason to hide under a pseudonym. If there are such reasons, choose a pseudonym, but remember that now you are starting to build up a reputation, with this pseudonym you live for many years, so choose responsibly.
2. INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PROJECT AND OFFER
Specialization and / or USP.
We have already spoken to you more than once that the “man-orchestra”, taking on any order, is usually valued less by clients than a specialist in a certain field. This area and specify: for example, medical copywriting or design with character.
It is good if, in addition to specialization, you have uniqueness (USP) – something that distinguishes you from all competitors without exception and is appreciated by customers.
3. INFORMATION ON THE PASSED TRAINING.
Where and how did you study? This is not about higher education, or rather not about it in the first place. Of course, if you received a diploma in the profile in which you work now, tell me about it. Copywriters are useful to be philologists, journalists, marketers. A medical copywriter is helpful to be a doctor. But if you are a locomotive designer by training, and now you are writing sales texts, this information will be superfluous for the customer. Cross out.
But the training for your current profile is fully indicated. Well, if you can show certificates confirming the fact of training. It is even better if you learned from those who are your authority for your customers.
4. EXPERIENCE OFFLINE WORK.
This item may or may not be included in the resume – just as with a higher education. If you have been working as a designer in a glossy magazine for 10 years, and now you are doing custom polygraphy, this experience will be useful. If you worked in the sales department of a construction company, and now you are proposing the development of commercial proposals for construction companies – great! If you have worked as a pediatrician, and now you are creating websites, we delete them.
5. EXTRA SKILLS.
Only if they are related to your project and proposal. When offering a copywriter service, consider whether the customer will be helped to make a decision about your experience with psychological training or the ability to embroider a cross. If skills can be useful for offering complex services – you can enable. Otherwise – we delete.
6. INTERESTS.
And here is a moot point. Many times I met the recommendations not to place interests in the summary, because this is definitely not useful for the customer. I would argue. First of all, your interests tell about you as a person. They show how active you are in life and what you generally do. Active people are the best workers. Secondly, interests can be well combined with your specialization. For example, you are a copywriter writing about a healthy lifestyle. And besides, you are a yoga instructor. It fits well and makes it clear that you are “in the subject.”
7. SOCIAL PROOFS THAT SHOW THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE ALREADY HAPPILY AND PROFITABLY WORKING WITH YOU.
Reviews and recommendations.
Cases, that is, stories about how you helped clients.
The list of projects with which you have already collaborated can be in the form of a “board of honor” with logos.
8. WHERE ABOUT YOU TO READ AND WHERE YOU WRITE
References
If you have a website / blog dedicated to your work – be sure to give a link. If the site does not exist, it is not bad to give links to your personal resources – for example, pages in social networks. This, like interests, allows you to get to know you better. Just make sure that only what you are willing to show to potential partners is published on your pages. And always remember this.
9. CONTACTS.
It takes several ways to reach you. The required minimum is email and skype. If there is an opportunity to communicate with you through social networks – write about it. Although, for my taste, there is enough mail and Skype for the eyes.
But one summary will not be full. The customer must see not only who you are and what you do, but also how you do it. Therefore, the freelancer self-presentation package also includes a portfolio.
10. WHAT SHOULD YOU HAVE YOUR PORTFOLIO?
I recommend making a portfolio not as an integral part of a resume, but as a separate document. Because experience says: sometimes you need one, sometimes another, sometimes both at once. Provide yourself the opportunity to present all the options.
Important! A portfolio is not a collection of links to various resources on the principle “look at it there, and here it is, and I also have a publication here”