Just because you’re a creative freelancer, it doesn’t mean you’re exempt from the tough competition in the job market; you still have to compete with other people and corporations. Freelancers can be required to submit resumes, too; so it’s important to stay on top of resume-writing trends. A well-crafted resume shows clients that you are serious about your career and you’re not above using the most fundamental career tool. Here are some useful tips to make your resume stand out when you spread the word about what you can offer.

Keywords always work. Resumes in the modern world rely heavily on keywords to turn up in search engines. Make sure the right keywords or keyword phrases are reflected in your resume; no matter which site it goes online.

Start phrases with action verbs. It’s common these days to include details of job descriptions with a few choice sentences in a paragraph. A sentence that starts with an action verb can do wonders to perk up your resume. Some samples include: designed, innovated, edited, restructured, upgraded, and many more.

Use bullets to flesh out accomplishments. The idea is to not only list what you’re good at, but what’s more important is to show what the results of your work are. Highlight the things you’ve done for each job that went beyond what you were asked to do; make sure they are verifiable.

Don’t forget technical proficiencies. Don’t do a laundry list; highlight only those that people don’t expect you to know. For instance, using word processing software is so common place. Skip the basics and accentuate those that show you’ve spent extra effort and time to learn, such as WordPress or Quark.

Flaunt samples of your work with a killer online or electronic portfolio. This is a must for a freelancer. It should showcase your best work and show off the skills you’re selling. Keep your goal in mind: turn visitors into prospective clients. Pictures speak just as loudly as words.

A dedicated home office adds to your credibility. Mention on your resume that you have a fully functional home office for serving the needs of your clients, away from distractions and noise.

Launch your resume into cyberspace and tell the world about it. Once you’ve created a topnotch resume, it’s time to send it to the marketplace. A resume shows that you are a professional and have the background and experience to show for it. The possibility of getting more work is endless once you get that resume out there. Post your resume on job boards or include it as attachment when you inquire about a potential creative project.

Most freelancers want to get hold of coveted gigs but they never take the time to speak the corporate language. Resumes may sound like too much work to create, but by having one, you project professionalism and easily emphasize your skills. You never know when the right opportunity might just present itself, so be ready…it’s nice to have one ready to go.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 at 12:03 pm and is filed under Applying for a Job, Job Search Tips, Resume, Resume Do's and Don'ts, Resume Help, how to write a resume. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.