How to Create a Forward-Looking Freelance Writing Resume
Posted by Maya Smart on Fri, Mar 19, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
A lot of freelance writers' resumes read like work obituaries: They list all of the things they've done in the past as if there's no tomorrow. The trick is to present past experiences with an eye toward the future assignments you hope to gain. That means curating your work history, experiences and accomplishments — not just listing them. So, if your resume reads like yesterday's news, here's how to push it forward.
Highlight What You Can Do, Not What You've Done
Emphasize only the skills and experiences that relate to the project or publication at hand. After you slap the standard resume fare up top — name, address, phone number, and email and Web site addresses — move quickly into outlining your qualifications. Act as if you're writing a classic "inverted pyramid" news story and put the most important points first. You've only got about 5 seconds to grab an editor's attention, so cut to the chase with what's relevant.
For example, under a heading like "Writing and Editing Experience," you might include bullet points with details about publications you've written for, projects you've led, and jobs you've held that required other helpful freelance skills, such as editing, copy editing, proofreading, or fact-checking. Revisit your resume once a month, making additions or subtractions that will speak to a prospective editor or employer.
Quantify Your Time in the Trenches
The key things you're ticking off here are the years of experience you have and the number of articles you've written. Anything that can quantify
your experience really jumps out on a resume. Even in cases where the numbers are relatively small, such as being a contributing author to three
books, it's important to include the scope of your experience to give editors a sense that you are both accomplished and experienced — and potentially a good fit for whatever it is that they need.
Think Beyond Freelance Writing
Make sure the first item listed under "Work Experience" is your track record as a freelance writer. After that, you may include employment outside of journalism, if you have any. For example, the fact that you once worked for an interior-design company, too, may help you sell yourself as a writer to the editor of a home-improvement magazine. Most people opt to put their job histories in chronological format. Emphasize your title and list the employer, the city and state, and a brief description of what you did during your time there. Again, focus on the miscellaneous tasks most relevant to your current goal, such as:
- Speaking engagements
- Prestigious (and even not-so-prestigious) awards
- New credentials
Then, move into your education, which obviously includes your undergraduate and/or graduate degrees. If you're changing careers and have taken any media-related professional development courses, consider listing those, too. Depending upon where (and when) you went to school, you may want to bump the education section up higher in the resume.
It's Strictly Business (Well, Mostly)
I don't recommend including a "Personal Information" section. I've seen some resumes where people say, "I enjoy knitting, skiing, hiking and shopping." Generally, I don't think that has a place in this type of resume. This isn't a hard and fast rule, though. If, as an example, you're an avid skier and you're sending this resume to the editor of a skiing-related publication, mention that you worked for ski patrol two seasons, but do it in a "Special Skills" section. Find a way to put that relevant tidbit up top — or in your letter of introduction — rather than making it a footnote on your resume.
Show Your Tech Savvy
As news organizations place greater emphasis on publishing in digital form, you'll need to show editors that you're deft at working in print and
online. Let people know if you are familiar with HTML or CSS, understand search-engine optimization, or can work remotely within someone else's content-management system.
Many major publications are using open-source platforms like WordPress. The system you use to run your personal blog may not be that different from the system a prospective client is using. Mention that you have WordPress, ExpressionEngine, or Drupal chops. If editors see that you can not only write, but also handle the tools they work with, they'll be more likely to give your resume a second glance.
For an example of a forward-looking freelance writing resume, click here.