How to Put Your Freelance Work on Your Resume (and Get Noticed)

A few months ago, a freelance marketer I mentor sent me her resume. She'd been freelancing successfully for three years, managing $50K/month in Meta ad spend for multiple clients, but her resume looked like she'd been unemployed.

Under "Work Experience," she'd written: "Self-employed, 2021-2024" with a vague bullet point about "managing digital marketing campaigns."

Three years of crushing it as a freelancer, reduced to a single line that made her look like she'd been watching Netflix for all of this time.

How to put freelance work on resume is about positioning your freelance experience as the competitive advantage it actually is. If you're still figuring out your freelance journey and wondering how to start freelancing, you also have think how to present you previous gigs in a good light.

Most freelancers either undersell their experience or overcomplicate it. Let me show you the exact approach that's helped dozens of freelancers land six-figure agency roles and premium client contracts.

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Why Your Freelance Experience Is More Valuable Than You Think

Traditional resumes are built for people who showed up, did their assigned tasks, and collected a paycheck. That's not you.

As a freelancer, you've done something way harder: you built a business from scratch. You found clients, delivered results, managed your own operations, and stayed profitable.

That's not a resume gap. That's executive-level experience. Think about what you've actually done as a freelancer:

• You landed clients without a sales team (business development)
• You juggled multiple clients and deadlines simultaneously (project management)
• You set rates, managed cash flow, and stayed profitable (financial management)
• Your work had to perform or you'd lose clients (results delivery)
• You figured out what to do without a boss telling you (self-direction)

Most people in traditional jobs have never done half of this. Your freelance experience is something to weaponize.

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How to Structure Your Freelance Experience (The Right Way)

Here's the framework I recommend to every freelancer I work with. It works if you're applying for full-time roles or using your resume to land better clients.

Treat Your Freelance Business Like a Company

This is my preferred approach, especially if you've been freelancing for multiple years.

Instead of: Freelance Digital Marketer, Various Clients, 2020-2024

Try this: Founder & Lead Strategist, [Your Name] Marketing, 2020-2024

See the difference? You're not just a freelancer, but a business owner who happened to provide marketing services.

Under this title, list your key achievements using bullet points that focus on results:

• Managed $500K+ in annual Meta ad spend across 15+ ecommerce clients
• Increased average client ROAS from 2.5x to 4.2x through strategic campaign optimization
• Built and scaled a freelance business to $120K annual revenue in 18 months
• Retained 90%+ of clients through consistent performance and strategic communication

Notice how each bullet tells a story of competence and results? That's what hiring managers and clients want to see.

List Major Clients Individually

If you worked with well-known brands or had long-term retainer clients, consider listing them separately like you would traditional employment. Example:

Digital Marketing Consultant, [Notable Brand Name], 2023-2024

• Developed and executed paid social strategy resulting in 180% increase in qualified leads
• Managed $40K monthly ad budget across Meta and Google platforms
• Collaborated with in-house creative team to improve ad creative performance by 65%

This approach is especially powerful when you're trying to break into agencies or larger companies. They care about brand names you've worked with.

Hybrid Approach (Best for Varied Experience)

If you've bounced between freelance vs agency or freelance work and traditional employment, integrate them chronologically. Don't segregate your freelance experience like it's less legitimate. Your work history should flow naturally:

• Lead Performance Marketer, Mutesix Agency, 2021-2022
• Freelance Digital Marketing Consultant, Self-Employed, 2019-2021
• Marketing Coordinator, Previous Company, 2017-2019

Just a clear career progression that happens to include freelancing.

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The Resume Summary That Actually Gets Read

Skip the generic opener: "Results-driven digital marketer with experience in social media, email marketing, and content creation."

That could describe 10,000 people. Instead, lead with your unique value proposition:

"Performance marketer with 5 years of freelance experience managing $2M+ in ad spend for DTC brands. Specialized in Meta advertising with a track record of achieving 3-5x ROAS for ecommerce clients. Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree with proven expertise in scaling profitable campaigns from $10K to $100K+ monthly budgets."

See how that immediately positions you as an expert rather than just another job applicant? Your summary should answer three questions:

1. What do you specialize in?
2. What results have you achieved?
3. What makes you different?

Pack it with specific numbers, notable achievements, and relevant credentials. This is where you hook them.

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Showcasing Skills That Matter (And Ditching the Fluff)

Here's what nobody tells you about the skills section: listing "Microsoft Office" and "Communication" is a waste of space.

Recruiters and clients care about two types of skills:

Hard skills 

They directly generate results:

• Meta Ads Manager (Budget management up to $100K/month)
• Google Analytics & Tag Manager
• Email automation
• Conversion rate optimization
• Landing page development
• A/B testing and data analysis

Soft skills 

These prove you're not a nightmare to work with:

• Client relationship management (maintained 90%+ retention rate)
• Cross-functional collaboration with creative teams
• Self-directed project management
• Strategic problem-solving under tight deadlines

Notice how even the soft skills are backed by proof points? Don't just say you're a "great communicator". Show that clients stuck around because you communicated well.

And if you're wondering whether to list every tool you've ever touched, don't. Focus on what's relevant to the job or client you're targeting.

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The Portfolio Link That Changes Everything

Your resume should always include a link to your portfolio or personal website. It is where you show the work behind the results. Include it prominently in your header (alongside email and LinkedIn), in your summary section, and in your Featured Projects section with specific project links.

Your portfolio should showcase:

• 5-10 of your best projects with detailed case studies
• Client testimonials (even if you need to anonymize company names)
• Your process and approach to solving problems
• Any media mentions, speaking engagements, or publications

Your resume is the trailer and your portfolio is the full movie. The resume gets attention; the portfolio closes the deal.

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Put Your Expertise on a Resume

Pull up your current resume and audit it honestly. Does it make you look like an unemployed person who did some side work, or does it position you as the expert you actually are? Don't wait until you need a resume to fix this. It is a living document that represents your professional brand.

Remember that your freelance experience is a proof that you can deliver results without someone holding your hand. Now make sure your resume reflects that.