What employers want to see on your CV
Being a freelancer has a lot of major perks, but it also presents plenty of challenges. One of the biggest challenges you’ll face is convincing an employer to take you on and give you enough projects. In this aspect of applying for a job, freelance work is not that different from a regular position. You’ll need to show your future boss or client that you are up for the job and have the necessary qualifications to get it done the right way. Hence, your resume must portray the things employers want to see. Here are the elements your Curriculum Vitae must have:
A Set of Skills That are a Perfect Match for the Job
There’s nothing worse than sending a resume that’s been copied off a generic template and failing to add even the slightest personal touches to it. How many times have employers come across the phrase “with extensive experience in the field”? It’s probably safe to say that the answer is frequent enough to make employers sick of reading the same line over and over again. So when you’re trying to get picked for a certain project, forget about overused lines and phrases. Instead, be a bit more specific, and highlight the certain skills that will make you the perfect match for the job.
Established Experience and Knowledge in the Field
Getting back to “extensive experience,” you should definitely get some before you enter the freelancing world. It’s a cutthroat competition between you and the rest of the working force, so you’d better be equipped with a resume that shows just how much more you can offer compared to other applicants. Few clients are willing to take the chance on a newbie, and even if they are willing, there will still be tons of competition. Become an expert in your industry, work for some big names, and earn glowing recommendations. Your CV, and chances, will definitely be better off then.
Responsibilities AND Achievements
Sure, employers want to know what you were responsible for in your previous positions, but they also want to know what results you were able to produce. When everything is stripped down to the basics, employers are most concerned with the results you can give them. Instead of just citing your past job responsibilities, you should also include a line or two quantifying your accomplishments. For instance, you could indicate that you’ve “converted 15 new leads into company clients in just 2 months.” That will definitely impress prospective employers more than just “responsible for signing on clients.”
The Basics
While employers want to know what sets you apart from other viable candidates, they also want to know the most basic things. A detailed section on your educational attainments, a short foray into your personal information, and a quick run-through of past and relevant achievements will be appreciated. Your future boss also wants to see consistency in your CV. Be consistent with your neat formatting, your error-free grammar, and faultless spelling. You surely don’t want all your hard work to go down the drain just because of a minor mistake.
Getting employers to take you on for a project or post can be daunting. However, if you know what they want to see in your CV, you can work on your resume and be that much closer to nailing the job.
