Freelance, self-employment and gig work – Page 2

Often yes, because HR may need one for their records and approval process, even if the manager already knows your work. Keep it short and focused on the role.

Tips:

• Include your freelance work for that client prominently, with results.
• Add a summary that reflects the job they are offering.
• Ask the hiring manager what HR needs, such as an application form or certificates.

Be ready for a standard background check. Ensure your resume dates and titles match any invoices or contracts they hold.

Highlight the skills employers need that freelancers build naturally: client management, negotiation, budgeting, sales, time management and self-motivation. Show each with an example.

Examples:

• Client management: "Managed relationships with 12 ongoing clients, handling feedback and changes."
• Sales: "Won new projects through proposals and networking."
• Budgeting: "Priced projects and tracked costs to keep margins healthy."
• Time management: "Delivered up to six projects at once, on schedule."

Include these alongside your core professional skills, not instead of them.

Include it if it explains your recent dates or shows useful transferable skills, but keep it short. Leave out the technical details that do not apply.

Example for a teacher applying for an office role, who freelanced as a tutor:
"Freelance Tutor, Self-employed, 2022 – 2025

• Planned and delivered lessons to 15 students, managing schedules and communication with parents."

The key is to show skills relevant to the target role, such as organisation and communication, in one or two bullets.

Not exactly. Unpaid work is better described as projects or volunteer work. It is still worth listing if it shows relevant skills.

Options:

• Projects section: "Built a booking website for a local yoga studio (unpaid, 2025)."
• Volunteer Work: "Designed posters and social media posts for a community charity."

Labelling it honestly avoids confusion if an employer asks about clients or payment. If you later turn these into paid freelance work, update the entry.

Generally yes, if they are formatted like normal jobs: a job title, employer or "Self-employed", location and dates. Unusual layouts are more likely to cause problems than the word "freelance" itself.

Tips:

• Put the role title in the job title field, such as "Freelance Copywriter".
• Use "Self-employed" or your business name in the employer field.
• Keep dates in a consistent format.
• Avoid tables or columns for client lists.

Different applicant tracking systems and employer settings differ, so also follow any instructions on the application page.

Often yes, if you show the skills it built, such as reliability, time management and customer service. Present it professionally and link it to the job you want.

Example for a ride-hailing driver applying for a customer service role:
"Ride-hailing Driver, Self-employed, 2023 – 2025

• Kept a high customer rating over thousands of trips.
• Handled complaints and lost-property issues calmly."

Tips:

• Keep it short if your earlier experience is more relevant.
• Add any training or skills you gained, such as language or software skills.

Usually no. List one freelance entry and put projects under it as bullets or sub-headings. Separate entries can make you look like you changed jobs often.

Exception: a long, full-time contract with one client, such as a year-long project, can be its own entry.

Example:
"Freelance Project Manager, Self-employed, 2021 – Present

• Hospital IT upgrade (9 months): led a team of eight...
• Retail system rollout (6 months): coordinated 20 stores..."

Present it as a freelance or self-employed role and describe client locations and industries. International client work can show communication skills and quality.

Example:
"Freelance Software Developer, Self-employed, Pune (remote for clients in the UK and US), 2021 – Present

• Built and maintained e-commerce websites for six small businesses.
• Worked across time zones using Jira and Slack."

Tips:

• Mention the platforms if you found clients through them.
• Show tools and processes that employers recognise.
• Keep invoices and client references ready for verification.

List it as a role with your title, "Self-employed" or the agency name, the client types and clear tasks. Virtual assistant work often includes admin, customer service and scheduling skills that employers value.

Example:
"Virtual Assistant, Self-employed, Manila (remote), 2022 – Present

• Managed inboxes and calendars for three business owners in Australia and the US.
• Handled customer emails and order updates for an online store.
• Kept records in Google Sheets and project tools such as Trello."

If you worked through a VA agency, name the agency as the employer and describe the clients.

Only if you are applying to roles where both apply, such as through a recruiter. For a specific full-time job, write your summary for that job.

Why:

• Saying you are open to freelance can suggest you are not committed to a permanent role.
• A focused summary is stronger.

Example for a full-time application: "Graphic designer with six years of freelance experience for retail and hospitality brands, looking for an in-house role."

For freelance platforms or recruiters, you can mention both in your profile.

Yes, as a project if it shows relevant skills, but describe it honestly. Do not present it as an established business.

Example:
"Projects

• Founded a meal-planning app idea (2024): researched the market, built a prototype with no-code tools and tested it with 30 users."

This shows initiative and skills such as research and product development. Avoid titles like "CEO" or terms like "start-up" if it was an idea stage project.

Ask clients you worked with closely and recently, explain the role you are applying for, and remind them of the work you did together. Most satisfied clients are happy to help.

Tips:

• Choose clients who can speak about the skills the job needs.
• Send a short message: "I am applying for an in-house marketing role. Would you be willing to act as a reference about the campaigns I ran for you?"
• Share your resume so they know what you have written.
• Thank them and tell them the outcome.

If clients prefer, ask for a LinkedIn recommendation instead.

Present it as genuine freelance work if you had real clients and projects, with clear dates and results. Many people start freelancing after a layoff.

Example:
"Freelance Financial Analyst, Self-employed, Jul 2025 – Present

• Built financial models for three small businesses planning expansion."

Tips:

• Be honest about the scale. "Two clients" is fine.
• At interview, explain that you used the time productively and are now ready for a permanent role.
• Do not invent clients or work.

Use non-financial measures, such as client count, repeat rate, project size, referrals and services added. These show growth while keeping private figures private.

Examples:

• "Grew from 3 to 18 regular clients in three years."
• "Expanded services from logo design to full brand identity."
• "Moved from small one-off jobs to six-month retainers."
• "Most new clients came from referrals."

Choose numbers you can confirm if asked.

Yes, if it was regular and relevant. Private tutoring shows teaching, communication and planning skills.

Example:
"Private Tutor (Maths and Physics), Self-employed, 2022 – 2025

• Tutored 10 secondary students a week, preparing them for school exams.
• Created lesson plans and progress reports for parents."

Tips:

• Mention subjects and levels.
• Include results only if you can state them honestly, such as students' improved grades without names.
• Keep it short if applying for non-teaching roles.

Describe the work in general terms, show skills through anonymised samples or personal projects, and rely on references. Employers understand that some work cannot be shared.

Options:

• Bullets with general descriptions: "Designed internal dashboards for a financial services firm."
• Anonymised samples, with client names and data removed, if your agreement allows.
• Personal or practice projects that show similar skills.
• Client references who can confirm the work.

Do not share confidential material, even in an interview.

Yes, if you really did the work. Payment method does not change your experience. Describe it honestly and be ready to give references.

Tips:

• Use a clear title and dates.
• Keep any proof you have, such as messages, photos of work or customer references.
• If a background check requires documents, explain the situation honestly.

Tax or registration questions about informal work are separate; get proper advice if needed.

Present it as a consulting role with clear client types, problems solved and outcomes, and emphasise leadership and influence. Senior hiring managers want to see the level of your work.

Example:
"Independent Strategy Consultant, Self-employed, 2020 – Present

• Advised three regional banks on digital transformation, leading workshops with executive teams.
• Designed operating model changes adopted across 40 branches."

Tips:

• Show the scale of clients and engagements.
• Mention any associates you managed.
• Explain in your cover letter why you want to join one organisation.

Yes, usually. A reverse-chronological resume with your self-employment as the most recent entry is clear and expected. Add a short skills section near the top to highlight your strengths.

Structure:

• Summary
• Key skills
• Experience: self-employment first, then earlier jobs
• Education and training

A functional format, which drops dates, can make readers suspicious and is generally not needed.

Show it as one continuous freelance entry with "seasonal" or "event-based" in the title or first bullet. This makes the irregular pattern clear without listing every event.

Example:
"Freelance Interpreter (event-based), Self-employed, 2021 – Present

• Interpreted at 30+ conferences and exhibitions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, mainly October to April."

Tips:

• Name major events if allowed.
• Mention language pairs and specialisms.
• If you had other work in the off-season, list it separately.

Use the business name, your title and describe your specific responsibilities. Make clear it was a partnership so readers understand your role.

Example:
"Co-founder, Pixel Studio (design agency, 2 partners), Doha, 2019 – 2024

• Led client acquisition and account management for 25 clients.
• Managed two freelance designers."

Tips:

• Do not take credit for your partner's work.
• Be prepared to explain how the partnership worked and why it ended, in neutral terms.

Generally yes, if it was relevant and substantial. Many employers count freelance work toward experience requirements, but some may weigh part-time work differently.

How to make it count:

• Describe the scale: hours, projects or clients.
• Make clear it was relevant to the job's requirements.
• If it was part-time, be honest. Example: "Freelance Bookkeeper (part-time, about 20 hours a week), 2022 – 2025."

If you are unsure, ask the recruiter how they count freelance experience.

List each significant role separately with "part-time" in the title, or group them under one entry with sub-headings. Choose the layout that makes the most relevant work stand out.

Example (grouped):
"Portfolio career, Self-employed, 2021 – Present

• Part-time HR Consultant for two start-ups.
• Visiting Lecturer, HR Management, City College.
• Freelance Trainer, leadership workshops."

Tips:

• Put the most relevant role first.
• Be clear about time commitment so readers understand the mix.

Yes. In ResumeBuilder.ae you can create and edit a resume for free, add freelance work in the Work Experience section with your own title and "Self-employed" as the employer, and use the Projects section for individual pieces of work.

Helpful features:

• A Custom Section with your own heading, such as "Selected Clients".
• Section reordering to put the most relevant work first.
• A Projects section for portfolio pieces.
• The ATS-readiness check, an internal estimate out of 100, to spot structure problems.

Downloading the PDF costs US$1.00 per export. There is no Word export, but you can copy the text into a word processor if an employer requires Word.

Pick a clear target role, rewrite your resume so your self-employment reads as relevant experience for that role, and explain the move positively. Many employers value former freelancers and business owners for their independence and commercial sense.

Steps:

• Choose one or two target job titles and study several ads for each.
• Present your business as a job entry with a role-based title, such as "Freelance Accountant" rather than only "Owner".
• Lead your bullets with the skills those ads ask for, backed by results.
• Add evidence of teamwork: clients' teams you worked inside, subcontractors you managed or partners you collaborated with.
• Write a summary that states the role you want now.
• Prepare a short, honest answer about why you want employment, such as wanting a team or larger projects.

Example summary: "Self-employed bookkeeper for six years serving 20 small businesses, now seeking an accounts role in a finance team where I can grow into management accounting."

Also check your current commitments, such as client contracts, so you can give a realistic start date.