Freelance CV: 4 questions to ask yourself to value your profile

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Despite the proliferation of online prospecting tools, the good old CV remains a weapon of seduction essential for the freelance in search of new contracts. How should the CV of a freelancer be different from a CV prepared to land an employee position? How to write it and what essential information should it contain to maximize your chances of being noticed? I tell you everything in this article.

Can my resume be the same as a freelancer and as an employee?

Basically, it is better to adapt the content of your freelance CV to your target: your prospects are not (necessarily) recruiters. As a result, the hierarchy of elements of your resume does not always follow the same order if you are looking for a freelance contract or if you are applying to become an employee. Indeed, customers looking for freelance will be more sensitive to your experiences and especially the recommendations of other customers. Thus, your training will take second place because this information – if it can reassure a recruiter – is not essential for a short-term freelance project.

On form, one is used to consider his CV as a highly codified document, which may seem austere. As a freelancer, you can afford more originality: your CV is somehow your advertising brochure. If you have a rather creative profile, the visual has its place. Either directly integrating examples of achievements (but this may make the document less readable), or by attaching to your CV another Portfolio type document. Thus, most designers juggle between these two documents – CV and Portfolio – to highlight their skills.

The freelance CV is no exception to this endless debate: there are supporters of the CV that must stand absolutely on one page and those who think we can cheerfully spread out, especially when we cumulate several years ( decades!) professional experiences. For a freelancer, however, it is wiser to consider his CV as a summary description and therefore to submit to a concise document, even if to refer the reader to your website for more details.

Do I have to indicate my rates?

This is a question that often comes up when we talk about freelance prospecting. Indicating a price range for your previous assignments as well as their durations can be a good idea. No need to be very specific, but it will allow the client to project himself and assess the adequacy of his budget with the project he has in mind for you. The fact of mentioning a tariff, even approximate, also has the advantage of laying the foundations of a future negotiation, and thus to avoid wasting your time with customers not serious.

Another possibility is to clearly indicate in your CV examples of rates, for the services most requested by your customers and which constitute your offer. This option is particularly relevant in the context of packages. For example, a designer in ready-to-wear will be well advised to specify that for a whole season, he realized so much model for this brand, for a defined budget.

If you work at the TJM (so that you charge by the day), we advise you to clearly indicate your daily rate on your CV and to mention your preferences concerning the duration of the missions.

In addition, it is useful to specify your availability (especially if you already have recurring commitments with other customers) and your mobility preferences. Indeed, if you prefer to work remotely in telework, or on the contrary, that you privilege the missions in the premises of the customer, this information is essential. Remember – where applicable – to indicate your area of ​​travel and if you have your driving license!

Is a letter of motivation essential?

As a freelancer, you are entitled to ask the question. Essential element of a credible application for a salaried position, the cover letter seems less relevant for a freelance mission, for a simple reason: you’re not looking for a permanent job, your positioning is more like a job. a service provider who offers his services. Thus, the argument that is usually found in the cover letter can very well be developed (much more concise and direct) in the body of an email or in a proposal posted via a platform.

In reality, the approach of seduction is much more of the commercial strategy. To awaken the interest of your interlocutor, it is obviously useful to have some information on his project. By identifying its expectations, you will be able to adapt your speech and offer services that correspond to your needs. In this case, no need to write a great speech, it is better to go straight to the point in a few lines: you do not like to waste your time? Your client either!

How to reassure the client and make him want to contact me?

To put your interlocutor in trust: this is one of the objectives of your freelance CV. Recommendations from other clients, testimonials, quotes, etc. Add references that allow your client to project themselves and especially to feel confident. Do not hesitate to mention clearly the name of the companies, or even the names of the people you have dealt with. This may seem anecdotal, but it is not impossible that the recipient of your resume will inquire about you from other customers, to verify your seriousness. As much put the odds on your side, valuing your “best” customers.

To build your resume in a powerful way, consider it as a first point of contact, which should make the recipient want to know more about you. Without making any mystery about your profile, the idea here is to gather your “best-of” on a summary document, and send back to your site which will be more exhaustive on your journey. It’s a safe bet that your resume will be viewed on screen, so you can place links directly on your PDF document (avoid at all costs any other format, including Word, which may appear differently depending on the terminal of recipient).

Finally, your activity on freelance platforms is a guarantee of seriousness that values ​​your e-reputation. It is therefore very relevant to place direct links to your different profiles.