How to Put Self-Employed on a Resume

Self-employment experience can strengthen your resume by providing employers with a better look into your professional background. We’ll show you how to list your self-employed experience, as well as when to include it in your application.

Add your self-employment to the work experience section of your resume

If you’ve been working full-time in a self-employed capacity, simply list it on your resume like you’d include a traditional job in your work experience section.

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Match your job title to the job description (if possible)

It’s important to highlight how your self-employment makes you qualified for your target role. One way to do this is by adjusting the job title on your resume so it mirrors the language from the job description — but make sure the title you choose is clear and accurate.

For example, if you’re applying for an entry-level position, listing yourself as “Founder, General Manager, and CEO” of your own dog-walking business might make employers hesitant to hire you. When your resume makes you look overqualified for a position, employers are likely to wonder why you’re applying and whether you’ll be committed to the role.

In this case, it would be better to list yourself as “dog-walker” at “self-employed,” and highlight the skills and accomplishments that are directly relevant to the entry-level position you’re applying for.

Include your company name or type of self-employment

When you fill out the company name on your resume, you have several options (even as a freelance writer):

1. List your company’s name (for example, if you registered one for tax purposes)
2. Write Self-Employed, Freelancer, or Contractor
3. If you did the bulk of your projects for one company, you can list that company’s name (or a few company names)

Here’s how each of those options would look:

If you worked with any well-known companies, you can also fit that information into your work experience bullet points. For example:

• Translated over 250 sentences from Traditional Chinese to English for Meta, as part of their AI Hokkien voice translator project

If you’re currently employed and have a freelance gig, here’s an example of how you can list both on your resume:

Because the applicant currently holds both of these roles, they can list whichever job is more relevant to the position they’re applying for.

For example, if this applicant applies to a software company, they can list the Digital Marketing Specialist role first. Or, if they’re applying for a full-time travel blogging role, they can list the Content Creator role first instead.

Showcase relevant professional skills with clear examples

It’s best if you can frame your period of self-employment in a way that demonstrates your continued professional development. One way to do this is by highlighting any transferable skills you gained, with an emphasis on industry-specific hard skills:

Gained PCAP certification in Python programming language through independent study and online courses

Completed online management training courses covering topics such as project planning, team leadership, and stakeholder management

Show your expertise in the software and technologies commonly used in your field, and if you’re aiming for a remote or hybrid role, be sure to demonstrate your proficiency in collaboration tools such as Slack, Zoom, or Trello.

You can also include soft skills like communication and time management:

Developed empathy and active listening skills by regularly interacting with current and prospective clients, discussing their needs and responding to complaints

Example of self-employment on a resume

In this example resume, the applicant has been self-employed for several years and is now applying for a full-time position at a company:

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Example of a resume that lists contracting experience

This resume example was written by a candidate who currently has a full-time job but does regular freelance work:

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When to list self-employment on your resume

Self-employment is a broad term that includes many different kinds of work, from freelancing and independent contracting to starting your own business.

Whether you’re listing full-time or part-time work on your resume, the decision to include self-employed experience on your resume depends on how relevant it is to your target role. Here are some guidelines:

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