How to Put Self-Employed on a Resume (and When Not To)

Table of Contents

Add self-employment to your work experience section

List self-employment in your work experience section just like any other job. Treat your role as a formal position to show employers that your experience is relevant and professional.

For each self-employed position, include:

Job title
Business name (or “Self-employed” if you don’t have one)
Location
Dates of employment
3–5 bullet points that focus on results, projects, and skills that match the job you’re applying for

Emphasize relevant skills and achievements

In your bullet points, prioritize skills and accomplishments that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Whenever possible, use quantifiable metrics (such as revenue growth, client retention rates, or specific dollar amounts) to back up your achievements and show the scope of your work:

Increased client revenue by 25% by developing targeted marketing strategies for small business clients
Secured and retained 15+ long-term clients, maintaining a 90% client retention rate
Managed 10+ projects at once while meeting all deadlines and maintaining high client satisfaction

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

Instead of defaulting to titles like “Self-Employed” or “Freelancer,” align your title with the role you’re targeting, as long as it accurately reflects the work you did.

For example, if you ran a small business managing client campaigns, you could use a title like “Marketing Manager” or “Digital Marketing Specialist” rather than “Business Owner.” This makes it easier for employers (and ATS systems) to immediately see your relevance to the role.

Link to your professional website or portfolio

For freelancers, independent contractors, and business owners, providing a link to a professional website or digital portfolio is a critical step in validating your self-employed experience.

Placing this link in your resume header allows employers to immediately access evidence of your past projects, client testimonials, or a live look at the products you’ve built.

This visual proof offers a level of credibility that traditional bullet points cannot always show making it easier for employers to trust the quality of your independent work.

When adding your portfolio link, make sure the URL is clickable and double-check that your site is mobile-friendly and bug-free.

Provide professional references to verify your work history

Generally, we don’t recommend adding references to your resume. However, references are an asset when you have nontraditional work experience like a period of being self-employed.

One common hesitation employers have when hiring formerly self-employed professionals is the difficulty of verifying their work history. Unlike traditional roles where a recruiter can contact an HR department or a direct supervisor, self-employment often lacks a formal verification trail.

To bridge this trust gap, you should proactively offer a list of professional references who can validate your achievements and work ethic.

Identify former clients, long-term business partners, or vendors who have direct knowledge of your professional output. These professional contacts can serve as a proxy for a traditional manager, providing third-party social proof that your listed accomplishments are accurate.

When possible, choose references from well-known companies or those who can speak specifically to the skills mentioned in the job description.

While you do not necessarily need to list these contact details directly on your resume, including a note stating that “professional client references are available upon request” signals to the employer that your self-employed background is transparent and verifiable, immediately lowering the perceived risk of hiring you.