How to create a self-employed resume in seven steps and template

If you’re a self-employed individual, business owner, freelancer, solopreneur, or independent contractor, then you know how exciting it can be to take your future into your own hands. 

Whether you’re creating a self-employed resume to get more projects or find additional work, first impressions matter. However, being self-employed or running a business can be more difficult to translate on a resume than traditional work experience.  

A solid self-employed resume template can help you showcase your skills and experience in a way that shows how qualified you are. Let’s look at how to list self-employment on a resume: 

1. Pick a job title
2. Decide on the company name field
3. Fill in your work experience
4. Highlight your skills
5. Add education and certifications
6. Write your summary
7. Prepare references

1. Pick a job title

Your self-employed resume will look the same as most resumes with a job title and work-related experience. So, when it comes to standing out, selecting the right title for your self-employment can make all the difference. 

Being a self-employed individual could mean many things, such as being a: 

• Freelancer
• Sole proprietor
• Contractor
• Solopreneur 
• Consultant 

But instead of listing your job title as “self-employed,” create a label that explains your role more clearly. For example, you can call yourself a freelance writer, graphic designer, photographer, or website developer.

If you run your own company, such as a single-member LLC, you’ll want to list that you’re the company owner but also list your key role. For example, if you own John’s Website Design, you’ll still want to list your job title as Owner and Website Designer.

2. Decide on the company name field

Figuring out what to list in the company field can be tricky. If you work as a freelancer using a business name, you can list that name. However, if you work as a freelancer or contractor using your own name, you can use your clients’ names in the company fields.

For example, you may have a header with the word freelance designer and list the companies as subheads. Or you can list each company you work with individually and the relevant job title. 

3. Fill in your work experience

One of the difficulties of figuring out how to list self-employment on a resume is explaining what your job entails. You’ll want to highlight your achievements and back them up with metrics. 

For example, if you’re a video production freelancer, you can list your completed number of video shoots, realized earnings for a major project, any prizes or awards your productions have, and the number of videographers you manage. 

Here are some examples of accomplishments you might want to list on a self-employed resume: 

• SEO position improvement: You can highlight the type of SEO content you create and the turnaround, but also note improvements in rankings and results for organic web and traffic. 
• Social media campaign development: Note the types of success your campaigns have, such as organic reach and follower gains or other measurable metrics like bookings, inquiries, or registrations. 
• Search engine marketing success: Highlight if you have success using ad platforms like Google Ads and your return on investment (ROI) for ads or increases in clicks or revenue.  
• Vendor or supplier relationship management: Focus on any contracts you negotiate and the cost savings. Or perhaps you create a new pricing structure that increases average project revenue by a certain amount. 
• Design and illustration achievements: Perhaps the digital illustrations you create for a mobile game lead to a measurable increase in downloads, or a series of brand materials increase branding recognition by a certain percentage. 
• Event planning: Include successful events or conferences and note metrics like the budget, attendance, or sponsorship success. 
• Accounting and bookkeeping: Highlight any initiatives that result in measurable results. For example, say you design a new payment tracking system that lowers late payments by a certain percentage. 

Note that your work experience section should resemble the work experience for other jobs. If you have project-based work experience, you’ll want to add it as well.

4. Highlight your skills

It’s easy to think of what you do as simply running the business or your daily duties. But as a self-employed individual, freelancer, or business owner, you likely have various skills. Think about your day-to-day activities, as well as your steps for launching your venture. 

As a self-employed individual, you can likely list a lot of the following as skills on your resume:

• Business planning: You likely have experience writing a business plan or operating a business 
• Client relationship management: This can include interpersonal and communication skills you have from dealing with clients or figuring out how to attract customers. 
• Problem-solving: Think about any unique clients you accommodate or any hurdles you’re good at working through. 
• Project management: Virtually every business or self-employment venture involves project management, such as moving client work from one stage to the next. 
• Technical knowledge: Include your proficiencies, such as using relevant tools and software. 

You can even create and update your skills section depending on the job or project you’re applying for. 

If your job title suggests you work alone, include a bullet point that showcases your interpersonal skills. For example, you may highlight client interactions or effective communication with tools like Zoom or Slack.

5. Add education and certifications

Now, you’ll want to add your education and relevant certifications. You can include any online business courses you completed. You can also use this section to highlight publications, awards, and activities. For example: 

• Certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) can help add credibility to your resume. 
• Publications can include features in industry magazines or newsletters or even interviews or media coverage. 
• Awards may include honors or recognition relevant to your self-employed skills, such as design or client satisfaction awards. 

Additional activities you might consider for this section include classes you may teach or successful collaborations.

6. Write your summary

Although your resume summary will be at the top of your resume, it’s one of the last things you’ll want to write. You’ll want to showcase the highlights of your resume, including major projects, accomplishments, and the most relevant skills. 

Ensure your summary showcases your experience of being self-employed and running a business but is not too lengthy—aim for three to four sentences. 

For example, if you’re a video producer, your resume summary might look like this: 

A client-focused video producer with over a decade of expertise with core strengths in interviewing, writing, shooting, and editing. Proven track record includes over 100 client projects and 800 on-camera interviews, including a 10-minute video that brought in over $1 million in revenue. Specializing in capturing compelling stories and creating visually impactful content that drives business results.

7. Prepare references

As a self-employed individual, you’re likely working with multiple clients simultaneously. This means you have the advantage of being able to pick those most relevant to the job or position you’re trying to get. 

But before listing references on your resume, check that they’re willing. Let them know ahead of time any questions a business or employer might ask to ensure you both remember your work experience the same way. The last thing you want is a discrepancy between what you say on your resume and what your reference reveals on the phone.

Next steps for self-employment success

Tired of overlooked proposals and missed opportunities? Creating a strong self-employed resume can unlock doors to more clients and exciting projects. Plus, adding self-employment to your resume showcases unique expertise.

To further streamline and elevate your self-employment journey, consider using accounting software built for self-employed individuals, such as QuickBooks Self-employed.



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Industry-leading Annual Percentage Yield (APY): Competitive rate information based on publicly available data for small business checking accounts provided by the largest national and online banks as of September 18, 2023. APYs are subject to change at any time. 

No monthly fees: Other fees and limits apply to the business bank account. See QuickBooks Money Deposit Account Agreement for details.