If you would ever apply for a 9-5 job. Would you include your Freelance career in your resume?

hitmeasap Level X⁵

December 13, 2016, 11:39 am

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If you would ever apply for a 9-5 job. Would you include your Freelance career in your resume?

If you would ever apply for a 9-5 job. Would you include your Freelance career in your resume?

Hello fellow Freelancers!

This is a pretty neat question if you ask me, and that's also the reason for me to bring it to you..

Let's say you're looking for a 9-5 job. Would you include your freelancing career in your resume?

And if you would do that, how would you do it?

I mean, you can't really say:

"I have sold social media services on SEOClerks.com". Right?

I would definitely add this myself, in my resume, but I can't actually come up with a decent way of doing it..

Let me know your thoughts and ideas as this would be an awesome thing to refer people to, whenever they're talking about this subject. Which I've heard more and more lately.

Best Regards,
hitmeasap

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EliteWriter

EliteWriter

If the job that I apply for is in some way related to my freelancing career I would include it for sure. I think that it depends on the type of job one does online. Certain services hold more value and require more skills than others, and so it is a good idea to include them in a resume as they will show what skills you have. I have never really thought about this to be honest, but I think that I would include my online experience since by now it has been going on for about 8 years, so it is a substantial period.

8 years ago

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hitmeasap

hitmeasap

Thank you EliteWriter, and yeah, I can totally see your point. I mean, I've been doing this for about 5 years now, so it's a huge "gap" in my Resume at first glance, if I would apply for a job, if I didn't mention this properly. I haven't had a "real" job since 2011.. So I bet they would wonder what I've been doing for the past 5 years.. Right? - I would wonder that, if I ever hired someone.

But how would I be able to actually tell someone, on a very limited time, during an interview or in my application, that I have been self-employed? for the past 5 years? - Even some of my friends have a hard time to understand what I do.. And I've been trying to tell them that for years already..

8 years ago

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Lynne

Lynne

Honestly I don't see why it is so hard to explain that you have been self employed for 5 years. You just pop "self employed" on there and say "freelance online marketing services".

I think the thing you will need to come up with is a reason why you are now looking for a job about 5 years working for yourself... you need to come up with something that is along the line of truth and shows you in a positive light too.

8 years ago

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hitmeasap

hitmeasap

Lynne.. I've been asking myself this for years too.. - Perhaps I'm just bad at explaining things, but some of my friends are transforming their bodies into the shape of a question mark when I explain things. - Seriously.

Most of them doesn't have a clue. And most of them doesn't understand a single thing except "I work online". They don't understand how or why, no matter how much I'm trying to explain. I've said literally anything from "I'm a freelancer" to breaking it down in to tiny pieces of in-depth information, and they are still clueless.

And because of that, I cannot see how I would be able to explain this for someone I don't even know. It feels like an impossible thing to do.

However, the part of coming up with a reason for why I'd be looking for a job is kind of easy actually. Just something along the lines with: "I'm 31 years old and even though I've been successful and fortunate enough to work for myself during these 5 years, I would love to have a steady, monthly income." - That being said, I'm not looking for a job at this point, but I do think about getting myself some sort of part time job, where I can work a few hours each week or so at least.

I mean, I love freelancing, but at some point, I'll just have to stop if I can't come up with something truly beneficial. I can't see myself doing what I do today in 20 years for instance. I just can't. - So I'll need to either come up with something "foolproof" and steady, or I'll just have to start looking elsewhere in the future.

8 years ago

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Lynne

Lynne

Well it sounds like you've got a bit of a sensitive spot when it comes to explaining yourself, seriously it sounds like it will be easier to explain to a prospective boss than to your friends.

Yes I must say I do sometimes miss the steady income, the sick days... not bringing work home with me... or rather having work home with me all the time... oh and now that it is Christmas time that 13th check a lot of companies give at a time like this.

8 years ago

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hitmeasap

hitmeasap

Yeah, you're probably right Lynne.. And in all honestly, I don't think I even want to explain to my friends what I really do, because I've never really had any support from them anyhow, so why would they care?

Well, I don't know.. I've lost myself somehow during the last 2 years now or so.. And it's tough to realize that, but I guess that's actually one of the reasons I don't want to explain things either. I'm afraid of failure and I'm basically working against myself sort of..

8 years ago

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augusta

augusta

Siure,I will instead of leaving my resume bare because the hirer will sure ask what one has been doing for some number of years that is shown bare on the resume.

7 years ago

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Everett

Everett

Well, I have actually included my freelancing stuff in job resumes. I have never been hired either. I'm not too sure why, but every time I include Ionicware in my resumes, I am always denied, but if I decide to choose my own stuff (websites,etc) then I'll be "considered". Very odd indeed, and I'm not sure as to why this is. Maybe companies don't see marketplaces as a freelancing type of thing, or maybe the site is somehow shunned upon? Does anyone have an answer for this?

I have yet to land a job because of my freelancing "career". I think over time I'll make enough money with my freelancing that I wouldn't have to look for a boring 9 to 5. One can only hope!

8 years ago

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hitmeasap

hitmeasap

Oh.. That sure sounds odd!

So you've been "considered" when you've mentioned your own websites etc, but NOT when you've mentioned Ionicware and what you do..?

I have no idea why that would happen, but it definitely sounds strange, odd and/or weird.

Perhaps your own website are "worth more" compared to a place you just work on? (In their eyes I mean).

8 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

If the office job is not related to your freelancing activities, I would advise against including it in your resume. In our office, the HR is strict with applicants doing sideline work. They want employees to have full concentration in the job and it cannot be so if the employee has another work to handle outside the job.

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

I once landed on a 9-5 job just because I had started my experience on upwork. It was a content writing job
I have written ebooks for clients on upwork
I have published articles on Hubpages
Two days after I submitted my application. The employer called me, Your resume is impressive. He had checked my profile on upwork and hubpages.
You can use your freelance experience to get a good 9-5 job.

7 years ago

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ColdFlameChris

ColdFlameChris

That's a big question for me as to how I'm gonna put it on my resume about the freelance work that I've done because clearly, most of the company doesn't see this as a real job so they don't accept this to be really part of your working experience. I also don't know how to explain this to someone who'll conduct an interview to me since you can't really prove that you really did what work on the resume about your freelance work as you don't have any certificate from that site where you do your online job or do any background check about your past work. I believe that they simply don't consider this as a valid working experience.

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

I don't think this is true. Work is work, whether you deliver as a freelancer or by working in a company. If the job you are applying is for a content writer, you can showcase your online articles and ebooks to impress the employer. If the job is for a web designer, you can share your design portfolio to the contractor. In the job market, whether it is freelancing or regular job, what counts is an experience. It does not matter whether you have worked for a big company or an unknown company.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I have included it in my resume. And the result is not many companies like it. So I removed that and replaced with the other professional credentials. So it's reasonable to say that some of the time freelance career is not approached properly with the recruiters. So one has to understand what is something they can do and work upon. That is only way things can be improved for sure.

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

Contrarily, when I applied for a regular job with my freelancing experience included in the resume, I was offered the job. However, I rejected because the employer offered me less than what I was earning as a freelancer.
As long as the freelancing experience is related the job you are applying, it always helps.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I see. most of the employer in my place don't like freelancers. because they think they are going to take their clients away. So the impression of such freelancers can be different in that case. i'd say that it can be really hard to say it makes some decent earning. I'd say freelancing is a good than job for this reason.

7 years ago

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TimothyAlex

TimothyAlex

If (and that is a big if) I ever tried to get a regular 9-5 job, I would have to include my freelance experience. If not, there would be very big gaps in my employment that I would have a hard time explaining.

7 years ago

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mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

It will be better to include it if applying for an online job. Offline jobs do not require you to add your freelancing talents unless you are applying for an editor or a writer.

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

Whatever you have done while working for a company or as a freelancer, is your experience. You cannot hide that experience.
I think "I worked for xyz company as a web designer" is better than "I have designed x number of websites, check this out" is a better line in your resume.

7 years ago

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Kakashi2020

Kakashi2020

It really depends if you're a well experienced freelancer or atleast a moderately successful one then I would suggest that you should include your freelancing experience in your resume,
along with some links for verification purposes. Employers often look for employees with some extra skills relative or even not relative to the job.

7 years ago

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Ezekielzz

Ezekielzz

I think that many people have difficulty writing CV, since we rarely do this. At the same time, it is difficult to keep track of all the requirements for form and content. Therefore, I advise you to use the best cv writing service This will help to avoid mistakes when compiling CV and experts will help to correctly reflect all your benefits. I think this will help you find a job faster.

2 years ago

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