YA Help With My Resume Thread

[arrfep]

Need some advice from the ATOT HR gurus on a couple not-exactly-black-and-white questions about listing freelance work on a resume.

I'm applying for an opening as a copywriter at the business where I'm currently employed. My current position is service-based, so most of my experience is irrelevant to copywriting. However, for the last year I've freelanced on the side via content mills like Textbroker and Ecopywriters, which helped me build up a portfolio of writing samples. My question is, when I list freelance experience, should I mention those places? Or should I just use vague terms to describe the type of writing and clients, since I was an independent contractor.

Secondly, I also occasionally freelance as a photographer. For years I've done the random wedding or prom, but none of the work or clients were serious enough for me to consider it a "job." Since the summer, though, I've been getting occasional work shooting for the web version of a magazine with national circulation. Again as an IC. Do I bother to mention this? I've read lots stating one shouldn't list freelance work if it doesn't pertain to the new job, but I feel like this is an impressive enough client that I'd like to proudly state that I do some work for them.Would it be better to maybe list this as an achievement?

Thanks to anyone who read through those. I've got some answers from The Google but would appreciate any insight from of our resident HR/Hiring people.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

So when HR looks at folks it tries to figure out if the knowledges, skills, abilities, and other attributes you poses match those required by the job.

This is often done using a computer program, flags your resume as having 'clicked' the appropriate job-boxes.

This paper goes into depth regarding the theory behind O*NET:
http://content.imamu.edu.sa/Scholars/it/net/understanding_work_using.pdf

I finished my Ph.D. seminar in HR last semester; so I have nothing practically relevant to offer you.

Be careful to drop anything that will flag you for a part of the company that you are NOT wanting to be in.

 

[thegimp03]

I would list any experiences that I have that relate to the job I'm applying to. However, in your case, I wouldn't state anything about being a "freelancer" on the resume. Maybe talk to one of your contacts at Textbroker or Ecopywriters and get their permission to use them as a reference in your application.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

freelancer = moonlighter = not a 'team player' thats part of our 'high involvement workforce' but instead is likely to 'jump ship' or may even have 'low job commitment'/'high job dissatisfaction'.

Watch your ass. One man's freelance is another's "taking from the company by not utilizing your down-time to optimize relaxation inorder to enable better work"

 

[arrfep]

I would list any experiences that I have that relate to the job I'm applying to. However, in your case, I wouldn't state anything about being a "freelancer" on the resume. Maybe talk to one of your contacts at Textbroker or Ecopywriters and get their permission to use them as a reference in your application.

Unfortunately, the way those places work is: the clients submit content requests which go into a pool. Writers pick from pool and return work to the content mill, which then edits it and passes it onto the clients. So there's very little client/writer interaction, in fact it's all meant to be anonymous. Pay is not great, but I did it to get my feet wet.

freelancer = moonlighter = not a 'team player' thats part of our 'high involvement workforce' but instead is likely to 'jump ship' or may even have 'low job commitment'/'high job dissatisfaction'.

Watch your ass. One man's freelance is another's "taking from the company by not utilizing your down-time to optimize relaxation inorder to enable better work"

I keep reading this, and it's an understandable sentiment. For me, it means mostly "I'll do whatever work in the field I can get my hands on without experience, to gain experience."

I should have probably mentioned that the company I work for is privately-held, family-owned. We've got about 1200 employees, though it's pretty closely-knit. I know about 60% of them by name, am friendly/work out with a couple of the owners. They're a bit old-fashioned, so typical HR methods may not apply; I highly doubt we employ any of the stuff you described in your earlier post. With that said, I still want to submit a polished resume that exploits my experiences in case there is competition.

Thanks for your input so far.