TL;DR
- Freelancing, moonlighting, consulting, self-employment, independent contractor… whatever you want to call it IS REAL WORK, and it counts as work experience.
- In the eyes of the US government and taxes, freelancing is a job, self-employment, and a business.
- You can add freelance experience to your resume, as detailed below.
- Freelance work on bidding sites like Upwork counts as well.
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Of course, freelancing counts as work experience. A lot of people lean into the stigma of self-employment.
Particularly… older folks…
You’ll hear variations of: “tHaT’s nOt a REAL jOb.”
But that doesn’t make that person right. In essence, if you spend your time working on something that produces SOMETHING, it’s a job and counts as work experience.
If volunteer work at an animal shelter can be added to your resume, so can freelance work.
What Is Freelance Experience Really Though?
Freelance experience is when you have put in the effort to start a freelancing business for a prolonged period of time.
You may have been successful. You may have failed. But if you LEARNED a skill or two while trying, you have gained valuable experience.
Depending on the job/gig that you’re applying for, you can spin your freelance side hustle into all kinds of skills like:
- The actual service you provided
- The marketing tactics you tried
- The bookkeeping skills you had to figure out
- Creating a website
- Social media
- Taxes
- Customer service
- Project management
- Business management
What it comes down to is this:
Learning = Experience
Does Freelancing Count as Work Experience?
Of course, it does! By freelancing, you are learning, gaining experience, and practicing your skills. Don’t you do that with a “regular job?”
Is Freelancing Good for Experience?
Don’t worry about future employers looking down on your freelance business because nowadays, it’s extremely common to see people try freelancing or continue to have a side hustle while they work.
Freelancing shows ambition. It shows that you are a self-starter a go-getter, and that you like trying new things.
Even if the business failed, it shows that your skills were solid enough to be business-worthy.
It also shows that you care about and are an expert in your field or industry. Why else would you waste time, money, and effort into trying to build a business around it?
How Do I Prove Freelance Work Experience?
With a portfolio, baby!
It may be daunting to think about how to prove yourself as a freelancer.
You don’t have a manager whom someone can call as a reference.
You don’t have a well-known business name to show off on your resume.
BUT that doesn’t matter when you can showcase your best marketing tool: your portfolio!
A portfolio is your proof that you know what you’re doing. That your skills are REAL and that you can do your job well.
As you’re freelancing, it’s best to keep samples of the projects you have completed for clients and showcase them on your portfolio.
For example, a website developer will have screenshots and links to the live site in their portfolio. A writing will have links to their published work. A graphic designer will have images of the logos they created.
This proves to employers that you have the work experience your resume claims. You have all the receipts!
Is It OK to Put Freelancing on My Resume?
YES!
Freelancing should be proudly displayed in the Work Experience section of your resume.
You can include the name of your freelance business, or if you use your name, you can just state “Freelance Services.”
Treat the rest of the entry as a real job. Here are some examples you can try:
Independent Contractor, Cresmer, Jun 2012 – Present
- Provided web development, writing, editing, SEO, and digital marketing services to small businesses
Independent Contractor, Cresmer, Jun 2012 – Present
- Freelance services: website development, writing, SEO, and digital marketing
Katelyn Hare Development, Pittsburgh, PA Owner/Developer September 2012 – Present
- Developed websites for agencies as an independent contractor
Does Freelance Work Count as Employment?
Freelancing is considered employment.
Another concern for freelancers is employment status. If freelancing is your only job, then you are self-employed.
In the eyes of the US government, if you’re making money, you’re employed and need to pay taxes. Period.
Therefore, you’re employed, bro.
Does Freelance Count as a “Job”?
This question comes from stigma, but again, yes. Freelancing is a job. If anyone in your life wants to dispute that and look down on you for trying out a business venture, then that’s on them.
You have more work to do than the average employee.
You have to manage a business, do marketing, find clients, juggle clients, and do all the work on top of invoicing, bookkeeping, and paying taxes.
That’s a lot. But it’s a job you’re choosing.
Does Freelancing Count as a Business?
Yup! In the eyes of the government, you are a business. You pay taxes as a business, depending on how your freelance business is structured.
Most freelance businesses are sole proprietors. Most are run through your name and social security number.
Even so, you still have to fill out the Section C business section of your federal income tax return.
Does Freelancing on Upwork or Other Freelancing Sites Count as Work Experience?
If you choose to use freelance bidding sites like Upwork to find work, know that it does count as work experience.
Any freelance work that you provide counts as work experience! It doesn’t matter where you source your clients for your freelance business.
Are Freelancers Considered Professionals?
Yerp. If you’re a profresh, then you’re a profresh. You may even be a baddie if you’re a successful freelancer. A professional juggler of all the hats you must try on.
Yes, you may get some people looking down on you. Trust me, I’ve had an older family member feel sorry for me because I “couldn’t get a real job.”
EXCUSE ME?
But the joke is on them! For the last eight years, I have not had to wake up and commute to an office.
I haven’t been forced to work every day or within certain hours.
I get to choose fun people to work with, fun projects to work on and get compensated fairly for my efforts.
I like it over here 😊
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