How Freelancing Can Bolster Your CV and Career

The gig economy is a growing reality in the modern world. Whether traditional employers like it or not, more and more people are taking on ‘side gig’ to make ends meet. Some people live exclusively off of the income from their gigs, while many also have a traditional job alongside them.

Plenty of people would have you believe that this is a negative thing to have on your CV. But, in fact, it can be used to bolster you to new roles that traditional work does not allow for. Especially considering how hard it is to find a job in today’s market in the first place.

So, how can you bolster your CV with freelancing to make your career sparkle?

Sometimes you will be pipped to the post for a career opportunity simply because you don’t have enough experience. Having an impressive backlog of freelance work can help to showcase a larger pool of experience, perhaps pushing you into the top candidate spots for jobs you may have otherwise thought were out of your league.

Okay, so you have a new wealth of freelancing experience and so you ask yourself: how do I showcase this on my CV? Well, it depends what job you are applying for. After all you should always tailor your CV to a specific job application.

If applying for a more traditional role, demonstrate the different brands you have been working for and what you brought to them. Statistics are a great way to highlight your successes.

When applying specifically for freelance work it is always best to put your key skills in its own section, perhaps even in bold. This way it jumps out to anyone wanting to hire you. If you have a portfolio it is always best to highlight this on your CV, with a link or examples to help showcase your skills in a practical way.

Being financially savvy in your employment is the only way to ensure your financial future. So, it almost goes without saying that a big benefit for freelancing is the extra income that it supplies.

At the end of the day, more income each week can help to improve your quality of life. Either by covering numerous life expenses or going straight into your savings accounts, whatever works best for your finances.

Of course, for every positive, there is an inevitable downside. A well-known problem for freelancers is lack of payment by clients, an annoying outcome for hard work done in time, that you would otherwise be relaxing in. It can mean chasing, re-sending invoices and flat out never being paid for your hard work in some cases. Unfortunately, this is a risk some freelancing work presents.

Some employers may also consider it a way to cover up a gap in your CV, to explain away a break for employment for whatever reason. Obviously, this is not always the case, but many employers feel they are wise to this tactic and may mistake your freelancing experience for just that: a tactic.

For this, the only solution is to have as many examples and facts about your time freelancing as possible. The more you can verify the experience, the more solid it will be in the eyes of your potential employer.

Of course, there is also the fact that your workload will be continual variable. With work ebbing and flowing as clients need it there is never a guarantee that you will be paid the same amount each month. For those with financial commitments, such as mortgages and children, this can be a worrying way to live. Making this is a disadvantage that some people simply cannot live with when it comes to freelancing.

As a whole, the impact on your CV and career can be massive when it comes to freelancing. Especially if you highlight the positive aspects of it and use it to bolster your efforts, rather than have it be painted as a negative attribute. Just remember to do your taxes and ensure you have the right PI insurance or IT contractor insurance to cover your freelancing efforts.