Ask HN: After freelancing for so long how do I create a good resume?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3038758

by kara25 • 15 years ago

6 1 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I've been doing freelance web development for about four years now, and a job just opened at a local university for web development and a little server administration. I know I have the skills needed for the position, but they have been self taught. In addition, I haven't needed to write a resume for several years, so I'm not sure how to get started. There are a lot of the standard resume help and template resources that a google search turns up, but what about things catered to a freelancer or web developer?

A friend was telling me, "Just google web developer resumes and go from there." Is there a better option?

hugacow• 15 years ago

Tech resume layout:

Name (larger and/or bolder than the rest, but not so large that it looks pompous) Contact info, typically including email+cell(optionally+website/IM/linked in or whatever, but don't list more than one email/cell/networking site- the top is valuable space)

Summary: Summary of what you are in the context of what you want (number of years on each primary technology, etc.), but not stating what you want. This is your 10 second sell area. Few sentences only. If you have certifications, may list them here. Can bullet point it if you want, but don't go nuts.

Experience: (Repeat the following for each position back as far as you want to go) Position title - Date range (try to do as month/year to month/year or month/year to current- if you just list the year, they will assume you were laid off/fired during that year- don't show gaps- if you were doing anything during a gap period relevant to work that wouldn't hurt, list it)

(optional project title/interim position title here)

roughly 3-10 bullet points (using a bullet, never a dash which looks like a minus, even though it uses less ink and you might think a dash looks cleaner)

If you worked on multiple projects, make a judgement as to whether to list them like that or lump it all together in single set of bullets.

If you've been working for several years or more, list later jobs with fewer bullets, and keep the long version of your resume on file just to be able to pull from later as needed.

List professional associations and training/certifications as applicable (under two separate headings).

May want to list hobbies, etc. if you feel it sells you better as either a real person (getting to know you, getting to know all about you...) or whatever is relevant to the job.

Education- where you graduated, the year, the degree(s) with minor if applicable or want to share, your GPA if you were cum laude or summa.

Open source projects you've worked on- just a URL to the page that contains all or most of your projects or recent ones. If it is minor work, or if you don't want to be excluded from employers that might be afraid you would give away intellectual property, then use your best judgement as to whether to list anything.

You may want to end with a LinkedIn, etc. URL as a closer.

Try to keep it between 1-3 pages (2-3 is good, but if you haven't done much or can summarize on one page, good for you).

Ask HN: After freelancing for so long how do I create a good resume?

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