Do Companies Value My Freelance Experience
Kent R.
Q. Do companies value self-employment and freelance experience less than they do full-time experience? A. While that may have been the case in the past, it is less and less a concern. Employers understand that it is a tough market out there, so your entrepreneurial experience and ability to leverage your skills to pull through a rough job market may actually work in your favor.
Where there is a real concern is in the way most people present freelance experience / self-employment. All too often, entrepreneurs will communicate this kind of experience in broad, generic terms that tell employers almost nothing. Alternately, the fear that self-employment is taken less seriously moves many people to completely over-inflate their experience.
Take a measured, achievement-focused approach to articulating self-employment and freelance experience on your resume. Make sure to communicate your impact on clients and include specific metrics whenever possible. Lastly, bolster your credibility by rallying previous clients to provide some strong professional references.