Top freelance artist sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to Write a Freelance Artist Resume Experience Section
Freelance artist resume experience: checklist
- Use either chronological or reverse-chronological format when listing your previous jobs;
- Mention only relevant positions that add value to your resume;
- Briefly state the challenges you’ve faced and how you’ve overcome them;
- Highlight the results from your efforts (for bonus points, add numbers, percentage rates, etc.);
- Forget about buzzwords! Use power verbs instead.
Use the examples below to build your own experience section!
- Worked on more than 100 pencil Portraits as well as different paintings and delivered with maximum satisfaction
- Created multiple Logos for different upcoming communities
- Have Delivered Multiple Motion Graphics projects with 100% satisfaction
- Led a team of 5 artists in creating and implementing unique character designs for Game Y resulting in a 90% approval rating from players.
- Streamlined character creation process for Game Z, reducing production time by 20% while maintaining high quality standards.
- Collaborated with game designers and writers to ensure character models effectively conveyed game narrative and player experience.
- Created character models for various indie game titles, resulting in an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Steam.
- Collaborated with clients to ensure character designs fit their vision and effectively conveyed game mechanics.
- Developed a pipeline for character creation that allowed for efficient production while maintaining high quality standards.
- Created cinematic scenes using CRYENGINE to enhance production values and player experiences
- Developed and implemented scripted events and animations in collaboration with clients
- Managed and organized assets, animations, and lighting to ensure the smooth delivery of polished cinematic scenes
- Utilized technical problem-solving skills to find solutions and improve techniques
- Achieved a 100% client satisfaction rate by delivering quality work on time and on budget
- Set up cameras, animations, and lighting in CRYENGINE for final renders
- Developed and implemented scripted events and animations to enhance player experiences
- Collaborated with the team to break down deliverables, share regular updates, and deliver on commitments
- Achieved a 30% increase in engagement by implementing innovative and novel camera techniques
- Assisted in setting up cameras, animations, and lighting in CRYENGINE for final renders
- Collaborated with the team to develop and implement scripted events and animations
- Provided support to the Cinematic Services team in organizing assets and delivering on commitments
- Demonstrated proficiency in CRYENGINE and a willingness to learn and improve
PRO TIP
Check the Freelance Artist job description for inspiration. Look for similarities between your employer’s values and your experience.
Action verbs for your freelance artist resume
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Freelance artist resume: The skills section!
How to write a strong freelance artist resume skills section?
- Make sure to include all types of skills - soft, hard, technical;
- Focus on skills that show your expertise in the field;
- Check the job description for keywords and make sure to add them to your resume – this will help you pass ATS;
- Leave room for discussion – elaborate on some of your strongest skills in other sections of your resume
Top skills for your freelance artist resume
Upwork
Quickbooks
Microsoft Office
Email clients
PayPal
Budgeting
Marketing
Design
Communication
Leadership and project management
Teamwork
Problem
Solving
Work Ethics
Flexibility
Adaptability
Interpersonall skills
PRO TIP
Add a Talent Section to your resume, where you can pick your top 3 soft skills and describe how you used them to complete a project or balance departmental communication.
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Freelance Artist Resume Header: Tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your freelance artist resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
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PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have policies about identifying information like photos on your Freelance Artist resume. Be sure to check all the relevant rules before submitting yours. If you’re in doubt, you can always try contacting the company’s HR department to ask for their policy.
A career summary for your freelance artist resume
Things to include in your freelance artist resume summary:
- Your total years of experience in the industry;
- 2-3 of your most remarkable achievements so far;
- How your experience relates to the position you’re applying for;
- A very brief description of your strengths.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Your summary section should act as a professional taster. Use it wisely. Effectively convey your professional profile and let the hiring manager know that if they hire you, they won’t be disappointed. Make sure to include keywords from the job description too! Elaborate on your abilities further in your experience section. Again, cater to the job description.
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Freelance artist resume: the education section
Things to include in your resume's education section:
- Your highest education degree – including course, year of graduation, institution;
- Awards received as part of your education;
- Extracurricular activities that have helped you gain relevant skills;
- Certifications that have helped you master new skills and increase your expertise;
- Entry-level applicants only: relevant courses and projects.
Top Certifications for Your Freelance Artist Resume
Freelance Success For Artists: A Quick & Easy Guide
Learn the most essential freelancing tips you need to know in just 1 hour.
SECRETS of a Freelance Artist!
Learn how to make a living as a freelance artist or graphic designer online and in person.
Productivity for Artists and Freelancers
Feel Accomplished and Achieve Your Goals
Make a Living as a Freelance Artist or Designer
Learn the tips and tricks about being a Creative Freelancer that they don't teach you in School!
The Freelance Masterclass: For Creatives
The Ultimate Guide to Freelancing: Learn to Price Projects, Build Portfolios, Find Clients, Brand Yourself & More!
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PRO TIP
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
Choosing the right format for your freelance artist resume
In general, there are three basic formats for your resume:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Some things to consider when choosing the right format for your Freelance Artist resume include the stage of your career, whether you have all the right skills required for the job or are looking for an industry change, and what field you’re looking to grow in.
The reverse-chronological resume format is the most common one. It lets you describe your most recent job and then move backward. This makes it great for people who have around or less than 10 years of experience and are looking to highlight only their work-related skills and qualities.
If you’re just starting your career journey and reverse-chronological resumes sound too demanding, go for the functional resume format. It’s ideal for showcasing your strengths, personal qualities, skills, education, and the courses you’ve taken, without putting too much pressure on experience and expertise.
Don’t worry if neither of these sounds suitable for you – the hybrid or combination resume format will surely match your needs. It’s similar to the reverse-chronological, but with a catchy twist. Combination or hybrid resumes are great for showcasing both your experience and work-related skills and your personal qualities. Add a “What my day looks like” section for enhancing the jaw-dropping experience!
Here are some more things worth remembering when it comes to formatting your Freelance Artist resume:
- Choose standard 1-inch resume margins;
- Go for traditional resume fonts sized 10-12p;
- Match the length of your Freelance Artist resume with your experience – choose a one-page template if you have less than 10 years of experience, and be careful with two-page templates – use them only when applying for executive positions;
- Save your resume in PDF to avoid formatting issues and potential unauthorized editing.
Tired of getting rejected? Check out this article on how to craft a resume that stands out!
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PRO TIP
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical Freelance Artist resume layout, you can use a creative layout. Getting noticed is the most important challenge and a creative resume layout might help you get invited for an interview as most of other accountants have boring resume designs.
Other sections suitable for your freelance artist resume
Depending on the position and the industry, you can spice your resume up by adding some more sections. They will help the recruiter get a glimpse of who you are as a person, besides all your job-related skills and qualities.
Here are some examples:
How to add creativity to your freelance artist resume
Gone are the days when creative resumes were frowned upon by recruiters!
What’s more, the right amount of creativity will make recruiters remember you and want to learn more about who you are – both as an individual and as a professional.
There are two ways to build a creative resume - add creative sections or go for a more creative design approach in general. Go for whatever suits you, the position, and the industry most!
What makes a great freelance artist resume: Key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
