How to List Contract Work on a Resume? Tips and Examples

The freelance economy has been booming for the past couple of years. Independent contractors now account for 38% of America’s workforce and contribute over $1.27 trillion in annual earnings to the country’s economy.  

Being self-employed indeed has its perks — unlimited earning potential, flexible work schedule, and variety in work. At the same time, operating as an independent contractor can also get tiring at times. You have less job security which can lead to gaps in employment and inconsistent earnings.

Whether you’re looking for a new project or considering the return to regular employment, your resume likely needs a refresh. And the natural question you have is: how do I list contract work on the resume in the best way possible?

We break down the resume formatting rules and provide several working examples of how to add contract positions to a resume. 

How To List Contract Work On Resume 

How do I include contract work on a resume? And what about freelance work — what’s the best way to describe it? We get these questions often. There are plenty of resume templates for your listing contract work (like our Freelancer’s template or other creative options!).   

And here are the seven quick steps for listing contract work on a resume. 

1. Decide on Your Resume Format

The two resume formats are: chronological or functional. In a chronological resume, you’ll list contract work as separate entries in reverse chronological order, adding one contract position after another. 

Here’s an example of contract positions on a resume: 

While a chronological resume is generally preferred by HRs, it may not be the best for full-time independent contractors. First, it may reveal some gaps in employment. Secondly, having too many short-term entries, especially when you did some overlapping projects, will either make your resume look too cluttered or too long. Neither is great. 

So consider going for the second option — a functional resume. 

On a functional resume, you can group different entries by industry or project type. Doing so helps you pack more information into one work experience entry to showcase a wider range of skills and competencies. 

Here’s how such an entry will look on a contractor’s resume: 

To maximize the page space, try using a two-column resume design. It lets you display both your contract work entries and leaves room for a resume summary and featured skills section. 

2. Create Contract Job Entries 

Once you’ve settled on the resume format, start putting down your work history. 

For each job entry, you can either use your registered business name, temp agency name, or employer name (if it was a direct contract). If you’re not incorporated, just add “self-employed” or “independent contractor” instead of an employer name. 

Add a job title plus a “Consultant” or “Contractor” moniker.  Use a general job title that best describes your role e.g., software developer or engineering technician. Then add “Contractor” or “Consultant” after a comma for clarity. 

List employment dates to clarify the contract duration. For short-term contracts, use the Mo/Year-Mo/Year format. For long-term work, use the Year-Year format. 

3. Include a General “Contractor” Position 

To present a credible one-page resume, limit yourself to 3-4 most relevant contract work entries. 

You can “wrap” the remaining ones under a general “Self-Employed” entry to highlight more projects and achievements. Doing so, both saves you space, plus allows talking about some great freelance, project-based work you did. 

4. Curate Your Projects  

If you’ve been freelancing for a while, you have a lot of gigs under your belt. But again — not all of them should be on your resume.

Always personalize your resume to the job you’re after. For example, if you’re a freelance mobile app developer, after a new ecommerce project, showcase projects from the same industry and/or the ones built with a similar tech stack as the one mentioned in the job ad. You can always showcase more projects on your LinkedIn profile and personal website. 

Generally, for each job entry, list specific duties and share several accomplishments. Use resume bullet points to improve the readability of your work experience section. Aim for 2-4 bullet points per job entry on your resume.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to include relevant resume keywords from the job entry to make your resume more compelling. 

5. Include Portfolio Links 

A resume gives you limited space for displaying your competencies. But unlike regular employees, you probably have a solid external portfolio of work to display. When listing different projects, you can always drop a link to a respective project (if it’s available publicly) to demonstrate as your work sample. 

A well-organized portfolio puts your skills in context and demonstrates exactly how you approach work. If you’re an independent contractor in a creative or technical field like graphic design, architecture, videography, journalism, or mobile app development, a portfolio is a must-have! 

6. Incorporate Client Recommendations 

While regular employees can only add references to a resume, independent contractors can display glowing client testimonials. First-hand recommendations increase the credibility of all the claims you’re making, dispelling any doubts a hiring manager might have about your qualifications. 

Here’s an example of how to add contract work on a resume alongside a client recommendation:

Remember: a great client testimonial is short and to the point, commenting on one or two of your main skills and professional characteristics. It doesn’t have to be a page-long letter of recommendation to count! 

7. Add Extra Skills 

Still got some space left on your resume? Don’t leave it blank — instead, pack up some of your most marketable skills. 

You can (and should!) list extra skills alongside contract job entries or your consolidated “self-employed entry”. Alternatively, you can include a features skills section either in your resume header area or as a sidebar if you’re using a two-page resume template. 

Need some inspiration? Check our features lists of skills to add to a resume:

• Technical skills for a resume 
• Best resume skills for retail 
• Administrative skills for a resume 
• Critical-thinking skills to add to a resume 
• Business acumen skills to bring up 

Examples of Contract Work on a Resume 

Showcasing contract work on a resume isn’t much different from styling full-time job entries. Your goal is to articulate your most marketable competencies, main work accomplishments, and general duties front and center. 

To help you out, our team prepared several sample contract position resume entries for different types of independent work. 

Full-Time Independent Contractor Resume Entry 

Below is a sample resume entry for a full-time independent contractor/experienced freelancer, working with several clients at a time. 

Resume Sample For Temporary Contract Work 

This entry shows how you can best showcase temporary contract work alongside regular employment. 

Should I Put Temporary Contracts On My Resume? 

Yes, if your contract position is relevant to the one you are applying for, do include it on your resume. If not, you can always just add the name of a staffing agency you’ve been with and provide some general descriptions to avoid having glaring employment gaps on your resume. 

Does Contract Work Look Bad on a Resume?

Not at all. Having a mix of contract and full-time work positions is pretty much the norm in many industries — and the acceptance levels are growing among HRs. Almost 30% of employees at large organizations are contingent (i.e., hired for temporary contracts as independent contractors). So having contract work on your resume is becoming quite normal. In fact, some employers see a lot of contract work as an advantage. Former independent contractors often have more diverse work experience and a more proactive “let’s make things happen” attitude than full-time office dwellers.

Final Thoughts 

In the next couple of years, 66% of businesses plan to hire more independent talent, meaning that more gigs are coming to the market. Dust off your resume and give it a good makeover to score some amazing new client work this year!