Writers are expected to have well-written resumes that display great grammar. Follow these examples to write a convincing writer resume and land your dream job.
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A writer’s resume is a key tool in their job search process. Writers are expected to have well-written resumes. Follow our examples and tips to write the perfect writer’s resume.
The quality of your resume is absolutely crucial when you are applying for a writing position. Potential employers will consider your resume and cover letter as evidence of your grasp of the English language, or other languages you write your resume in, as well as your communication skills. The ideal writer resume should include:
Your resume header should include your full name, email and phone contact info, and links to any professional social media or online portfolios you may have. For example, you could add your LinkedIn or Medium profile.
You will need to include either a resume summary or a resume objective statement. A resume summary should be a sum-up of your most important and notable skills and achievements, while an objective statement should be a statement of your career goals and intent. The first is best for those who have many years of experience while the second is ideal for those who have a short work history. If you are a freelance writer, aim for a resume summary that presents your most successful projects along with your strongest skills.
A good resume features your strongest and most relevant skills. If you have any specializations, for example writing about healthcare, this is the place to mention them. Read the job description carefully and choose between 8 to 12 skills that most closely match what the employer needs.
Your work history should be listed in reverse-chronological order with your most recent position placed at the top of this section. Include up to 10 years of work experience. Remember that your resume should be one page in length at most. So if you find yourself short on space, you should prioritize the most recent work and focus on highlighting your accomplishments.
While there is no formal education necessarily needed to be a writer, you should list any academic achievements that you may have. If you have a bachelor’s degree in English or a masters’ degree in creative writing, listing these achievements will be very beneficial.
If you have relevant professional certifications (in for proofreading or editing for example) then highlight them on your resume. Likewise, if you have taken on any stand-alone projects that are relevant, you should present them on your resume as well.
If you are a member of any professional associations and bodies (e.g., the Screen Writers Guild), listing this information in a separate section of your resume can be helpful.
Skills and competencies
Achievements
If you combine these kinds of skills and achievements with an attractive resume layout, you will create a resume that stands out and catches a hiring manager’s attention. Remember to read each job description carefully and only highlight the competencies and achievements that best meet its requirements.
These writer resume examples are particularly effective:
Be professional when creating a writing resume. Don’t list hobbies, personal projects, or non-relevant experience and skills.
Yes, submitting a good cover letter with your resume is an excellent way to provide additional information and make up for resume gaps. A great cover letter will increase your chance of impressing a hiring manager or recruiter. Consider relevant cover letter examples for inspiration.
A professional writers’ resume should be no more than one page in length in most cases. The main exception to this is where a writer has many notable positions or achievements to discuss. In this case, a resume of up to two pages might be acceptable as long as all the work history included is relevant and valuable to the application. You should include no more than 10 years of experience on your writing resume. If you have more than a decade of experience, you can offer a link to your LinkedIn profile so that hiring managers can review it at their discretion.
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