Contractor Resumes Resume Formats and Collateral for the Self-Employed

Contractor Resumes Resume Formats and Collateral for the Self-Employed Contractors Do You Need a Resume?Whether you call yourself an independent contractor, consultant or entrepreneur, you may wonder if you need a resume to promote your services. As a free agent, there are different pieces you could use to market yourself, so before you get started, determine what you want your piece to accomplish. Heres a look at the most popular options.Traditional ResumeA traditional resume provides an account of your employment history, key qualifications, education or training, and other important credentials. The most common formats are reverse chronological, functional and combination.A variation on the traditional resume format is the geschftliches miteinander resume, which details your companys achievements, rather than your personal career progression. A business resume is normally presented on company letterhead and might include a client list, significant projects, the owners qualificatio ns, services offered, target market and professional activities.Another format is a narrative bio, which is a resume in narrative format that emphasizes your career achievements and professional background. Contractors can use this format to market themselves on a Web site, give to clients to promote their services or even secure funding for a business venture.Who Needs It? Free agents transitioning to employee status or looking for a long-term consulting assignment should create a traditional resume. A free agent seeking capital funding will require a traditional resume -- usually a narrative bio -- to include with the business plan. Other free agents would benefit from having an updated traditional resume on flosse in case a potential client or employer requests it.PortfolioA portfolio lets you dazzle a potential client with your capabilities and achievements by providing examples of your work. A portfolio may exist in hard copy or digital (Web/CD-ROM) format. If you are setting u p a portfolio, get a copy of Guide to Portfolios Creating and Using Portfolios for Academic, Career, and Personal Success. A portfolios contents depend on your industry but may include examples of your work, references, testimonials, a publication list, media clips, awards and other evidence of your professional accomplishments. If youre in a creative field, consider setting up an online portfolio of your work.Who Needs It? Free agents searching for a powerful way to demonstrate skills, capabilities, past results and potential value.Corporate absatzwirtschaft Collateral As an independent businessperson, you may not need a resume at all, but corporate absatzwirtschaft materials instead, such as brochures, business cards, letterhead, Web sites and demos.If you run a company, invest in quality corporate marketing materials. If you are not confident in your desktop publishing abilities, hire a design firm that understands your business goals and target market.Who Needs It? An independen t businessperson looking to level the playing field against larger firms.Resume Business CardA resume business card is a standard or tent/fold-over business card that includes a brief description of your products, services or qualifications.Who Needs It? Free agents who network frequently and want to present a brief overview of the value they offer on a business card.Best Practices for Contractor ResumesOnce you decide on the best format(s) for your needs, follow these guidelinesRefrain from using information that would violate contract confidentiality or reveal proprietary client information.Present the experiences most relevant to your goal.Remember that even a traditional resume should be a persuasive marketing document, not an autobiography.If you are pursuing a specific opportunity, find out which resume style or marketing piece is preferred by the organization.Focus on achievements and skills that demonstrate what you offer potential customers.Make your resume shine with help from Monsters resume writing experts