When it's time to start looking for a new project, updating your resume is essential. But have you ever thought about how to organize it effectively? If not, now's the time to do so!

As a freelancer, your resume is the first thing recruiters see—your first impression on potential clients and your key to landing exciting projects. According to Jobvite, a staggering 68% of hiring managers would reject a candidate with a poorly formatted resume. So, making sure your resume is both complete and up-to-date is crucial.

Need some tips on how to stand out? Here are a few pointers:

1. Keep It Short

Avoid making your resume too long. Aim to keep it under 5 pages and ensure it's easily scannable. Remember, recruiters spend an average of just 6-8 seconds reviewing a resume. You want yours to be concise and to the point.

2. Add a Title and Summary of Yourself

Recruiters often sift through numerous resumes. If your profile isn't immediately clear, you risk being overlooked. By including a specific title (e.g., ".NET Developer") and a relevant summary, you make it easy for recruiters to understand who you are and what you bring to the table.

3. Customize Your Resume to the Vacancy

Yes, it requires extra effort, but tailoring your resume to each specific job can make a significant difference. Research by Glassdoor shows that 63% of recruiters appreciate resumes personalized to the job position, and Jobvite found that 83% of recruiters are more likely to hire candidates who tailor their resumes to the specific role. Highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job you're applying for to make a strong first impression.

4. Provide Enough Context for Each Experience

For every project listed on your resume, include the following details:

• Start and end dates
• Your role
• Project context
• Your responsibilities
• Technological environment and methods used

Bonus tip: Include the outcome of your project. According to LinkedIn, 75% of hiring managers want to see specific accomplishments and results in the work experience section.

5. Prioritize Completeness Over Aesthetics

While design matters, it shouldn't come at the expense of content. If you have some design skills, by all means, get creative—but always ensure that all the necessary information is included before focusing on aesthetics.

Still unsure how to organize your resume? No worries! Send yours to recruitment@brainbridge.be, and we'll be happy to help you optimize it!