It's semantics, but our portfolios are resumes in that they show our expertise and our skill level. My website doesn't list a typical resume-type format, but more a listing of links to what I've done and a bio of my background. Still a resume, but a shortened version.

From personal experience, #1 is nowhere near true. I have made my bread and butter from the trade pubs. #2 has been hotly debated for some reason by writers. Same writers have bios and lists of accomplishments on their sites – basically resumes. 🙂 I think people get locked into the idea that a resume is one set format. It's not. I write them for a client almost daily. They're easily adaptable to nearly any profession or industry.

Amie, couldn't agree more! We're writers – we SHOULD have creative resumes!

It immediately sets a poor tone, making you the equivalent of an employee on paper. And that's not a good way to kick off a professional relationship when you're a business owner.

A portfolio should be more than enough (especially in addition to your own Web copy / sales pitch), and if it's not then that's where I'd say freelancers need to turn their attention. By all means, the information you mention should be available in some way (although client lists are rarely necessary if your portfolio is adequate). I just think calling it a "resume" or formatting it in any way to look like one is a step in the wrong direction. Your business site is there to give prospects what they need. And it's often a far more professional option.

When you start off the relationship acting like a prospective employee you risk being treated as one. And that's not acceptable in a client / contractor relationship.

I actually just wrote an article covering this in more detail for a client (not published yet but called "Freelancers: Why it's Time to Bury Your Resume").

So we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. 😉

Hugh, that's one absolute you can count on. LOL

We use lots of big words here – some of them printable. 🙂

I realize that there are, of course, certain absolutes in this world (ex, *never* ask Lori to do a quick edit on your Demand Studios article before you send it in) — but back here in the real world I remain wary of things that I abolutely positively hafta hafta hafta do.

And on a quasi-related note, can't tell you how much I enjoy hangin' out with folks who both use & appreciate words like "dilettantes." Though how Warren Zevon went an entire career w/out writing a song called "Amateurs & Dilettantes," I'll never know …

Happy Friday to y'all, & hope your weekends are restful & refreshing.

Another upside to trades? They buy a lot more freelance articles than do consumer magazines that have a slew of staff writers and editors. So even if a trade pays 50-cents/word instead while a consumer magazine is paying twice that, your odds of repeat sales are far higher with the trade.

Cathy, I agree. Any advice that starts or includes absolute terms – must, never, always – isn't going to wash. What works for me may not work for you but may work for him….

Devon, I'm with Jake – the use of the word dilettantes makes me applaud. 🙂 As much as I don't enjoy the topic myself, I still want to encourage others (or grab them by their ears even) to do better. I'm a frigging ray of sunshine. LOL

Jake, I can't imagine you with a bad attitude. 🙂 You're right about the rates. I get tired of hearing people repeating how badly these pubs pay – they don't pay badly. Some do, but that's not common practice. They pay more because they need specialized writers. You don't get specialized writing on a few crummy cents a word.

Gabriella, I think that leaves more work for us, doesn't it? I'm willing to let people know these are lucrative avenues, but I stop short of insisting. They think "technical" means "hard." It's not. It's just a different audience focus.