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Do you know what a writer's resume looks like? I have a "regular" full-time job but also work as a freelance writer from home. Recently I saw two ads for writing jobs, requiring a resume along with clips and a query leter. Should I include only my writing credits and education? Or should I include my whole employment history even though many of those jobs had nothing to do with writing?

Here's a dilemma freelance writers often face: How do you go about getting a "day job" in the writing or publishing business? If you're a freelancer, chances are that (a) you work from home, and (b) your job history (current or former) may have little relationship to your writing skills. You know that you have the skills to handle a regular writing or editorial position, but how do you convince an employer?

Don't despair: There is an alternative. Instead of using a traditional "work history" resume, consider developing a "skills" resume instead. This type of resume is a perfectly acceptable alternative to the chronological resume, and enables you to focus on the skills and experience that are directly relevant to the job for which you're applying.

Putting Your Credentials First

A skills resume differs from a job-history resume in that it lists your skills and qualifications in a separate section, rather than as a subset of your work history. The basic framework for such a resume might look something like this:

Section 1: Name, address, telephone, fax, e-mail, URL

If you're using a print resume, center these in a larger, attractive (but not too fancy) font, as follows:

Ima Great Writer
123 Quill Pen Rd. • Hometown, CA 94000
(555) 123-4567 • (555) 123-4568 (fax) • e-mail
Great Writings Page • http://www.greatwritings.com

Section 2: Objectives

Optional. If you choose to list your objectives, use no more than two lines here.

Section 3: Qualifications

This is the critical part of your resume. You may want to give this section a more definitive title, such as Writing and Editing Experience. Here, you'll want to list each type of skill that is relevant to the job you're applying for. For example, if the job listing asks for demonstrated writing and editing skills, plus familiarity with Internet publishing and HTML, your "qualifications" section might look something like this:

•    Writing: Professional writer for XX years, with experience in magazine, newspaper, and business writing. Author of XXX articles in XX national publications; co-author of two books; author of three book chapters. Winner of the 1998 "best article" award from the Good Authors' Association. (See attached publications list for details.)
•    Editing: Editor of two electronic newsletters, various corporate and business materials (including reports, white papers, and brochures) and one organizational newsletter. Experienced in copyediting, content editing, and proofreading.
•    Business and Corporate Writing: Developer, writer, editor and designer of a wide range of business materials, including brochures, newsletters, and annual reports. Clients include...
•    Internet, HTML, and Desktop Publishing: Webmaster for the Great Writings Page (http://www.greatwritings.com)

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