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Freelancer skills for your resume and career
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Mike Dillon,
Dr. Mike Dillon
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical freelancer skills. We ranked the top skills for freelancers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 32.3% of freelancer resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a freelancer needs to be successful in the workplace.
15 freelancer skills for your resume and career
1. Customer Service
Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.
Here's how freelancers use customer service:
- Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops and providing outstanding customer service.
- Provided excellent customer service and great first impressions when approaching potential customers.
2. Web Content
Here's how freelancers use web content:
- Web Content Management: Managed content and created sites utilizing new templates and complex web parts.
- Web Content Management Platform (Proprietary CMS, WordPress, QuickwebPro, etc.)
3. Video Production
Here's how freelancers use video production:
- Incorporate photos and video production whenever possible.
- Worked on set for companies producing major motion pictures, television shows, and other film and video productions.
4. Adobe Photoshop
Here's how freelancers use adobe photoshop:
- Created concept sketches and thumbs, and painted work with Adobe Photoshop and other art programs.
- Created images with Adobe Photoshop and compiled video in Adobe Aftereffects.
5. Photography
Here's how freelancers use photography:
- Developed and initiated online photography contest via Facebook to increase awareness and interest regarding Interactive Art Project.
- Web Designer & Developer, Editor, Multimedia Developer, Photography Assistant
6. Graphic Design
Graphic design is the art of making visual content to communicate messages. Designers apply different page layout methods and visual hierarchy by using letters and pictures to meet the need of end-users. Most companies use graphic design to sell their product or services and to convey complicated information by using infographics.
Here's how freelancers use graphic design:
- Provided Freelance Graphic Design Services and Business Management Consultation to small businesses.
- Created various company materials using desktop publishing and graphic design software.
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Here's how freelancers use website design:
- Provided and implemented website design !
- Designed a new logo and cohesive brand that covers marketing materials and website design for a small business.
8. HTML
Here's how freelancers use html:
- Designed and developed the website for SoftProjector (http://softprojector.org/) in HTML, CSS and PHP.
- Handled Browser compatibility issues in HTML, CSS and JavaScript for IE, Firefox and Chrome browsers.
9. Adobe Illustrator
Here's how freelancers use adobe illustrator:
- Prepare flat sketches in Adobe Illustrator for construction hand off and maintain them through production.
- Utilized Adobe Illustrator to refine head artist's work, and made ready for print.
10. CSS
Here's how freelancers use css:
- Developed and Implemented using JavaScript, CSS, PHP, WordPress, Database and several frameworks.
- Created custom WordPress template that required the use of HTML5, CSS and PHP.
11. Logo Design
Here's how freelancers use logo design:
- Advise on branding, logo design, and menus giving a healthier, cleaner approach to their businesses.
- Keep my logo design simple and clean, give the viewer an immediate and clear sense.
12. Facebook
Here's how freelancers use facebook:
- Managed Miami Dolphins social media (Twitter, Facebook) during special events, including GM Dennis Hickey's introductory press conference
- Gathered and analyzed metrics of brands through Facebook Insights, to demonstrate the benefits of social networking.
13. PHP
PHP, the abbreviation for hypertext preprocessor, is a scripted language used in websites to manage content.
Here's how freelancers use php:
- Applied programming technologies: mostly Ruby on Rails, occasionally PHP.
- Implemented e-commerce systems including shopping cart applications in PHP and MySQL.
14. SQL Server
Here's how freelancers use sql server:
- Re-engineered the Doctor's project of billing and prescription from VB, Access to ASP.net C#, and SQL Server.
- Involved in the design, development and maintenance of the SQL Server database.
15. Press Releases
Here's how freelancers use press releases:
- Composed press releases and promotions for media and national volunteer organizations.
- Execute business communication projects to include press releases, mass mailings, policy development, reports, proposals and PowerPoint presentations.
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What skills help Freelancers find jobs?
Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.
What hard/technical skills are most important for freelancers?
Dr. Mike Dillon
Associate Professor/Internship Director, Duquesne University
Media is about storytelling -- whether it's an ad, a social media campaign, a magazine story, etc. Being able to use the tools of your trade, whatever they may be -- algorithms, editing suites, etc. The most important skill, though, is understanding the essence of those tools -- what is they are intended to accomplish. If you understand that, you can easily adapt when tools change -- which they frequently do.
What skills stand out on freelancer resumes?
Dr. Mike Dillon
Associate Professor/Internship Director, Duquesne University
Evidence (courses, internships, other experience) that demonstrates competence in communicating with a wide array of audiences across multiple platforms. Our journalism program, for instance, is multiplatform: students learn to write, edit, shoot video, create podcasts, adapt stories to fit the requirements of multiple platforms, etc. Basically, we want to send students out of here like Swiss Army Knives -- able to work in their area of proficiency, be that writing or videography, but also adept with a wide variety of other competencies.
What freelancer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carmita Sanchez-Fong
Professor and Chairperson, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY
Sketch, sketch, sketch, and work on your portfolio. Use the many resources at FIT to stay current with technology, including 3d printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality. Volunteer with one of the professional organizations, attend virtual conferences, enter a competition, develop your personal/professional profile, and become familiar with digital material resources. Work on your research and presentation skills. Create a well-organized digital library of your 2d and 3d assets. Prepare yourself to go back. Take some masterclasses. Volunteer as a virtual artist-in-residence at a local school. Be creative, remain engaged.
What type of skills will young freelancers need?
Barbara Miner
Chair, Professor of Art and design, University of Toledo
The reason that students who study in the Arts are immensely employable is that they have developed a broad set of skills that are transferable to an equally broad set of on-the-job challenges. As part of their training, they have had the opportunity to work both in teams and to work independently. They must hone their time-management skills, and they engage with the process of basic research and professional practices. Arts students learn to speak about their practice of self-reflection and to set goals to move their personal work forward.
Students in the Arts learn to critique their own presentations and are therefore experienced in the routine of observation, review, and iteration of a concept/performance or presentation. At the University of Toledo, as in many other institutions, several advanced writing courses are part of the Core Curriculum, so all students are encouraged to polish their written skills. Many aspects of Arts programs rely on digital skills as part of the pedagogy, and these experiences translate into important advantages when it comes to a workplace.
Students in the Arts learn to critique their own presentations and are therefore experienced in the routine of observation, review, and iteration of a concept/performance or presentation. At the University of Toledo, as in many other institutions, several advanced writing courses are part of the Core Curriculum, so all students are encouraged to polish their written skills. Many aspects of Arts programs rely on digital skills as part of the pedagogy, and these experiences translate into important advantages when it comes to a workplace.
What soft skills should all freelancers possess?
Diana Boyd
Faculty, Highline College
-Collaboration/Teamwork
-Interpersonal
-Reliability
-Ethical behavior
-Self-starter
-Interpersonal
-Reliability
-Ethical behavior
-Self-starter
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about freelancerList of freelancer skills to add to your resume
The most important skills for a freelancer resume and required skills for a freelancer to have include:
- Customer Service
- Web Content
- Video Production
- Adobe Photoshop
- Photography
- Graphic Design
- Website Design
- HTML
- Adobe Illustrator
- CSS
- Logo Design
- PHP
- SQL Server
- Press Releases
- Windows
- JavaScript
- Media Management
- Makeup
- PowerPoint
- Business Cards
- JQuery
- CAD
- YouTube
- Mac
- Motion Graphics
- CMS
- Android
- Search Engine Optimization
- Content Management
- Python
- Real Estate
- Blog Posts
- PC
- Copywriting
- Content Creation
- Photo Shoots
- Event Planning
- Feature Stories
- Web Site
- CSS3
- User Interface
- Linux
- Dreamweaver
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025