How to list a part-time or freelance job on your CV

Treat it like a real job, because it is one

A common mistake is downplaying freelance or part-time work by squeezing it into a small note at the bottom of the CV, or leaving it off entirely. If the work was relevant and consistent, it deserves the same formatting as a full-time role — job title, company or client structure, dates, and 2-4 bullet points of what you actually did.

How to title a freelance role

Use a clear, standard title rather than something vague. "Freelance Graphic Designer" or "Freelance Web Developer" reads more credibly than "Self-Employed" alone, and it tells a recruiter your specialty at a glance. If you worked under a registered business name, list both: "Freelance Web Developer — [Your Business Name]".

Formatting freelance work with multiple clients

You have two reasonable options, depending on how many clients you had:

• Few clients, longer engagements: list each as its own entry, like separate jobs, with the client name (if you can disclose it) and dates.
• Many short-term clients: group them under one "Freelance [Role]" entry covering the full date range, and use the bullet points to summarize the type and scale of work rather than naming every client individually.

Formatting part-time work

List the job title, employer, and dates exactly as you would for full-time work, and add "(Part-time)" after the title so the recruiter has accurate context without needing to guess from the hours. There's no need to justify or apologize for it being part-time — plenty of legitimate reasons exist, from study to caregiving to holding two roles at once.

Writing bullet points that show real impact

The same rules that apply to full-time job bullets apply here: lead with an action verb, and include a number or measurable outcome wherever honestly possible.

• "Delivered brand identity and marketing collateral for 15+ small business clients, with an average project turnaround of 8 days."
• "Managed weekend front-of-house operations for a 40-seat café, training 3 new part-time staff members."
• "Built and maintained WordPress sites for 6 recurring clients, handling ongoing updates and basic SEO."

Where to place it in your CV

If it's your most recent or most relevant experience, it goes in the main Experience section in normal chronological order alongside full-time roles — don't create a separate lesser "freelance" section that visually signals it as less important. If it overlaps in time with a full-time job (a side hustle done evenings and weekends), it's fine to list both with matching or overlapping date ranges; this is common and not viewed negatively.

What if you can't name your freelance clients?

Confidentiality agreements are common in freelance work. It's completely acceptable to write "various clients" or describe the client type generically — "e-commerce brands," "local hospitality businesses" — instead of specific names, as long as the bullet points still convey the scope and outcome of the work.

FAQ

Should freelance work go in its own section, separate from full-time jobs?

No — if it's relevant recent experience, list it in the main Experience section in chronological order alongside full-time roles, formatted the same way.

What if I can't name my freelance clients due to an NDA?

Describe the client type generically instead — for example "various e-commerce clients" — and keep the focus on what you delivered rather than who you worked for.