How to Add Jobs from Upwork to Your Resume Effectively

Whether you're a writer, designer, developer, or marketer, Upwork offers a unique opportunity to showcase your talents and gain valuable experience while working with clients from all around the globe.

This article will walk you through everything you need to know about adding your Upwork experience to your resume, including practical tips, examples of resume using, and answers to frequently asked resume questions.

Why to add Upwork to Your Resume?

Adding Upwork to your resume can be a strategic move that highlights your freelancing experience, skills, and versatility. Here are some points listed to consider adding Upwork experience to your resume:

1. Showcase Your Freelance Experience

Freelancing on Upwork can demonstrate that you have hands-on experience working with clients across various industries. It proves you can manage your projects, communicate effectively with clients, and deliver results on time.

2. Demonstrates Self-Discipline and Motivation

Freelancers are typically self-motivated and disciplined, as they manage their schedules, deadlines, and workload independently. Including Upwork on your resume signals to employers that you are proactive, organized, and able to take initiative.

3. Highlights Remote Work Skills

Many companies are embracing remote work, and adding Upwork experience shows that you are comfortable and effective in a remote work environment. You can showcase your ability to communicate virtually, use remote collaboration tools, and work independently without direct supervision.

4. Shows a Range of Skills

Freelancers often wear many hats. From project management to client communication and technical execution, your Upwork experience can demonstrate a wide array of valuable skills. These can include technical skills (like coding, writing, or design) as well as soft skills (like negotiation, time management, and customer service).

5. Builds Your Professional Network

Working on Upwork exposes you to a global network of clients and professionals. Adding this to your resume can show potential employers that you are well-connected in your field and have a broad professional network that could benefit the company.

6. Proves Your Client-Facing Experience

Upwork involves direct communication with clients, which builds your ability to manage relationships, understand client needs, and provide customer service. These are important skills in almost any job, particularly in roles like sales, marketing, and consulting.

7. Demonstrates Flexibility and Adaptability

Freelancers often have to adapt to new projects, technologies, and client expectations quickly. By adding your Upwork experience, you demonstrate your ability to learn on the job, adjust to new challenges, and thrive in dynamic work environments.

8. Proves Results-Oriented Approach

Many Upwork freelancers are paid based on the results they deliver (like successfully completed projects or client satisfaction). Showing the results you’ve achieved on Upwork (such as increasing website traffic, completing a set number of projects, or boosting sales) can underscore your ability to produce tangible outcomes.

9. Shows Entrepreneurial Spirit

Freelancing requires an entrepreneurial mindset, as you are essentially running your own business. This includes finding clients, negotiating rates, and managing finances. Having Upwork on your resume shows potential employers that you understand how to market yourself, build a portfolio, and take on business-related responsibilities.

10. Helps Bridge Employment Gaps

If you’ve had a gap in your traditional employment, including your Upwork work can fill that gap and demonstrate that you’ve been actively working, gaining experience, and developing skills during that time. It shows employers that you are dedicated to your professional growth even if you weren’t in a traditional full-time role.

How to Add Upwork Jobs to Your Resume?

Now that we understand why adding Upwork jobs to your portfolio and resume is beneficial, let’s explore how to list your relevant freelance work and do it in a way that will most clients grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

1. Create a “Freelance Experience” Section

When adding freelance work jobs from Upwork to your resume, it's a best practice to include a distinct “Freelance Experience” or “Freelance Work” section. This helps to separate work history of your freelance jobs from any traditional employment you may have had and ensures the hiring manager can easily identify your freelance and work history.

Example:

Freelance Experience

Freelance Graphic Designer

Upwork | January 2022 – Present

• Designed logos, branding materials, and websites for small businesses across North America and Europe.
• Collaborated with clients to ensure their vision was met within deadlines, maintaining a 90% client satisfaction rate.
• Utilized Adobe Creative Suite to produce high-quality visual designs.
• Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and quality results.

This method makes it clear to recruiters the most important part: clients that you’ve been working independently while still contributing valuable professional experience to the company name your field.

2. List Specific Projects, Not Just Titles

When you’re adding jobs from Upwork, be specific about the type of work you did. Freelance work can sometimes be perceived as less substantial compared to full, self employment or most important part-time employment, but by emphasizing the scope and impact of the job posting your work history on individual projects, you can give it weight.

Example:

Freelance Content Writer

Upwork | April 2021 – Present

• Wrote SEO-friendly blog posts and articles for clients in the technology, health, and education sectors.
• Increased organic traffic by 25% for a client’s website within three months of implementing a content strategy.
• Collaborated with subject matter experts to produce high-quality, accurate, and engaging content.
• Managed multiple content projects simultaneously while maintaining deadlines.

Listing specific projects and quantifiable achievements, such as improvements in website traffic, employee, or customer engagement, helps potential employers understand the tangible business impact of your freelance work.

3. Use Action-Oriented Language

When you write when describing your Upwork jobs, use strong action verbs to convey what you accomplished during the course of each project. This helps your write to emphasize the skills you developed and the value you brought to clients.

Example:

Freelance Web Developer

Upwork | June 2020 – December 2022

• Developed and optimized websites for small businesses, ensuring responsive design and improved functionality.
• Implemented e-commerce solutions using Shopify and WordPress, increasing sales by 15%.
• Provided ongoing technical support, improving client satisfaction and retention by 20%.
• Delivered all projects within budget and ahead of deadlines.

Using action verbs such as “developed,” “improved,” and “implemented” makes your experience sound more relevant and dynamic and makes sense more impactful.

4. Highlight Soft Skills and Client Communication

In addition to technical skills, freelance work also involves strong communication and interpersonal skills. Make sure to write and highlight these in detail in your descriptions, especially if you dealt with clients directly.

Example:

Freelance Social Media Manager

Upwork | March 2021 – Present

• Managed social media accounts for clients in the retail and hospitality industries.
• Increased client engagement by 30% through strategic content planning and community management.
• Communicated regularly with clients to adjust strategies and meet goals, maintaining a 95% client retention rate.
• Conducted market research to stay ahead of trends and improve clients' social media presence.

This section demonstrates your ability to manage client, your own business, employee and team relationships, a critical skill for both freelancers and full-time employees.

5. Use Client Testimonials and Reviews

One of the unique aspects of Upwork is the feedback system. If you’ve received positive reviews from clients, don’t hesitate to incorporate them into your resume. A glowing testimonial from a client can add credibility and show that others value your work.

Example:

Freelance Web Designer

Upwork | February 2019 – Present

• Designed and built user-friendly websites for various clients in the tech industry.
• “[Client Name] was incredibly responsive and delivered outstanding results. We saw a 40% increase in conversions after the website redesign.”

This link helps provide social proof and further strengthens the legitimacy of your business and freelance experience portfolio.

6. Quantify Your Achievements

Whenever possible, quantify the results of your freelance work. Numbers speak volumes, and showcasing measurable results from one day or one job in your Upwork jobs can set you apart from other candidates.

Example:

Freelance Marketing Consultant

Upwork | November 2020 – Present

• Developed and executed digital marketing campaigns for 10+ clients, resulting in an average ROI increase of 25%.
• Conducted market research and competitor analysis, driving strategic decisions that led to a 50% increase in client revenue within the first quarter.

Quantifying your achievements shows that you not only have the relevant skills but can also deliver real results.

7. Include Upwork Ratings (Optional)

If you have strong feedback on Upwork, it can be beneficial to mention it on your resume.

For example:

Upwork Client Feedback: 4.9/5 stars based on 50+ completed projects.

This adds credibility and shows that you are a trusted freelancer on the platform.

8. Tailor Your Resume for Specific Job Applications

While it's the most important part to date to highlight your resume freelance work experience, you also need to tailor your resume for each job you apply to. If you’re seeking a full-time job, emphasize the skills and experiences that directly relate to the position you're applying for. This might mean highlighting particular Upwork projects that align with the employer or team's needs.

For instance, if you're applying for a marketing role, highlight the relevant experience and campaigns big projects you've managed on Upwork. If you're a freelancers and applying for a web development position, emphasize the technical skills and projects that involved your time spent coding and building websites. By tailoring your resume to each job, you show employers that you’re not just a freelancer, but also someone who can adapt to their company's needs.

Conclusion

Adding Upwork experience to your resume can significantly enhance your career prospects, showcasing your freelance experience and skill set to potential employers. By following the tips outlined in this article creating a dedicated list freelance work section, being specific about your projects day the job title and name, using action-oriented language, and quantifying your achievements can help you effectively present your Upwork list freelance work, as a valuable asset to your career.