The Freelance Blueprint

  • What’s ATS and why should every Freelancer know about it?

    What’s ATS and why should every Freelancer know about it?

    How many times did you receive an automated email after you applied for a job? And how many times did you feel like you met all the criteria in the job spec but then still didn’t get that interview? Here’s why 👇

    If you’ve followed me for a while, you might have heard me talk about ATS. If you don’t know what ATS are, it’s the reason why you get rejected for a job interview, even though you fit all the criteria.

    person in black long sleeve shirt writing on white paper
    Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

    What is ATS?

    ATS stands for ‘Applicant Tracking system’ and companies use this type of software to filter through the tons of CVs they receive. They’re scanning your CV for specific keywords to see how well it matches the job. You can check out this instagram post for more details.

    So today, we’re looking into getting your CV ATS-ready, so it doesn’t get filtered out but instead, highlights your CV as worth looking into for recruiters and potential clients and puts it on top of the pile 💪

    Get your CV ATS-ready

    If you don’t have a CV already, check out this blog post on how to create a CV in 5 minutes.

    Now all you need to do is use one of the free ATS tools listed below and follow their suggestions to improve your CV. You don’t have to run your CV through each of those, just pick whichever you like.

    Run your CV through ATS checkers

    Yes, they all function slightly differently. I’ve put my same CV through different trackers and got different results. But all of those trackers helped to make improvements.

    • Jobscan – Check against specific job specifications
    • enhancv – Insightful tips on how to improve CV
    • resumeworded – Uses AI to help you reword your CV
    • The Ladders – Send you tips on improvement via email
    • Skillsyncer – Check against specific job descriptions

    Here’s some of the results I got with the different ATS checkers 👇

    a screenshot of several results from different ATS scanners

    Why does it matter?

    It can be very frustrating when you apply for freelance gigs and you don’t get invited to an interview or even a phone call. Getting your CV ready to be scanned through ATS increases your chances of getting your CV seen by an actual human and therefore increases your chances of getting an interview, which increases your chances of getting a freelance gig 🚀

    Good CVs need time

    There’s always another way to improve your CV, so don’t worry if you don’t achieve a 100% score on any of those ATS trackers. My CV has gotten me plenty of jobs and some ATS showed a 90+% fit while others measured just over 40%. Take it as guidance.

    👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

    The exercise described in this blog article is one step of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them through freelancing.

    Get the guide for free.

  • What You need to include in Your CV to land Freelance Gigs

    What You need to include in Your CV to land Freelance Gigs

    Let’s create a CV – in only 5 minutes 🙌

    No matter if you apply for freelance gigs or permanent jobs: your CV will be important to land a gig (outside of your network and previous client testimonials)

    Hopefully, you already have a CV. Maybe it’s not the most up to date. Maybe it’s not very nicely designed. But you will have one where you added some work experience, skills and ideally a short summary.

    white ceramic cup on brown wooden surface

    If you haven’t, don’t fret.

    We’re the lucky one’s living in a time where there’s ChatGPT and free software. So let’s work on a CV.

    How to create a CV from scratch

    When trying to find a way to do a CV in 5 minutes for my advent calendar challenge last year, I came across Zety. No, this isn’t sponsored, it’s just a tool i came across that impressed me on how quickly it is to create a decent looking CV. But for transparency: after i found it I did check for an affiliate link 🤫

    Of course, a tool that saves you hours on trying to make your CV pixel perfect isn’t free. But I was surprised how cheap it is. You can get access to the full tool to create unlimited CVs and cover letters for 14 days for USD 2.70 🤯 – make sure to cancel after those 14 days if you don’t want a surprise subscription

    ☝️Hard truth

    If you’re not willing to spend the money you’d spend on a take away coffee for a tool that will safe you hours of your own time, you probably don’t have the right mindset to become a freelancer.

    BUT if you already have a CV you’re happy with, just use the time to improve it by 10%. Check for spelling mistakes. Is there some information you can cut out or add that’s more beneficial for freelancing?

    How to get Brownie points

    Make sure your CV makes it clear that you’re a freelancer. And if you have your business structure defined, make sure that’s visible too. You can see on my CV below that I list my Ltd, which will help recruiters know that I’m ready and set up for future gigs.

    If you don’t know what a business structure is, check out this article.

    Here’s the CV that I’ve created on Zety

    Create your CV with Zety

    Why does it matter?

    This one is quite obvious: If you don’t have an existing client base, people want to know why you’re able to do what you claim to offer for them. Why should they hire you? What’s the proof that you can get the job done? Well, your CV is one way to give them proof and reassurance. The other one is your portfolio, which we’ll get to in this blog article (yes, there’s also an easy way to create a portfolio – and that one is for free 🤫 )

    Good things need time

    Of course, spending 5 minutes on a CV will not guarantee you work. But it’s better than having no CV. So if you already have a CV, set aside some time to improve it.

    Create a free CV in 5 minutes

    What should your CV include?

    1. Your CV should make it clear wether you’re a freelancer or are looking for a permanent job. If you are a freelancer: What company structure do you work under?
    2. Testimonials: Add a testimonial from a previous client. This will add additional proof
    3. Work history: Show the type of work you’ve done already
    4. Summary: What makes you stand out from all the other people who are applying for the same job?

    👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

    The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for future freelancers.

    Get the guide for free.