How to List Projects on Your Resume to Get a Job [20+ Tips]

Sending out the same old resume isn’t doing you any favors. Recruiters see hundreds of candidates for every job. 

Write a boring cookie-cutter resume and you might as well just throw it in the trash.

But—

What if there was one easy addition to your resume that would instantly increase your chances of getting a job and made you look more attractive to recruiters?

You’d add it in a flash right?

Well, there is. All you need to do is list projects on your resume.

Read on and you’ll see: 

• How writing a project-based resume is a job-winning tactic for freelancers. 
• How to add projects to your work experience section or create a stand-alone section for an even bigger impact.
• How adding academic or school projects to your education section is a great idea if you’ve just graduated or you’re still studying.

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Sample resume made with our builder—See more templates and create your resume here.

If you were looking for a guide to writing a resume for a specific project-based career, take a look at these articles: 

• Project Manager Resume: Sample and Writing Guide
• Freelance Writer Resume: Sample and Writing Guide
• Graphic Designer Resume: Sample and Writing Guide
• Web Developer Resume: Sample and Writing Guide
• Software Engineer and Developer: Sample and Writing Guide
• Java Developer Resume: Sample and Writing Guide
• Android Developer Resume: Sample and Writing Guide
• .NET Developer Resume: Sample and Writing Guide
• Best Resume Samples for All Professions

1

Project-Based Resumes for Freelancers

In today’s gig economy a standard cookie-cutter resume doesn’t always work. For a freelance contractor, including all of your projects on a resume the old school way can cause problems.

Here’s why.

The chronological format is the standard for resumes. It sets out your work experience by listing your most recent job first and working back from there.

Recruiters love it, because it’s easy to scan over your experience and job titles and check if it’s relevant. 

But picture this, you’re a tech freelancer going for a contract coding a cool Python project for a web application. Your Python skills are legendary, but you’re no one-trick pony. Your last gig on your resume is a Java project.

Problem is recruiters only spend seven seconds on each resume, so chances are they won’t bother scanning further than the first entry. 

They’ll think you’re unqualified then move on to the next candidate.

Here’s how to list projects on your resume to stop that happening. Create a functional resume.

Here’s how to code it:

• Rename your resume work experience section as “Projects.”
• Input a single line of code by naming every project with a title like this: 
• Number projects sequentially. Project 1, 2, 3, etc. 
• Write a project name.
• Then include the company and your position.
• Next line, type “Duration:” and list how long you worked on the project—e.g. three months, six weeks etc.
• Third line, type “Technologies used:” and list the programming languages, etc. that you utilized.
• Finish with up to six bullet points about the project and what you contributed. Aim to keep your resume targeted to the job you want.
• Start each bullet point with a resume action word to make it pop.
• Use the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula to give your project description more impact.
• Include quantifiable accomplishments.

And when structuring your resume, remember it should only be one or two pages.

Here’s an example of how to list projects on a resume:

Project-Based Resume Sample—Freelancers

Remember this format works great for freelancers in other industries, too. Even if your whole work history is based on freelance projects you can still write a great resume.

A word of caution. Functional format resumes may not get through older ATS resume scans. 

Chances are that freelancing gigs are reviewed by human decision-makers, so this isn’t an issue. But if you’ve decided to go for a full-time corporate job, it’s best to assume ATS will be used so stick to the more traditional chronological format.

See more: How to List Freelance Work on a Resume

Projects aren’t just for freelancers. They’re a great resume addition for traditional types of employment, too.

One way to include projects in your resume is to highlight them in your work experience section.

Here’s how:

• Write up your work experience section according to professional standards.
• After the last bullet point start a line with “Key Projects:”
• Then write one or two sentences per project, following the PAR formula.
• Use action words and accomplishment statements.

Here’s an example:

Projects on a Resume Sample—Work Experience Section

Those two extra lines really add some wow factor.

Alternatively, include projects as an additional resume section.

Recruiters love extra sections, they’re like a delicious buttercream cake frosting for your resume. A regular old cake is good, but the frosting makes it great.

This is how to add a projects section to your resume:

• Give it the title “Key Projects” and add it as the last section of your resume, after your skills section.
• Write a single sentence showing off an impressive project win.
• Use the PAR formula, action words and accomplishment statements.
• Mention the job title and employer you had at the time.

Here’s how it would look on a resume.

Projects on a Resume Sample—Additional Section

 This approach is nice and flexible, too. You can target your resume for different jobs by simply swapping out different projects depending on what you’re applying for.

Projects aren’t just for experienced professionals though.

For a complete guide on resume writing, check out: How To Write a Job-Winning Resume: Professional Guide

If you’re writing a recent college graduate resume or you’re still studying, you’ll know the feeling. Writing a resume without work experience is tough.

But—

You can instantly add more credibility by putting college or academic projects on your resume. 

Here’s how to put coursework projects on your education section:

• Write up your education section according to professional standards.
• Then underneath add a title e.g. “Programming Projects.” 
• Follow with a brief description of the project e.g. “Coding a chat application in Java”
• Include when you completed the project. Do this by semester e.g. Fall 2018
• Finish with 2–3 sentences describing the projects, the skills you utilized and what was accomplished.

Here’s an example.

Projects on a Resume Sample—Education Section

Pro Tip: You can also put personal projects on your resume. The candidate above could’ve created some coding projects in their spare time. Just follow the instructions above for adding a separate projects section to your resume and title it “Personal Projects.” 

And that’s it. Projects on a resume for every situation.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Projects on a Resume—Recap

Adding projects is an easy way to make your resume stand out like a peacock at a penguin convention.

Here’s a quick reminder of how put projects on your resume:

• If you’re a freelancer, try out a projects-based resume.
• For a chronological format resume, add projects to your employment history or as a separate additional section.
• If you’re a new grad or still studying, add academic projects to your resume in your education section. You can also add personal projects to your resume.
• For everyone, make sure the projects are targeted to the job you’re applying for.

Thanks for reading my guide. Now I’d love your input: 

• If you’re a freelancer undertaking project-based work what are the biggest challenges of writing a resume? 
• Have you got other suggestions for including projects on a resume? 
• Tell me in the comments section. I look forward to discussing it with you.