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I'm applying to my first actual job, pretty much.

I've done work on elance/freelancer/odesk in the past (during full time student period) and currently have 5/5 average review on freelancer.com. I don't have any formal job experience - and I honestly cannot expect to be asking freelance-site-clients to give references, if their accounts are even still active.

I don't have any other formal job experience other than maintaining a library or two and personal code projects/sites (closed source, gaming related, and more or less unrelated to actual enterprise work other than programming languages)

How should I write this on a resume/CV? Would a traditional resume format even work for me?

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A traditional CV format will work, but you need to focus on the type of work you have done and for how long.

Mention the work you've done on Freelancer (including technologies), mention your other libraries and code projects. Add any qualifications or certifications you have, if any.

Finding references will be difficult, but all you can do if asked is to talk about how your work was reviewed. You may need to resort to personal references.

Remember, if this is your first job, then nobody is expecting to see too much depth in your CV.

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  • Thanks. Should I just put it all as bullet points under one section (like 'independent web developer year begin - present')? more or less all of it is basically small-ish jobs often for individuals, not long term contracts with companies, so giving each one a header seems slightly pointless or unnecessary.
    – 10c
    Commented Jul 1, 2015 at 3:20
  • If you're trying to add depth, then you can put them all under the banner of "Freelance programming - [date to] - [date from], then break it into each project with a very brief summary and the technologies used.
    – Jane S
    Commented Jul 1, 2015 at 3:23
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I think you have it backwards; you have a lot of work experience, only that you've been self-employed as a freelancer. That is not a bad thing as it shows your will to work, drive to find work and capabilities to deliver, even though you've been a full time student.

Don't undervalue the work you've done just because you weren't hiding behind a company name.

If you've done work that's in production, link to it! Show what you've done as much as you can. Emphasize on the things you know. What you've done is only an asset which most people don't even think to do. You're not expected to have done much as a recent graduate and the business wants eager and driven developers ready to get at it.

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