how to write project description in resume

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How To Put Projects On A Resume (With Examples)

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Summary. To put projects on your traditional chronological resume , include a separate projects section beneath the education or work experience section. In a project based resume, rename the work experience section to be named “projects” and you can avoid the standard chronological resume format and instead focus on your most relevant projects and professional skills.

No matter where you are in your career journey, adding projects to your resume can highlight your key qualifications and help your application make more of an impression.

In this article, you’ll learn how to add projects to your resume and when it’s a good idea to take this route.

Key Takeaways

You can work projects into your work history section, organize your resume around your projects, or create a separate section for your projects.

You should list your most relevant projects first and leave off any irrelevant projects.

Freelancers, entry-level job candidates, and people who are changing career paths could benefit most from project-based resumes.

How to List Projects on a Resume

Examples of ways to list projects on a resume, tips for listing projects on a resume, why should you put projects on a resume, what is a project-based resume, who should use project-based resumes, putting projects on a resume faq, final thoughts.

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To list projects on a traditional chronological resume , you should include a separate projects section beneath the education or work experience portion of your professional resume. This can be easily accomplished by including a “key projects” section below the bullets detailing your previous job responsibilities and accomplishments.

Listing projects on a traditional date-ordered resume can be a great option for professionals who want to showcase their project management expertise while also detailing their prior work titles and chronological job experience.

If you’re looking to ditch your traditional chronological resume altogether, a project-based resume is a great way of showcasing your most desirable professional skills outside of the tight confines of a standard cookie-cutter resume that lists your work experience in reverse chronological order.

By renaming the “work experience” section of your resume to “projects,” you can easily avoid the standard chronological resume format and instead focus on your most relevant projects and professional skills. This unique structure focuses more on practical, hands-on experience and less on how long you held a certain job title.

To list projects on a resume:

Contextualize the project’s details. You don’t want each project to take up too much space, but you do need to describe the key who, what, where, when, and why of the story. Most importantly, bring in numbers as often as possible.

Highlight your accomplishments. “Ideally, your resume is a list of achievements,” says resume expert Don Pippin . When describing your projects, be sure that the direct impact that you had on the end result is apparent.

Tailor your resume for each job. Again, this applies to all resumes, not just project-based ones. In the context of projects, though, be sure to think about how each entry relates to the specific job you’re applying for.

Provide examples. If you’re emailing your resume, including some hyperlinks to documents relating to past projects can be really impactful. Not only can the hiring manager see the results of your work, but also how you and your team approached projects in general.

Below are three examples of ways you can list projects on your professional resume or CV . Using these examples as a template when writing your job-specific resume can help you advance in the hiring process and land the job of your dreams.

Listing Projects in the Education Section of Your Chronological Resume Example:

Education Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, Massachusetts B.S. in Mechanical Engineering , May 2020 | GPA: 3.8 Key Projects: Led a team of three engineering students to execute blueprints and coordinate the production of state-of-the-art air filtration systems for the university hospital. Production and installation came in 12% under budget and were completed 2 weeks ahead of schedule.

Listing Projects Below Previous Job Responsibilities and Work Descriptions in Your Chronological Resume Example:

Work Experience Sales Associate Baker Technologies | March 2019-present Drove revenue by 13% year-over-year by initiating increased customer engagement policy Oversaw a team of five cashiers, who collectively processed average credit card and cash payments of over $20,000 daily Key Projects: Worked with a software developer to redesign and launch Baker Technologies’ online marketplace, resulting in a $2 million increase in profits for 2019.

Listing Projects in a Projects Section of Your Project-Based Resume Example:

Professional Project Highlights App Development Camping With Oliver , July 2020-November 2020 Developed and coded a complex app, compatible with iPhone and Android devices, designed to help hikers locate free campsites in their area. Increased digital revenue stream by 55% following launch Private Web Design Bobbi’s Bakery , January 2021-March 2021 Built a multifunctional website with a complex ordering system using HTLM 5, CSS, and bug-free code Managed all custom graphics, page composition, and branding for this client, leading to a 30% Q/Q jump in sales

If it’s your first time listing projects on a resume or ditching your traditional chronological resume or project-based one, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to craft an effective resume and impress hiring managers.

By following these five tips, you’ll be able to perfectly listing projects on your professional resume and allow your key skills and job qualifications to shine.

Lead with the most relevant projects. One of the biggest advantages of a project-based resume is having the ability to list your work experiences and skills in order of the most relevant projects, instead of arranging them chronologically.

Highlight leadership and job-specific skills. If you’re listing projects on your resume, it’s important to be deliberate and meticulous in the projects you include. Your project list should be presentable, professional, and perfectly convey your leadership and job-specific skills.

Show how you achieve results and meet company goals. Another substantial perk of listing projects on your resume is the ability to clearly illustrate and verify how you are results-driven and ready to meet company goals.

Illustrate how your experiences align with company values. Not only is it important to showcase the skills and qualifications required for a job opening, but it’s also essential to illustrate how your work style and professional goals align with the values a company prides itself on.

Keep project descriptions short. To emphasize your strongest skills and professional abilities, it’s important to keep project descriptions short, concise, and to the point. Providing only the essential details to demonstrate your skills, achievements, and experience will allow hiring managers to easily read and review your resume.

Listing projects on your resume will help you get a leg up over other qualified competing applicants.

A project-based resume, similar to a functional resume , is highly effective in conveying your unique qualifications, work style, field of specialization, and areas of expertise.

Project-based resumes are great tools for illustrating hands-on experience and your decision-making and conflict resolution skills. Describing projects you’ve been involved with can give hiring managers a glimpse into how you operate as an employee.

Submitting a project-based resume with your job applications can allow you to position yourself as the best candidate for the role by highlighting and describing projects that closely align with the job description included in the advertisement.

Including a list of projects on your resume will allow your job application to shine and illustrate your work capabilities and well-rounded personality; to hiring managers and job recruiters.

A project-based resume is a professional resume that focuses on accomplishments rather than chronological job titles and previous work responsibilities.

Where a traditional resume lists work experience and academic degrees in date order, a project-based resume instead does one of two things.

It either lists a job seeker’s relevant academic, work, and personal projects in order of most to least compelling or includes specific projects beneath the education or work experience sections of a resume.

Project-based resumes effectively provide hiring managers and prospective employers with verifiable proof of a job applicant’s industry expertise, achievements, and experience.

Anyone can use project-based resumes, but the following groups might find additional benefit:

Freelancers. Project-based resumes can be an especially worthwhile option for freelancers , as it allows you to ditch the traditional chronological resume and instead focus on projects you have worked on that are most relevant to the position you’re applying to.

Entry-level candidates. Not only is a project-based resume a great alternative for freelance workers, but it can also be equally as enticing for traditional employees or recent graduates since projects can be easily listed beneath education and work experience sections, as you would normally list accomplishments, skills, and previous job responsibilities.

Career changers. Writing a project-based resume can be a great option for people looking for their first job, changing careers, coming off a long sabbatical or personal leave, or searching for a full-time job after a series of freelance gigs.

Should I put my projects on my resume?

Yes, you should put your projects on your resume. Listing a few of your most impressive professional projects on your resume can help hiring managers see what you’re capable of.

What kind of projects should I put on my resume?

You should put successful, professional projects that relate to the job you’re applying for on your resume. Think of a few of the projects that demonstrate the skills that are listed on the job description you’re applying for and put them on your resume.

Do personal projects count as experience?

No, personal projects don’t count as experience. They don’t usually count as formal work experience, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put some of them on your resume, especially if they demonstrate your professional skills.

is it OK to put project details in a resume?

Yes, It’s OK to put project details in a resume. Projects are a great addition to your resume when your experience section doesn’t already show that you have the background or experience for a job. Recent graduates or entry-level candidates are the ones who typically put projects on their resume.

Whether you’re a freelancer or a traditional employee, a recent graduate or a career changer, projects can make your resume pop.

By illustrating your hands-on work experience, verifying your skills and job qualifications, and marketing yourself as the best candidate for the role, you’ll have hiring managers who can’t wait to call you in for an interview to learn more.

Using the tips and templates included in this article can help you write a well-structured and effective project-based resume and make a great first impression on recruiters across industries.

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Elsie is an experienced writer, reporter, and content creator. As a leader in her field, Elsie is best known for her work as a Reporter for The Southampton Press, but she can also be credited with contributions to Long Island Pulse Magazine and Hamptons Online. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Stony Brook University and currently resides in Franklin, Tennessee.

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Guide to Listing Projects on a Resume

• Nov 6, 2024

In addition to job or internship experience, projects – things you’ve worked on at school or through volunteering – are good examples of what you’ve accomplished and how you move through problems .

It’s important that you know how to list projects on resume ; to write about them in a way that the hiring manager can see that you are promoting your most relevant qualifications.

Herein we’ll offer a roadmap on how to best place projects on your document in order to make a maximum impact and increase your chances of securing that coveted interview .

What are projects on a resume?

Projects are examples of undertakings, which you have completed in the past that exhibited your specific abilities , knowledge or experience. They can come from a variety of places.

Types of projects in resume:

• Volunteer or Non-Profit

Now let's have a closer look at these kinds of projects.

Academic projects in resume

This resume project section describes substantial work that you undertook during your school or university time, for which you may have received an academic grade. These could be your capstone project, group assignments or papers that you submitted during your research.

Such projects help you provide evidence of your skills, knowledge and capability of applying the concepts in other contexts. They are useful for students or recent graduates who have little or no professional background.

And so resume with projects demonstrates an ability to handle more complex work , to collaborate and cooperate, and to apply theory to action.

Resume project examples:

1. Data Analysis Project

• Title : Data Analysis of Customer Purchase Behavior
• Description : Analyzed a database of 10,000 customer transactions to determine purchasing habits in order to foresee future sales. Cleaned data using Python, employed statistical models and created visualizations in Tableau with a 15% increase in prediction.

2. Software Development Project

• Title : Web-Based Learning Management System
• Description : Developed Learning Management System (LMS) from ground up. HTML, CSS and JavaScript were the used technologies. Functionality and user engagement increased by 25%.

3. Marketing Research Project

• Title : Market Entry Strategy for Sustainable Fashion
• Description : Conducted in-depth market research of US sustainable fashion including competitor strategies, customer behaviour and pricing model. Created a market entry strategy that improved the perceived penetration potential by 20 per cent.

4. Senior Thesis Project

• Title : Renewable Energy
• Description : Presented findings to faculty and peers, earning recognition for innovative research methodologies and practical applications.

Work projects

These projects in resume are initiatives you took on in a work setting – whether that’s a job, internship or freelance position.

They provide concrete and measurable evidence of how you solved problems and contributed to business goals, while also highlighting the skills you employed to achieve success.

1. Financial Analysis Project

• Title : Cost Reduction Analysis for Manufacturing Division
• Description : Conducted a detailed cost analysis of manufacturing processes, identifying inefficiencies and recommending cost-saving measures. Successfully implemented changes that led to a 15% reduction, saving the company $200,000 annually.

2. Recruitment Project

• Title : Talent Acquisition Strategy Overhaul
• Description : Revamped the company's talent acquisition strategy, incorporating new tools and social media platforms. Reduced time-to-hire by 25% and improved candidate quality.

3. Sales Initiative Project

• Title : Sales Territory Expansion
• Description : Expanded the company's sales territory by identifying new market opportunities in the Midwest region. Increased regional sales by 30% over a one-year period, contributing $1 million in additional revenue.

4. Website Redesign Project

• Title : E-Commerce Business
• Description : Designed a whole new e-commerce experience for the company’s online platform including enhanced user experience and mobile responsiveness. Boosted sales by 40 per cent in the quarter after launch, because it was easier to find things and easier to check out.

Personal projects

Independent projects – things you do on your own, away from formal employment or academic settings – that show you have skills, imagination and persistence. This can be something you built or coded, or some piece of design. It can also be for a cause you believe in: a prototype, a group you organized, an article you wrote.

These resume projects are great compliments, if related, to the job for which people are applying. They show that you are, and will continue to be, self-motivated and proactive with regard to skills-building.

1. Website Development

• Title : Portfolio Website Development
• Description : Developed and introduced online a thorough personal portfolio website for my skills and ongoing projects; using a working knowledge of HTML, CSS and Javascript; embracing responsive design and SEO principles. As a result: my web traffic rose by 50 per cent in just three months.
• Title : Book on Time Management
• Description : Wrote and published a 100-page e-book that specializes in teaching effective time management techniques. Marketed it quite successfully via social-media channels. So far, more than 1,000 users have downloaded it, and the feedback has been very positive, with people exalting the practicality of the tips.

3. DIY Electronics Project

• Title : Home Automation System
• Description : Built our own home automation system using a Raspberry Pi and Python for remote control of the household lighting and temperature. Supplemented it with Google Assistant for voice control, which has reduced the household’s energy consumption by approximately 15 per cent.

4. Finance Blog

• Title : Personal Finance Blog
• Description : Created a website with financial advice and tricks and housed more than 15,000 monthly visits. Developed a content marketing strategy and provided more and better contact with the social media channels.

Volunteer projects

These are run-on sentences for resumes. They are independent resume projects (unpaid, by definition) you have been involved with or done outside of work. They could be for a non-profit organization, community group, charity or other reason.

Such projects in resume show philanthropy and a commitment to social responsibility and teamwork – all soft skills that employers prize.

Whether or not derived from your field of study, they help emphasize transferable skills, including communication, project management, problem-solving, and leadership .

1. Environmental Cleanup Project

• Title : Project Lead for Beach Cleanup Initiative
• Description : Helped to organize a series of beach cleans for local community. Project was led by a group of 50 volunteers. Responsibilities included coordinating logistics, collecting all required supplies, and setting up beach clean locations. Project was held to raise awareness about the pollution in the local shoreline. A total of 2 tons worth of waste was collected.

2. Mentorship Program

• Title : Mentor for Youth Career Development Program
• Description : Mentored a number of high school students in career planning and professional skills development. Edited resumes, practiced interview questions, helped each student with networking, secured 10 internships and admissions to college.

3. Charity Gala

• Title : Volunteer Event Coordinator for Annual Charity Gala
• Description : I arranged vendors and volunteers, and worked with sponsors to host a prominent charity ball. Raised $50,000+ for a local children’s hospital, and connected donors with hospital staff and administrators.

4. Community Garden

• Title : Organizer for Community Garden
• Description : Hosted free, organized community gardening workshops to help participants develop sustainability skills, with almost 150 local residents participating. Collaborated with local schools to provide materials and children’s programming that demonstrated the need to become a 'steward of creation’.

How to put projects on resume?

Listing projects on a resume is a good practice, especially for those who have limited experience in a professional setting.

• If you have several significant entries, consider creating a dedicated projects section on resume .
• If the projects are linked to a work or internship experience, list them under the related job entries .
• For university projects; put them in your education section .

Quantify your successes where possible, in terms of impact (eg., 'increased our conversion rate by 20 per cent' ) or measurement (eg., 'over 1 million unique visitors to the site' ). Open your bullet points with powerful verbs .

Tailor your descriptions to the specific job you’re applying for. Be concise (2-5 bullets per entry).

In conclusion, adding projects to resume is important because it can help you to qualify as better candidate by demonstrating the skills, experiences and results that you have obtained.

With a little practice, you can compose descriptions of your projects , highlighting strengths and framing things in the way that will best appeal to HR.

Keep your resume brief and clear so potential employers can see in one glance you’ve got what it takes.

Create your professional Resume in 10 minutes for FREE

Amanda Baker

Certified Professional Resume Writer

Amanda Baker is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career coach with over a decade of experience crafting compelling resumes and career marketing tools. As a black resume writer, Amanda brings a distinctive perspective to her work, guided by her commitment to nurturing the next generation of job seekers. Her ultimate goal is to equip young professionals with the skills and knowledge to confidently navigate the competitive job market.

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How to List Projects on a Resume (with Examples)

10 min read · Updated on February 23, 2024

Projects on your resume can prove you have what it takes to succeed

You've likely heard a few catchphrases related to resume writing. Things like “show, don't tell” and “be an achiever, not a doer.”  One of the most effective ways to put these principles into action is by including projects on your resume. But how exactly do you list projects on a resume, and why are they so important?

You've come to the right place. Here, you'll learn how to list projects on your resume in a way that catches the eye of hiring managers and helps you to stand out from the competition. 

It doesn't matter if you're fresh out of college or have a decade of experience under your belt; including projects on your resume can significantly enhance your chances of landing your dream job.

Your old resume may have been a list of work experiences, but your new resume will outshine the competition and win you the interviews you seek. 

Projects vs work experience

Depending on where you're at in your career, it can be tough to separate projects from actual work experience, especially if you're a freelancer or regularly tackle projects as a part of your job. While both are exceedingly valuable in telling your career story, you have to be a bit discerning to determine which is more important. 

Obviously, you gain experience from working at jobs and completing projects, but listing projects separately can help you to highlight specific skills that might get lost when you explain work you did in a previous job. 

The main differences can be summarized as: 

Projects are concise and specific

Work history provides a broader view of your career trajectory

At the end of the day, you must pick the things you want to include on your resume with the aim of balancing your knowledge and skills with what's being called for in the job description. Relevancy and tailoring your resume are critical, allowing prospective employers to see what you have to offer their team. 

Why listing projects can be good for you

When you're trying to prove to an employer that you're an achiever rather than a doer, having a project or two to back up your claims can do wonders for your candidacy. Not only do projects on your resume have the ability to demonstrate relevant skills, but they also allow you to showcase initiative and accomplishments. 

In the context of standing out from the crowd, projects on your resume can add depth to your experience to paint a more well-rounded and comprehensive picture of what you bring to the table for the new employer. One thing that a lot of people miss is that you can also use projects on your resume to fill in any experience gaps that may be present. 

Types of projects you can highlight on your resume

While the projects you list on your resume are as unique as you are, there are some common types. Knowing what type of project you're going to list on your resume will help you to determine if the project is relevant and can also guide you in knowing where on your resume to list it. 

There are four basic types.

This is any project you've done in your position with a company. It was probably part of your job description, but it could've also been something you were called on to do outside of your day-to-day role. Perhaps you led a team to launch a new product or created a new process for doing something that saved time and money. Work projects are good to have on your resume because they demonstrate that you're the type of person to go above and beyond to achieve an objective. 

2. Academic

These are projects that you complete in a classroom or educational setting. You'll definitely need to include academic projects if you're fresh out of college and have little to no work history or relevant professional experience. Academic projects for your resume can be anything from conducting a research study and writing a thesis or dissertation to developing a software application as part of a class project. Including academic projects on your resume gives you a chance to highlight relevant skills and prove to a future employer that you have a passion for learning and development. After all, continuous improvement is a highly sought-after skill. 

3. Personal

Sometimes, you get bored at home and decide you want to build a personal website or create a blog. There have even been folks who've created apps that work with their smart home devices to automate activities. It doesn't matter that these are personal projects, if you find that your resume is lacking particular skills or achievements you can use these projects on your resume to round out your candidacy. That said, adding a personal project to your resume should be a last resort. 

4. Freelance

'Tis the time we live in – a lot of people work as independent contractors or freelance. It's a great way to fill in employment gaps or have some income if you're on a sabbatical . The most common freelance projects center around things like graphic design, marketing, tech, and writing. These types of projects can be valuable additions to your resume. 

How to add projects to your resume

Since you want to keep your resume relevant to the job you're applying for, the first step is to create a list of projects from your history and compare them to what employers need. 

Analyze the job description to dissect out the keywords and phrases. Once you have that list, compare it to the skills and achievements you can talk about with each project. Beyond picking the right project to match the job, you also have to consider space.

Bear these guidelines in mind:

Pick projects for your resume that match the job description

Pick projects that allow you to keep your resume on the right number of pages

The final step is to properly format the project entries in their respective sections. 

Where to include projects on your resume

For the most part, you'll format a project listing the same way you would a work history listing. The only difference is that you may not have a company to list indicating where you did the project. If you can't list the client or location associated with the project, don't let that stop you from adding it. 

As you would expect, work projects would be listed in the Professional Experience section, academic projects are best suited in the Education section, and some projects may even merit having their own special section. 

What does all of that look like? Let's take a look.

Projects in their own section 

For the most part, your resume should have at least five sections:

Contact information

Profile (which contains your title and summary paragraph)

Work history

You can also add an entirely new section called “Projects,” “Selected Projects,” “Relevant Projects,” or “Academic Projects.” 

Depending on how hard you have to lean on those projects to wow a hiring manager will be the deciding factor on whether you place this new section above or below “Professional Experience.” If you really need them to make your candidacy, then put them above. If you want them on there just to give the hiring manager one more glimpse into what you can do, then put them below. 

Example of projects in their own section

You should create a title for the section and then list each project with relevant bullet points that call out things you achieved in working on that project. It's also appropriate to put the dates you were working on each project. 

Selected Projects

Post Evaluation Platinum LEED Office Building | 04/2022 - 10/2022

Used advanced knowledge of Occupant Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Survey benchmarks and performed literature review / precedent studies to present data-driven solutions regarding visual and thermal comfort. 

Authored and presented findings related to underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system analysis. 

Integrated Façade Simulator: Hybrid Reality Simulations for Assessing Human Façade Interaction | 09/2020 - 05/2021

Created a novel integrated hybrid system that simulated a multi-sensory environment and observed participants and the impact of environmental stimuli for sensation, perception of comfort, and energy consumption. 

Projects in the experience section

If you're one of those people who get chosen by a boss to work on a project or if you've spent a significant time as an independent contractor , then it's probably going to serve you best to include projects within the “Professional Experience” section of your resume. 

Example of projects in the experience section

Format it like you would any other position within your experience section, including the name of the company, the dates you were employed, your position title, and some achievement bullets. Then, beneath those achievement bullets for your job, add “Noted Projects” and talk about the project as separate from what you accomplished as an employee. 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

XYZ Company | Location 05/2015 to Present

Senior Biologist

Achievement bullet #1

Achievement bullet #2

Achievement bullet #3

Noted Projects:

Major Development Plan and Infrastructure Project – 03/2019 - 06/2021

Monitored site conditions to ensure the protection of sensitive species, including California gnatcatcher, cactus wren, least Bell's vireo, arroyo chub, arroyo toad, and general nesting birds.

Oversaw end-to-end project management processes, including scoping, planning, timelines, delivery, execution, and status reporting. 

Subdivision Development Project – 04/2013 - 01/2017

Directed biological resource protection initiatives for a 180-acre development project, resulting in approximately 475 acres of preserved, restored, and enhanced habitats. 

Conducted protocol and non-protocol environmental impact surveys for 3 years, in the wake of a widespread wildfire, to assess gnatcatcher habitat, population density, and movement. 

Projects in the education section

It can be hard to craft a resume when you've just graduated college and have no real experience to show future employers. Fortunately, you can lean on things you did at school to inject experiences, achievements, and skills into your resume. You just write an expanded education section. 

Relate reading: How to List Education on Your Resume (with Examples)

Example of projects in the education section

Whether you're listing your GPA or relevant coursework, you can always add some college projects to your resume education section if you need to prove your salt to a new company. 

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bachelor of Finance, | State University – Location (Expected May 2024)

Coursework : Current Economic Problems, Macroeconomics, Accounting Principles, Money and Capital Markets, Business Statistics, Spreadsheet Modeling in Finance, Global Financial Markets

Academic projects

Secured funding for a non-fungible token (NFT) from State University's Board of Trustees and generated a 100% return on investment (ROI). 

Placed in the top 10% of a financial modeling competition. Analyzed comparative values over time to predict future performance and identified a portfolio of stocks that were graded and ranked in terms of profit and loss and accuracy of predictions. 

Projects on your resume win interviews

Remember that the main goal of your resume is to win interviews. Adding projects can be just the thing that makes you stand out from the crowd of job seekers. Use projects wisely, though. Leverage them to boost your skills, enhance your achievements, and inject necessary keywords into your resume that align with what the job description asks for in a new employee. 

Once you get all of that written, we'll give it a once-over for you with a free resume review . After all, it's always good to get expert, objective feedback on your resume. 

Recommended reading:

Guide to Writing a Great Resume with No Work Experience

Ask Amanda: How Do I List Self-Employment & Freelance Work On My Resume?

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How to List Projects on a Resume

Not sure if your project is resume-worthy? Check out our guide on when, where, and how to include projects on your resume.

4 years ago   •   8 min read

You might not have a projects section on your resume — and that’s okay. Including projects on your resume is entirely optional, but it can be a good idea if you’ve completed any personal or educational projects that highlight transferable skills or are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Should you include projects on a resume?

There is a place for both personal and educational projects on your resume. Projects might be particularly relevant if:

You have a lot of freelance or contract work

If some (or all) of your work has been project-based, your resume should highlight this — not hide it. By using a project-based format for your work experience, you can keep the focus squarely on your accomplishments without cluttering up your resume.

You're a student

Current students or recent graduates can use university projects to highlight your relevant skills in a more practical setting. Educational projects might include projects you completed at university, during further education, or as part of a professional or career change program. It doesn’t include regular coursework, unless it was particularly outstanding (ie. award-winning).

You're changing careers

If most of your paid experience is in a different role or industry, projects can help demonstrate your competence with a more relevant skill set. This is especially true if you’re trying to break into a highly specialized or technical field. For roles involving software development, coding, or data analysis, a few relevant projects may even be more worthy of inclusion on your resume than a lot of work experience in a different industry. If this is your situation, consider dropping some of your older or less relevant work experience in favor of a dedicated projects section that can highlight your hands-on experience with specific technical skills.

I’d recommend uploading your resume to the tool below to check if you’ve listed your projects the right way. It’ll let you know if your projects section highlights relevant work experience, accomplishments and skills.

You lack relevant work experience

Some Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or other types of resume screening will automatically reject candidates who lack certain skills or keywords. To get around this, you can use projects as a way to legitimately include skills that are required by the job listing if you have no other way of demonstrating them. Again, this can be particularly important if you’re trying to break into a technical field, so it’s worth taking the time to develop those hands-on skills before you start applying.

If you’re not sure which technical skills are required by the job you’re applying for, use the skills search tool below to find the right ones.

If you've decided to include projects on your resume, keep scrolling for step-by-step guides with templates you can copy and paste.

How to feature projects on your resume

So, you’ve decided to include one or two well-chosen projects on your resume — but how do you format them? Here are a few practical examples you can follow.

In your work experience section

When: If your paid work was project-based, including freelance , consulting, and contract work.

How: List key accomplishments underneath individual projects.

• List your employer, staffing agency, or consulting firm (it's fine to create one if you were freelancing).
• List your job title. If you were self-employed, give yourself a standard job title.
• List the dates of employment.
• Add a short blurb describing the nature of your work.
• Include 3-6 bullet points detailing your most relevant accomplishments, starting with an action verb and include hard numbers and metrics.
• Use a resume checker to score your bullet points and give you personalized feedback.
• Read our tips on how to list contract work and self-employment on a resume .

Here's a template for listing projects in your work experience section:

YOUR NAME CONSULTING SERVICES, Columbus, OH Independent SEO Consultant (Jun 2017 – Present) Developed strategic insights for seven medium-large companies ($5M+/year) to improve SEO, web traffic and conversions. Revamped and implemented new websites for four companies. Selected Projects Name of project - 1-3 bullet points in the format [Action Verb] [Accomplishment] [Metric], e.g. Growth Strategy for Travel Agency - Spearheaded a major pricing restructure by redirecting focus on consumer willingness to pay instead of product cost; implemented a three-tiered pricing model which increased average sale 35% and margin 12%

This example shows how a project-based resume can emphasize your key skills and achievements.

In a dedicated projects section

When: If you have the space for it on your resume and you have one or more significant projects you want to make a focal point.

How: Think of a projects section like a mini work experience section.

• List the project name at the top, like you would an employer.
• List your specific role in the project as your job title.
• Use bullet points to highlight the hard skills you used. Remember to begin each bullet point with an action verb.
• Use numbers to demonstrate the impact of your role whenever possible.
• Include a link to your online portfolio (if applicable).

Here's a template for formatting a separate projects section:

PROJECTS Project Name | Developer , Feb 2019 GitHub link: [link] - Designed the overall architecture of the editor using React.JS, with XYZ integration to allow real-time collaboration - Set up multiple authentication methods, including Google OAuth, magic link and Shibboleth SSO

This is an example of how a standard project might look on your resume.

This is another example that explicitly demonstrates your skills and expertise. It includes relevant keywords, which will help your resume get past any ATS and allows employers to see that you’re qualified at a glance. It also uses hard numbers to good effect, showcasing not only what you accomplished but also the impact it had on the overall project.

If your projects demonstrate hands-on experience with specific programming languages or other practical skills, use your projects section to link to an online portfolio. Hiring managers in fields like software development, graphic design , and writing will want to see examples of your actual work whenever possible, since that’s the best way to see your skills firsthand and judge whether they’re a good fit.

In your education section

When: If you're a current student or recent graduate without a lot of relevant work experience. You should especially consider including projects in your education section if you completed a specific pre-professional program, like an MBA.

How: Pin your education section to the top of your resume to keep it front and center.

• Title your section 'Education.'
• List your education as normal, including the university you attended, degree attained, and date of graduation (this last one is optional).
• Include a 'Projects' subheading (optional).
• Include 1-2 bullet points briefly outlining what the project was.
• Start with an action verb to describe what you did and use numbers to quantify the results.
• For more tips on how to make your education section stand out to hiring managers, check out our guide on how to list education on your resume .

Here's a template for listing projects in your education section:

EDUCATION Resume Worded University, San Francisco, CA | May 2010 Master of Business Administration Candidate; Major in Business Analytics - Built and launched Android app, Resume Worded, in team of 3; gained over 10,000 users in 6 months

This example shows how including projects can explicitly demonstrate your achievements, even if your degree is your only relevant experience in that field.

In an additional section

When: For personal projects, especially if you don’t have the real estate to dedicate to a significant projects section.

How: At the bottom of your resume, or on the side if you prefer a two-column format.

• Title your section 'Additional Projects' or 'Other.'
• If you're using a general 'Other' section including skills, etc. add a 'Projects' subheading.
• List each project briefly in 1-2 lines, including what you did and what the results were.
• (Optional) List the date of completion or duration of the project.

Here's a template for listing projects in an additional section:

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS - Aggregated, cleansed and combined data from 10+ public data sources to create a Tableau dashboard of inflation rates over the past 10 years (January 2021) - Another project (optional)

This example demonstrates how you don’t need to dedicate a large amount of space to a project for it to be worthwhile including.

Do’s and don’ts for projects on your resume

• Use projects to demonstrate hard skills. Technical skills like programming, proficiency with specific software programs, or experience with social media marketing are all appropriate skills you may want to highlight.
• Tailor the projects to the specific job you’re applying for . Not every project is relevant to every role, and not every single task within a specific project is related to all roles either — be selective about what you include.
• Use hard numbers and metrics whenever you can. If you attended a coding boot camp, mention the specific programming languages you learned. If you used Facebook ads to sell your craft projects, state how much you were able to improve sales. Always be specific about what you achieved, not just what you did.
• Don't use projects for soft skills like communication or leadership. These skills are easy for anyone to claim and difficult to quantify, so you’ll want to use more relevant examples of how you’ve demonstrated these in a professional setting.
• Don't include projects in your regular work experience section. No matter how hard you’ve worked on them, they lack the accountability and oversight that paid work experience requires, so don’t try to frame them as something they aren’t.
• Don't include projects just to bulk up your resume. Only include them if they’re truly relevant to the role and will strengthen your candidacy.
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Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.