If you’re looking for advice on evaluating a resume to determine if a certain freelance professional is right for the job, the first thing you should know is that in your search you’re likely to come across a wide variety of resume styles. The typical professional freelance resume can come in all shapes and sizes – and depending on what type of resume you receive from a prospective employee, there’s a lot you can tell about that individual’s background by the style they choose.

Targeted resumes take the greatest amount of effort on the freelancer’s part and can be seen as a sign that they’re willing to do what it takes to get a job done. When a freelancer submits a detailed resume that spells out precisely why they’re qualified for a specific job, this is indication that the freelancer is good at adapting their approach to requirements and is willing to do all that’s necessary to match an employer’s expectations.

• Chronological resumes are the most frequently used and provide a list of the freelancer’s work history in reverse chronological order – beginning with the most recent job and working backwards. This style is generally used by freelancers to place focus on their consistent work history.
• Functional resumes are usually employed by freelancers that may have had long gaps between work assignments, usually as a result of having left the workforce for a lengthy period of time. The purpose of this style of resume is to highlight an individual’s experience and skills, but it can also give indication that the freelancer is someone who only works sporadically and may be given to taking extended periods of time off between jobs.
• Combination resumes are precisely that. They’re a combination of chronological and functional resumes that take a “best of both worlds” approach. They can give you, the employer, an idea of not only the individual’s skills, but can also give insight into the frequency with which the freelancer has been able to find work or is willing to work, which is sometimes viewed as a more accurate barometer of their abilities.

Needless to say, it’s critical to look beyond format to determine if an individual is ideally suited to an assignment before making a hiring decision. Simply because someone may have used a freelance sample resume as the basis for creating their own shouldn’t eliminate them from consideration, just as someone who’s taken the time to create a targeted resume shouldn’t be hired without a closer look at their abilities. To help in the process of elimination, employers seeking freelancers should register with a third party staffing firm like Artisan Talent, where only those professionals who have proved their mettle can apply for job postings.

Vince F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.