How to Write a Freelance Video Editor Resume with Samples
So you want to become a freelance video editor. Great choice, but it comes with the dreaded need to prepare a freelance video editor resume!
Freelancing gives you flexibility and variety in the projects you work on. However, landing your first freelance video editing jobs can be challenging without an impressive resume specifically tailored for freelance work.
In this article, we’ll explore practical strategies for crafting a standout freelance video editor resume. You’ll also find three sample resumes with different levels of experience you can freely use as templates.
Why Your Freelance Video Editor Resume Matters
In the world of freelance video production, your resume is often the first and only impression potential clients have of your abilities. Production companies and video creators typically won’t hire an editor without seeing a resume first.
That one-page document needs to demonstrate exactly why YOU are the best fit for the editing job over the competition. It convinces potential clients you have the right skills, style and experience to meet their video production needs.
Without a polished resume specifically tailored for freelance editing work, you’ll struggle landing any video editing side gigs or full-time freelance work.
Let’s ensure that doesn’t happen! Follow these best practices for presenting your specialty experience to get hired.
Customizing Your Contact Info
Start by including your basic contact details at the very top of your freelance video editor resume as you’d find in the samples attached below.
- Your full name
- Professional email address
- Primary phone number
- City location
A few tips to present this info appropriately:
- Use an email only for freelance inquiries, not personal communication
- List the phone number clients can best reach you quickly
- Only include your current city, not your full home address
As a freelancer, you’ll likely work remotely – only the city is necessary. Avoid overly casual or unprofessional contact details that undermine your expertise.
Highlighting Your Video Editing Hard & Soft Skills
The top third of your freelance editing resume needs a bullet point list prominently highlighting your qualifications. Include both hard and soft video editing skills.
Hard skills are the technical abilities and specialized knowledge you bring to the editing desk:
- Proficiency with NLE software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Media Composer, etc.
- Experience editing documentary films, commercials, narrative fiction, social media videos, etc.
- Expertise shooting video, knowing camera equipment, understanding frame rates and codecs
- Working with teams in post-production editing pipelines
- Media asset management, transcoding footage, archiving projects, etc.
Soft skills are the interpersonal abilities that show you work well with production crews and give clients great experiences:
- Communication skills
- Time management and punctuality meeting deadlines
- Creativity, problem solving and handling feedback
- Being extremely detail oriented to spot issues
- Understanding client needs and goals for projects
This list immediately displays your useful specialty skills to make you an invaluable hire.
Explaining Your Freelance Editing Experience
The next section should detail your professional editing experience. Include each relevant video production job as its own bullet point:
- The client or company you worked with
- Your professional title or role on the team
- (Ex. Lead Editor, Assistant Offline Editor, etc.)
- The category or type of video project
- (Ex. social media videos for athletic apparel brand, documentary films focused on marine life conservation, etc)
- Timeframe or duration spent in the editing role
This section displays work history proving you have real-world experience excelling in freelance video editing jobs. List each in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.
Remember to specifically focus on paid freelance editing experience whenever possible. But formal short-term internships or major video projects done in school may also be included.
Showcasing Your Editing Education
This next section highlights any specialized editing education in your background:
- College degrees earned related to film, video and media production
- Certifications from trade schools or editing software manufacturers
- Relevant filmmaking, editing or production classes taken recently
Including known industry credentials ensures clients your base knowledge meets professional standards. Don’t overdo listing basic skills – just call out specialized training that prepared you for advanced video editing work.
If pursuing freelancing straight out of school, this section may be quite robust and help compensate for less real-world paid experience so far.
Detailing Software & Gear Proficiencies
Freelance video editors work independently and often supply their own editing software, systems and gear. That means having the right resources already available to handle video editing projects.
That’s why calling out your editing technology proficiencies can make a positive impression:
- List of video editing programs, plugins and tools you have expertise using
- Particular camera brands/models you have experience shooting video with
- Available post-production gear owned – video monitors, external drives, graphics cards, etc.
This displays preparedness to take on a project immediately and start delivering polished results. List specifics when possible to look impressive.
Customizing With An Objective or Summary
Finally, it’s smart to include either an objective statement or summary tailored specifically for obtaining freelance video editing work on top of your resume.
A resume objective concisely communicates the particular video editing job you hope to acquire as a freelancer. Keep it to 1-2 lines directly stating your goals. Some examples:
- Energetic freelance video editor eager to bring 5+ years experience to documentary and commercial post-production teams on short or long-term projects.*
- Creative storyteller seeking freelance editing roles focused on social media ads, YouTube content and marketing videos for SMBs.*
- A resume summary** highlights your most relevant skills and background that make you the ideal candidate for open freelance video editing work. Sum up top qualifications in 2-3 quick sentences. For example:
- Published documentary filmmaker and offline video editor adept at organizing footage and archiving media for multiple stakeholders, seeking new freelance projects.*
Either an objective or summary guides the reader’s focus to how your specialty experience is a great fit for available freelance editing opportunities. Choose which approach better matches your exact career goals and background.
Let’s check out some full resume examples that illustrate these best practices in action at various experience levels.
Entry-Level Video Editor Resume Sample
Right out of school, this entry-level editor focuses the resume exclusively on acquired production skills from past internships and video courses completed.
Software and gear expertise are highlighted to showcase capability to start editing immediately if hired.
Mid-Level Video Editor Resume Sample
With a few paid freelance editing gigs complete, this mid-level editor prominently features those to quickly demonstrate real-world experience.
Additional skills and strengths relevant to future freelance work are also called out.
Executive Video Editor Resume Sample
The senior editor here emphasizes leadership experience coordinating full post-production workflows and smaller teams.
Past work now focuses only on career highlights reel clients would recognize.
The resume leads off with a summary of vital expertise tailored to obtain executive leadership editing roles next.
6 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing your Freelance Video Editor Resume
Steer clear of these common freelance video editor resume flaws:
- Typos and grammatical errors
- Dense blocks of text that are hard to quickly scan
- Overusing vague buzzwords like “creative” and “innovative”
- Including irrelevant work histories not focused on video
- Listing basic skills like Microsoft Office or email
- Citing outdated software, gear and experience
Proofread carefully and keep your resume direct, scannable and focused.
Make Your Mark!
You should now have all the strategies needed to craft an impressive freelance video editor resume guaranteed to impress potential new clients.
Remember – that single sheet of paper could make or break hiring decisions about freelance gigs that jumpstart your editing career. Put your skills in the best possible light.
Include the most compelling and convincing evidence of why your specialty expertise deserves a coveted spot on exciting new video production teams.
With a resume specifically tailored for freelance and temporary video editing roles, you’ll hit the ground running. Good luck landing those first critically important freelance editing jobs!
