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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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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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See how your resume stacks up.

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• Resume Help

How to List Projects on a Resume + Examples for 2024

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How to instantly increase your chances of getting a job and attract the recruiters' attention? All you need to do is know how to put projects on your resume. We've prepared projects on resume examples and expert tips that you can use to take your resume to the next level. Read on!

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.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

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Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume examples here .

Looking for more career advice? See:

• Certification & Licenses on a Resume
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• How to Put Internships on a Resume

Interested in resume examples for specific positions? Check:

• Project Manager Resume
• Project Engineer Resume
• IT Project Manager Resume
• Graphic Designer Resume
• Software Developer Resume
• Self-Employed Resume
• Best Resume Samples for 500+ Jobs

Where to put projects on a resume?

Projects can be listed on a resume below a job description as accomplishments. You can also list them in a separate section titled Projects, Personal Projects, and Academic Projects. Academic projects can be included in the education resume section. You can also create a project-oriented resume.

Now, let's get to the nitty-gritty of each approach—

Listing Projects on Resumes: 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 in reverse chronological order .

Recruiters love it, because it’s easy to make sure your experience is relevant and job title matches the job description.

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 .
• Use past tense on your resume for projects you're done with.
• Include a summary of qualifications at the very top to bring together the most imporant talking points of the rest of your resume.

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

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

Project-Based Resume Sample—Freelancers

Project 1: Updating fintechnews.com  (Fintech News Inc.)  Backend Developer

Duration:  Three months

Technologies Used:  Python, PHP, Ruby, Javascript.

• Created a content management system serving as a client interface that reduced download times by 30%.
• Developed new admin panel, which improved internal operating efficiency by over 40%.
• Created comprehensive testing regime using RSpec to ensure bug-free code.
• Rebuilt entire website with up to date technologies and frameworks.

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

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

When you’re done, our free resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

2. How to List Projects on a Resume —Traditional Employment

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 to put projects on a resume in the work experience section:

• 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 Example—Work Experience Section

Systron Solutions, San Francisco, CA

Inside Sales Associate

June 2015–Present

• Performed an average of 90+ cold calls daily creating three new qualified prospects exceeding company average by 10%.
• Managed a $1 million pipeline that supported the creation of 50 new accounts.
• Sold SaaS and Cloud offering to key accounts including California State University, Ace Athetics and BMI, succeeding in reducing back-up time by 50%.

Key Projects:  Worked with IT team to create a new web-based leads-generating system, resulting in closed sales increasing by 18% contributing to a $1.5 million increase in profits.

Those two extra lines really add some wow factor.

Alternatively, include projects as an additional resume detail .

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 when presenting your project management skills .
• Mention the job title and employer you had at the time.
• Avoid including irrelevant experience  to beef up your document (especially if it means going farther back on your resume than 10-15 years ).

Here’s how it would look on a resume.

Projects on a Resume Sample—Additional Section

Key Projects

• Spearheaded a cost-cutting project achieving a $50,000 dollar annual saving by replacing paper towels with hand dryers in all bathroom facilities as National Operations Manager with Redbridge Systems.

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. Plus, it might help you deal with multiple positions with the same company on your resume .

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

3. How to Put Projects in Your Education Section

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.

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

Here’s how to put coursework projects inn 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 Example—Education Section

B.S. in Computer Engineering

University of California, Riverside, CA

Completion: 2019

Programming Projects

Coding a Chat Application in Java

• Created a group chat application using MulticastSocket (Java Platform SE 7) with additional capabilities for joining “groups” of other multicast hosts on the internet. Used Java’s RMI (Remote Method Invocation) to achieve encryption-decryption. 

Student resumes will also benefit from including the following :

• Your currently pursued degree  and expected graduation date
• GPA , making the dean's list , latin honors
• Interests  (especially if they can be spun as projects)
• Publications

Don't put your high school education on a resume if you're already in college though!

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.

Key Takeaway

Listing projects on a resume is an easy way to make it stand out like a peacock at a penguin convention.

How to list projects on a resume:

• Use a projects-based resume if you're a freelancer or most of your work is projects-oriented.
• Add projects below each job description or as a separate additional section.
• Add academic projects to your education section if you're still in school of just graduated.
• Add personal projects as a stand-alone category, but be selective in what you list.
• Make sure all projects are tailored to the position you're applying for.
• Highlight most impressive projects as "Key Projects" below each job description or in a separate section.

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines . We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

• https://www.pcc.edu/staff/tmaldona/wp-content/uploads/sites/114/2018/08/Samples-of-a-PAR-formula-statements.pdf

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Projects on Your Resume: How to Include Them the Right Way

When it comes to crafting a resume that stands out from the crowd, listing your work experience and educational background are just the basics. One way to make your resume more competitive is by including relevant projects that showcase your skills and capabilities.

Projects on a resume can refer to any work you have completed that goes beyond your day-to-day responsibilities. This could include special initiatives, team collaborations, independent research or creative endeavors that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and innovation.

Importance of Projects on Resume

By listing projects on your resume, you can demonstrate your practical experience and accomplishments that extend beyond your job function. Projects can show your proactive approach to learning, your ability to execute on a plan, and your creativity. Additionally, listing popular projects that relate to your field can help attract potential employers who are looking for candidates with a specific set of skills and experience.

When you list your projects on the resume, do not forget to add details of the positive outcome that you achieved from the project. For example, if you worked on a team to reduce customer complaints by 15%, be sure to include this information. Write your descriptions of the project in a clear and concise manner so the reader can easily understand your accomplishments.

Incorporating projects into your resume provides a great opportunity to showcase your problem-solving abilities and demonstrate your potential as a strong candidate for the job you aspire to. So, whether you are a seasoned professional or a job seeker looking to break into a new career, including relevant projects on your resume is the right way.

Types of Projects to Include on Resume

When it comes to crafting a resume, including projects can be a great way to showcase your skills and accomplishments. However, not all projects are created equal. Here are four types of projects you should consider including on your resume:

Professional Projects

Highlighting projects that you’ve worked on during your time in the workforce is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and value as a potential employee. Professional projects can include anything from leading a team to completing a major project or implementing a new strategy. These types of projects show prospective employers that you have relevant experience and can be trusted to deliver results.

Academic Projects

While academic projects may not seem as relevant as professional projects, they can still demonstrate your ability to work independently and apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios. You can showcase academic projects by including class projects, research papers, or even independent studies. Highlighting these academic projects can show potential employers that you are a well-rounded individual with valuable skills.

Personal Projects

Personal projects are the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your creativity and passion outside of work or school. They can also show potential employers that you are self-motivated and interested in continuously developing your skills. Personal projects can include anything from starting a blog to developing a mobile app. Highlighting these types of projects can demonstrate your ability to think outside of the box and take initiative.

Volunteer Projects

Volunteer projects allow you to give back to your community while also developing your skills. Whether you are volunteering at a local nonprofit or organizing a charity event, these types of projects demonstrate your dedication to making a positive impact. Highlighting volunteer projects on your resume shows potential employers that you have a strong work ethic and are committed to making a difference.

Including projects on your resume can be a great way to stand out from the pack and showcase your skills and accomplishments. By focusing on these four types of projects – professional, academic, personal, and volunteer – you can create a well-rounded resume that demonstrates your expertise and potential value to prospective employers.

Selecting Relevant Projects

One of the most critical factors that employers consider when reviewing resumes is the relevance of job experiences and projects to the position being applied for. As such, job seekers should be mindful of including only relevant projects on their resumes. In this section, we’ll discuss three essential aspects of selecting relevant projects:

Identifying Required Skills

To identify the relevant projects to include in your resume, you must first understand the critical skills required for the job position. Carefully analyze the job description and identify the required technical and soft skills. Once you have this information, you should compare it with your project experiences to determine which ones showcase your proficiency in those skills.

For example, if the job position requires proficiency in a particular programming language, you should ensure that the project you highlight on your resume demonstrates your expertise in that language. This will demonstrate to the employer that you have the necessary skills to perform the job effectively.

Matching Projects with Job Position

After identifying the required skills, the next step is to match relevant projects with the job position. This involves carefully selecting projects that align with the job description and showcase your skills and experiences. You should focus on projects that demonstrate your abilities in areas that are relevant to the job position.

For example, if the job description requires proficiency in project management, you may want to highlight a project you worked on where you had to manage a team to achieve deliverables within a specific timeline. This will demonstrate to the employer that you not only possess the necessary skills but also have the experience to apply those skills in a real work environment.

Achievements and Goals in Projects

A strong resume not only showcases your skills and experiences but also highlights your achievements and goals in each project. By including your achievements in each project, you demonstrate to the employer that you have a record of delivering results that make an impact.

For example, if the project you worked on involved implementing a new software system, you can highlight how this improved the efficiency of the team or company. This allows the employer to see the value of your work and the potential value you can bring to the organization.

Selecting relevant projects is a critical step when crafting your resume. By identifying the required skills, matching projects with the job position, and emphasizing your achievements and goals in each project, you can demonstrate to the employer that you have the necessary skills and experiences to excel in the desired role.

How to List Projects on Resume

When it comes to listing projects on your resume, it is important to provide clear and concise information about each project you have worked on. This section will cover the four essential elements to include when describing your projects on your resume: project title and description, duration and date of completion, roles and responsibilities, and impact and results.

Project Title and Description

Begin each project by specifying its title and providing a brief description of the work you did. This will give the employer a quick idea of what the project was about and how you contributed to its success.

For example:

Project Title:  Marketing Campaign for Product Launch

Description:  Led a team of three to create and implement a marketing campaign to drive awareness and sales for a new product launch.

Duration and Date of Completion

Employers want to know how long you worked on each project, so be sure to include the duration and completion date for every project you list on your resume.

Duration:  6 months

Completion Date:  January 2021

Roles and Responsibilities

Clearly outlining your roles and responsibilities is vital when describing a project on your resume. This will help demonstrate your skills and highlight your contributions to the project.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Conducted market research to identify target audience and develop messaging strategy
• Created a project plan and timeline to ensure the campaign was delivered on time and within budget
• Designed and executed email marketing and social media campaigns to support the product launch
• Coordinated with product team to ensure consistency between marketing messaging and product features

Impact and Results

Lastly, make sure to include the impact and results of each project. What were the goals of the project and did you achieve them? Be specific about the outcomes and highlight any metrics that demonstrate the success of the project.

Impact and Results:

• Increased product sales by 25% during the first month of launch
• Grew social media following by 15% and engagement by 20% during the campaign
• Obtained coverage in multiple media outlets, resulting in a 30% increase in website traffic

Listing your projects on your resume is an excellent way to showcase your skills, experience, and achievements. By including the four essential elements, project title and description, duration and date of completion, roles and responsibilities, and impact and results, you can impress potential employers and stand out from the competition.

Formatting and Styling Project Section

When it comes to organizing projects on your resume, it’s important to ensure that they are clear, concise, and easy to read. Here are some tips for formatting and styling the project section of your resume to make it stand out.

Organizing Projects on Resume

Start by organizing your projects in reverse chronological order, listing your most recent project first. This makes it easier for the hiring manager to see your most recent work and gauge your current skillset.

Next, give each project its own section, and include the following information:

• Project title
• Brief description of the project
• Role(s) you played on the project team
• Dates of the project
• Contact information for the project manager or supervisor

Using Bullet Points and Action Verbs

Bullet points are your best friend when it comes to making your projects section easy to read. Use them to highlight the key tasks and responsibilities you had on each project. Be sure to start each bullet point with an action verb to showcase your skills and accomplishments.

For example, instead of saying “Worked on a website redesign project,” say “Developed wireframes and mockups for website redesign project, resulting in a 25% increase in user engagement.”

Showcasing Projects with Metrics and Results

Employers want to see results, so be sure to include metrics whenever possible. This could include stats like the number of users impacted, revenue generated, or cost savings achieved.

For example, instead of saying “Developed a new marketing campaign,” say “Developed and implemented a new marketing campaign that resulted in a 15% increase in lead generation and a 10% increase in conversions.”

Highlighting Projects with Bold and Italics

Finally, use bold and italics to make certain aspects of your projects section stand out. This could include the project title or your specific role and responsibilities.

For example, you could bold your project titles to make them more prominent, and italicize your role or specific accomplishments within the bullet points to draw attention to them.

By following these tips for formatting and styling your projects section, you can ensure that it stands out and showcases your skills and accomplishments in the best possible way.

Example Project Sections

When it comes to including projects on your resume, it’s essential to highlight your accomplishments effectively. Depending on your role, you may want to approach this section differently to showcase your skills and experience accurately. Here are some examples of project sections for various positions:

Sample Project Section for Managerial Position

As a manager, you’re expected to lead by example and accomplish team goals. Your project section should offer a comprehensive view of your leadership and management skills. Here are some tips for crafting a project section for a managerial position:

• Highlight any successful projects you led or coordinated that resulted in significant business outcomes. This may include increased profits, higher customer satisfaction rates, improved productivity, etc.
• Emphasize your ability to manage a team effectively. Indicate how you implemented processes that boosted team efficiency, facilitated communication amongst team members, and led to better team morale.
• Showcase your project management skills, including your ability to manage timelines, budgets, and resources to ensure successful project delivery.

Example of a project section for a managerial position:

Project Manager, XYZ company, 2017-2020

• Coordinated and successfully delivered a digital transformation project resulting in the implementation of new automated tools which decreased processing time by 30%.
• Implemented a project management methodology for the IT department, leading to an 89% on-time delivery rate.
• Developed a leadership development program resulting in 80% of team members receiving promotions to management positions.

Sample Project Section for Entry-Level Position

As an entry-level candidate, you may not have a lot of professional experience to draw on. Highlighting your projects, however, can demonstrate your passion and potential, as well as your ability to learn and contribute to projects. Here are some tips for crafting a project section for an entry-level position:

• Focus on projects from internships, volunteer positions or relevant coursework – especially those that demonstrate your passion for the industry, willingness to collaborate with a team or showcase your problem-solving ability.
• Quantify your results. Use numbers and statistics to show how your effort translated into meaningful outcomes.
• Describe how you contributed to the project team, what your part of the deliverables was, and what you learned from the experience.

Example of a project section for an entry-level position:

Marketing Events Coordinator Intern, ABC Company, Spring Semester 2020

• Facilitated the coordination of the annual Women in Tech conference, with over 1,000 attendees, resulting in a 15% increase in participant satisfaction.
• Conducted market research and provided recommendations which were included in the company’s new product launch strategy.
• Collaborated with the graphic design team to develop creative assets resulting in 30% more engagement in social media.

Sample Project Section for Senior-Level Position

As a senior-level candidate, you’re expected to demonstrate extensive experience and expertise in your field. Your project section should showcase the breadth and depth of your accomplishments, highlighting your strategic impact and leadership.

Here are some tips for crafting a project section for a senior-level position:

• Focus on high-impact projects that have made a significant difference to the organization.
• Highlight projects that have driven revenue growth, cost savings, process improvements, or other measurable outcomes.
• Highlight your strategic thinking and decision-making skills.
• Describe projects where you developed and executed strategic initiatives, implemented innovative solutions, or led organizational change.
• Demonstrate your ability to collaborate and influence cross-functional teams.
• Showcase projects where you successfully partnered with stakeholders from different departments and achieved collective goals.
• Quantify the results and impact of your projects.
• Use metrics, percentages, and tangible achievements to illustrate the scope and success of your initiatives.

Example of a project section for a senior-level position:

Director of Sales, XYZ Company, 2015-2021

• Led a sales transformation initiative that resulted in a 25% increase in annual revenue within two years.
• Implemented a customer relationship management (CRM) system, streamlining sales processes and improving sales team productivity by 20%.
• Developed and executed a market expansion strategy, leading to a 40% increase in market share and a presence in three new international markets.
• Led a cross-functional team in the successful launch of a new product line, generating $10 million in revenue in the first year.

Remember to customize the project section based on your specific achievements, industry, and job requirements. Focus on projects that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for and highlight the skills and expertise that make you a strong candidate. Use concise bullet points to clearly communicate the project details, outcomes, and your role in the success of each project.

Explaining Projects in Resume

When it comes to including projects on your resume, it’s not enough to simply list them. You need to effectively explain the project and its relevance to the job you’re applying for. Here are some key ways to explain your projects on your resume:

Describing Quantitative and Qualitative Results

Employers want to see concrete results from your projects. Therefore, it’s important to describe both the quantitative (numbers, measurements, etc.) and qualitative (improvements, successes, etc.) outcomes of your work. For example, instead of simply stating that you led a website redesign project, explain that the project led to a 25% increase in user engagement and a 15% increase in page views.

Emphasizing Transferable Skills

While the specific project you worked on may not be directly relevant to the job you’re applying for, the skills you used during that project likely are. Emphasize these transferable skills in your resume to show how your previous experience makes you a strong candidate for the job. For example, if you worked on a complex data analysis project, highlight your skills in data management, problem-solving, and communication.

Sharing Success Stories and Lessons Learned

Your projects can also be a great opportunity to share success stories and lessons learned with potential employers. Use specific examples of how you overcame project challenges and achieved success to demonstrate your problem-solving and leadership abilities. This can also show your ability to adapt and learn from mistakes, which can be a valuable asset to any team.

Parsing Technical Jargon

Projects can often involve technical jargon or industry-specific terms that may not be familiar to everyone. It’s important to describe your projects in a way that is clear and understandable to everyone, not just those in your field. Explain any technical terms or acronyms and use language that is straightforward and easy to understand.

Effectively explaining your projects on your resume is about more than just listing them. By describing outcomes, emphasizing transferable skills, sharing success stories, and using accessible language, you can show potential employers the value of your past experience and make a strong case for your candidacy.

Addressing Gaps and Inaccuracies in Projects

When it comes to including projects on your resume, one of the most important things to consider is accuracy. It’s essential to ensure that the information you present is honest, truthful, and representative of your skills and achievements. However, it’s not always straightforward to capture every detail of a project in a resume. There may be gaps in your knowledge or information, or you may be uncertain about certain terms or acronyms used in the project. In these cases, it’s crucial to address these gaps and inaccuracies in a meaningful way.

Explaining Challenges and Obstacles

Sometimes, projects can pose significant challenges and obstacles that can impact the outcome. It’s essential to acknowledge these hurdles and explain how you overcame them. This will help demonstrate your problem-solving skills and your ability to navigate complex situations. Don’t shy away from discussing any difficult or challenging aspects of the project. Instead, provide a brief explanation of the issue and how you addressed it. This will showcase your resilience and ability to work well under pressure.

Clarifying Ambiguous Terms and Acronyms

Projects can often use specific terms and acronyms that may not be immediately clear to readers. If you’re unsure about a term or acronym, it’s essential to clarify it within the resume. You don’t want the reader to be confused or misunderstand the project’s purpose or outcome because of a lack of understanding of specific terminology. Consider providing a brief explanation of the term or acronym within parentheses or in a separate bullet point under the project description.

Providing Relevant Context and Background

To paint a complete picture of the project, it’s important to provide relevant context and background information. This may include providing details on the project’s purpose, goals, target audience, and key stakeholders. By including this information, you can showcase your understanding of the project’s broader context and the role you played in achieving the project’s objectives.

Avoiding Misrepresentations and Fabrications

While it’s important to present a comprehensive and accurate view of the project, it’s equally important to avoid misrepresentations and fabrications. Lying or exaggerating about your role or achievements can damage your credibility and harm your reputation. Make sure that the information you present is true and verifiable. If you’re uncertain about a specific fact or detail, leave it out or find a way to address the gap in your knowledge honestly.

Accurately presenting your projects on your resume requires attention to detail and a commitment to honesty. By addressing gaps and inaccuracies in a meaningful way, you can showcase your skills and achievements while maintaining your credibility and professionalism. Remember that including projects on your resume isn’t just about showcasing your abilities – it’s about demonstrating your integrity and respect for the reader’s time and attention.

Using Projects in Cover Letter or Portfolio

When applying for a job, it is essential to showcase your skills and achievements through projects that you have worked on. Including these projects in your application materials can provide context for your potential employer on your accomplishments and level of expertise. Here are some tips on how to use projects effectively in your cover letter and portfolio.

Referencing Projects in Application Materials

In your cover letter, you should mention one or two of your most impressive projects and what you gained from them. You should make sure to talk about how your experience on this project directly correlates with the job you are applying for. This can show that you have experience in that area and can bring value to the company. Additionally, mentioning specific projects in your resume or application can help set you apart from other candidates and can give potential employers a better understanding of your work style and capabilities.

Expanding on Projects in Portfolio or Website

Your portfolio or website is a great place to showcase your projects in more detail. You can include project timelines, your role on the project, and any specific deliverables that you were responsible for creating. Additionally, you can include pictures, videos, and other multimedia to visually represent your work. This can help potential employers better understand the scope of the project and what you contributed.

Relating Projects to Company or Industry

When discussing your projects in your cover letter or portfolio, it’s important to relate them to the company or industry you are applying to. If you can show that your past projects align with their values or industry, it can give you an advantage in the application process. You can also demonstrate how your experience on previous projects can be an asset to the company, and potentially lead to new projects or initiatives that would benefit both parties.

Including your projects in your application materials can help set you apart as a candidate and showcase your skills and accomplishments. By referencing these projects in your cover letter and expanding on them in your portfolio or website, you can highlight your most impressive work and provide details on your involvement. Additionally, by relating your projects to the company or industry you are applying to, you can demonstrate how your experience can benefit the company and potentially lead to new opportunities.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Project Section

When it comes to your resume, including your project section can be a great way to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers. However, there are some common mistakes that you should avoid in order to make the most out of this section.

Overloading Resume with Too Many Projects

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is overloading your resume with too many projects. While it may be tempting to list every single project that you’ve ever worked on, it’s important to remember that quality is better than quantity. Instead, try to focus on a few projects that showcase your skills and experience in the best possible way.

Focusing on Unrelated or Outdated Projects

Another mistake to avoid is focusing on unrelated or outdated projects. This can be a red flag for potential employers, as they may question your ability to prioritize and select the most relevant projects. Instead, try to choose projects that are relevant to your current career goals and demonstrate your ability to tackle real-world challenges.

Copying and Pasting Job Description

Avoid the mistake of copying and pasting job descriptions when describing your projects. This can give the impression that you lack creativity and initiative. Instead, use clear and concise language to describe your role and contributions to the project. Highlight your unique achievements and make sure to use active verbs to showcase your impact.

Neglecting Soft Skills and Personal Attributes

Lastly, avoid neglecting soft skills and personal attributes in your project section. While it’s important to highlight your technical skills, it’s also important to showcase your interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team. This can include things like communication, problem-solving, leadership, and collaboration. By highlighting these skills, you can demonstrate your ability to make valuable contributions to any project team.

Including your project section on your resume is an opportunity to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can make the most out of this section and demonstrate your ability to tackle real-world challenges.

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• How to list projects on resumes?

People are more likely to believe in your potential when you’ve already demonstrated it in the past.

And recruiters are no different. If you want to make your resume all the more compelling and impressive, listing projects on your resume is the way to go.

Although you can’t exactly demonstrate your projects in action while applying for jobs, you can allow your resume to speak for it and give a chance to the recruiters to see your true potential.

Listing projects on resumes is especially helpful for job seekers who are fresh graduates lacking in professional experience and also for people who are switching their career trajectory.

Read on to get clarity on the following FAQs about listing projects on resumes:

• Why should you list projects on resumes?
• When should you list projects on resume?
• What type of projects should you list on a resume?

Importance of Listing Projects on Resumes

The primary idea behind listing projects on resumes is to put yourself forward as the best candidate for the position.

• By listing projects on your resume, you let employers see your skills, experience, achievements, and capability of executing tasks efficiently.

And of course, if you’ve been a part of or led a key project in your past roles, why wouldn’t you want to show it off and benefit from your efforts by showcasing it in your resume?

In fact, the same set of skills that you used to complete a past project may be the exact skill set that your next employer may be looking for.

Therefore, when the recruiters see these projects in your resume, it automatically doubles up your chances of getting shortlisted for interviews.

Also, listing projects on resumes serve as a proven track record of your efficiency, teamwork, leadership skills, and project management skills.

Also read: How to build an impressive IT project manager resume

When Should You List Projects on Resume?

Although listing projects on resumes can prove beneficial for any type of candidate, it is especially essential for the following groups of applicants:

Freelancers

Since most of the work done by IT freelancers is project-based, highlighting projects in your resume becomes crucial.

Given the fact students and fresh graduates don't have professional work experience to include in their resumes, including academic projects can be a game-changer.

List the volunteer projects that you may have been a part of or any of your academic projects.

Career Switchers

If you are making a career switch to the IT industry but don't have professional experience, listing independent projects in your resume will increase your chances of impressing the recruiters.

You can list the GitHub or Kaggle projects that you've worked independently on, in your resume.

How to Include Projects on Resumes?

Now that you see the importance of listing projects on resumes, the question that stands is, how to describe projects on resumes?

First things first, it’s important to ensure that you are listing the projects under the right section of your resume.

Meaning, if you are a fresher or a recent college graduate, the college projects on your resume can go under the education section or the volunteer section.

As for professionals with experience, projects can be listed in the professional experience section of your resume.

Regardless of the project placement, here are some guidelines you can follow to list projects on resumes:

Identify the Skills You Need to Highlight

Now, the relevance of the projects you include in your resume is crucial.

Throughout your career, you may have been a part of various projects. However, you need to identify the most suitable ones and the ones which fit well with the role you’re applying for.

The projects you choose to list in your resume must showcase the exact skills the employer is looking for. After all, isn’t that the whole point of listing projects on resumes?

You can understand the requirements of the recruiters by going through the job listing.

Ensure that you tailor the choice of your projects according to the job description of the different companies you are applying to.

Also read: What skills to put on a resume

Focus on Your Achievements and Use Figures

While you are listing projects on resumes, it is important to focus on your achievements and use figures to talk about the same.

For instance, if you led a team of software developers and testers to work on an application upgrade to increase the user base, ensure to mention the exact number or percentage increase in the user base that you achieved with the upgrade.

This way, employers can envision you as a valuable addition to their company workforce.

Call Attention to Key Details

Since the length of an ideal resume is only a page long, you can’t possibly include the entire how, when, and why details about the project in your resume.

Thus, you must only include details that are pivotal to exhibit the skills which the particular employer requires.

The key details of a project can include the strength of the team you led, the budget, scope, revenue generated, cost saved, clients increased, and so on.

For example, you can write:

“Led a team of 20+ software developers to design and implement OAuth2 based functionality as part of ensuring 100% data security for users.”

Link Your Online Portfolio

What better way than to let your projects speak for themselves right?

Linking your online portfolio while listing projects on resumes will allow recruiters to get a deeper insight into your skills and experience.

Providing proof and examples of your work will add weight to your resume and impress the recruiters even more.

Just ensure that your online portfolio is up-to-date and polished.

Also read: How to highlight GitHub projects on resume

Choose the Correct Section

As stated earlier, you can list projects on resumes under different sections (professional experience or education section) depending on whether you are a fresher or a professional with past experience.

Also, if you belong to the IT industry, you might have quite a number of projects under your belt.

Therefore candidates who have multiple key projects relevant to the job description can list their project under a separate project section in their resumes.

Also read: What are the best programming projects to put on resume?

Types of Projects on Resumes

You can add a variety of projects to your resume as long as they stand relevant to the description of the job you’re applying to.

Given below are 3 types of projects you can add to your resume:

Work Projects on Resumes

As the name suggests, work projects are projects that you undertake professionally while working for clients and companies.

Therefore these types of projects go under the professional experience section of your resume.

Here are some examples of listing work projects on resumes:

• Coordinated with IT team to develop a mobile and web-based data tracking application and closed $1.2 worth of deal
• Designed 10+ mock apps for collecting feedback from selected users as part of improving user experience
• Created 20+ cross-platform apps by utilizing C# in Xamarin Studio as per clients' requirements
• Formulated UI testing procedures to identify malfunctions and debugged apps before launch to optimize performance
• Developed 5+ android applications in an agile environment by deploying JavaScript and C++

Academic Projects on Resumes

If you are a recent grad, it makes sense to add academic projects that showcase the skills related to the role you’re targeting in your resume.

These academic projects can go under the education section or volunteer section of your resume and demonstrate the targeted soft skills, if not technical skills relevant to the job description.

Take a look at these examples of projects on resumes:

• Assisted in creating a group chat application using Java Platform SE 7 with additional functionalities for a group project
• Published a research paper on data modeling with a focus on its use for analyzing data requirements for the business processes
• Led the software department’s student exchange program to facilitate student-faculty coordination for departmental initiatives

Personal Projects on Resumes

Personal projects can also be a great addition to your resumes. Provided it is relevant to the job description.

Personal projects can be listed under the volunteer section or a stand-alone section titled “personal projects”, and is ideal for candidates who lack professional experience.

• Conducted door-to-door surveys while spearheading an awareness campaign for volunteer work
• Rendered assistance in the software testing phases for a college group project

Also read: How to draft a job winning project engineer resume

Concluding Points

• If you want to make your resume all the more compelling and impressive, listing projects on your resume is the ideal way to achieve the same.
• Listing projects on resumes serve as a proven track record of your efficiency, teamwork, leadership skills, and project management skills.
• List projects on resumes in suitable sections and ensure that it demonstrates the skills that the employer requires.
• Consider adding a link to your online portfolio and highlighting your achievements by using figures.
• You can add work, academic and personal projects to your resume, provided it stands relevant to the role you are applying for.

Visit our career platform with 24x7 chat support or simply write to us at [email protected] . Happy to help!

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How To List Projects On Your Resume

Including past projects on your resume shows potential employers concrete examples of your skills and experience, and can help you prove that you are a good fit for their company. Whether you are a student, a freelancer, or an experienced professional, listing projects on your resume can boost your chances of scoring interviews and potentially getting hired.

This article will cover when you should include projects on your resume, types of projects that you can include, and some tips and examples for how to list your projects effectively.

Should You Include Projects On Your Resume?

Adding projects to your resume can be helpful in a few key situations, such as if you are a student or recent graduate without much professional experience, if you are a freelancer whose work experience is entirely project-based, or if you are traditionally employed and have worked on some impressive projects in the course of your career.

Listing projects on your resume can also be helpful if you are making a career change, as you can highlight relevant projects that you worked on within past roles as well as volunteer , freelance, or other external projects. This allows you to showcase transferable skills that will be useful in your target role.

If you have plenty of professional industry experience, skills, and achievements to cover on your resume, you may not need to include projects. Remember that your resume should be one page if you have less than 10 years of experience and no more than two pages if you have more experience than that. So, if you don’t have space to include your projects after adding all of your other pertinent details, there’s no need to do so.

You can also list your projects on your LinkedIn or your portfolio website and include those links on your resume. That way, the employer will likely get the same information, but you won’t have to use up valuable resume space. Additionally, you can go over your projects with a potential employer in an interview.

Types of Projects To List On a Resume

There are three main different types of projects to consider listing on your resume: freelance projects, traditional employment projects, and academic projects.

Freelance Projects

If you are a freelancer, it can be much more impressive to frame your work experience in terms of projects that you’ve worked on rather than simply saying that you’ve been a freelancer for several years. For example, if you are a freelance writer, you might want to include several projects that showcase your various specialties, like technical writing, creative writing, copywriting, email campaign creation, and so forth.

It can be most effective to create a functional resume to showcase your freelance work, which focuses more on skills and projects than the chronology of your work experience.

You can include a projects section instead of a work experience section to list your most impressive tasks. Include the project name, the company you worked for, your role, the duration, and up to five bullet points that outline your contributions to the project and highlight your skills.

Example of Freelance Projects on a Resume:

Project 1: Created a New Branding Package for ABC Consulting - Graphic Designer

Duration: 2 months

Technologies Used: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver

• Revamped tired logo and brand guidelines with an entirely new clean, modern package
• Came in under budget for the client and completed the work well before the deadline of three months
• New branding has led to a 25% increase in sales in the last 3 months

Traditional Employment Projects

It can also be beneficial to list projects that are part of your traditional employment role. Doing so can provide real-world examples of how you have applied your skills and expertise to accomplish things.

Reverse chronological resumes are often the best option for those with plentiful professional work experience. You can easily add your projects by adding a “key projects” line after the bullet points below each of your positions. Write a couple of brief sentences that describe the project, what you contributed, and the successful outcome.

Example of Traditional Employment Projects on a Resume:

XYZ Solutions, San Antonio, TX

Sales Associate

May 2018 - present

• Brought in 20+ new accounts each quarter
• Performed 50+ cold calls per day with 2.5% conversion rate

Key Projects: Worked closely with company’s IT team to streamline the lead-generating system, which increased sales rate by over 20% and grew profits by $750,000 in one year.

Academic Projects

If you are a student or a recent graduate, you may not have any professional work experience to showcase, but you can absolutely highlight your academic projects and accomplishments. You can add your projects to your education section with bullet points under your school entries, or you can create a separate section for key projects or relevant coursework .

Consider including big class projects, honors or capstone projects, your thesis, research projects, internships , and so forth. For each one, describe the project and quantify the results if possible - include impressive grades that you earned, distinctions, and so forth.

If you are relying heavily on your academic accomplishments to flesh out your resume, you might also wish to include details like your GPA, latin honors, other awards or honors that you’ve earned, publications , the degree that you’ve earned or are pursuing, and your graduation date.

Remember that if you are already in college or have graduated from college, you do not need to include your high school information. But, if you are currently in high school or if high school is your highest level of education, you can include that information. And, once you’ve landed your first full-time position, you can remove your academic projects from your resume and focus on your professional achievements. The only exception to this would be if you are applying to a role in academia and your academic projects are relevant to your target position.

Example of Academic Projects on a Resume:

Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design

UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2022

Key Projects: Completed capstone project in Fall 2021 semester. Created a branding package for a spec company that included a logo, website, letterhead, and branding guidelines. Earned a 98% on the project and passed with distinction.

Tips for Listing Projects on Your Resume

If you’ve decided that it makes sense to include projects on your resume, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Tailor Your Projects to Each Position

One of the best and easiest ways to boost your chances of scoring an interview is to take the time to tailor your resume to each position that you apply for, and this includes tailoring the projects you include. Read the job posting carefully and identify keywords that describe the skills and experience that the employer is looking for, and then use applicable keywords in your project descriptions.

Only include projects on your resume if they are relevant to the job that you are applying for. The entire project doesn’t have to be directly related to your target position, but be sure there are at least clearly transferable skills that you can showcase in the description.

Use Action Words, Numbers, and Problem-Action-Result Formula

When you are describing projects on your resume, be sure to use action words to add excitement and give your work a dynamic feel. Present the information with the problem-action-result (PAR) formula for extra impact - describe a problem that needed addressing, what you did about it, and how your efforts benefited the company.

For example, you might say that you “developed a new onboarding process that cut lead times by 25% and saved the company $50,000 per year.” In this case, the slow onboarding lead times were wasting money (problem), you developed a better process (action), and it decreased the lead time and saved money (result).

Whenever possible, quantify your project descriptions with numbers and data. Concrete numbers like the example above will be more impressive to a potential employer than simply saying that you “developed a new onboarding process to cut lead times and save money.”

Decide Where To List Your Projects

You can list your projects in your work experience section (or instead of your work experience section in a functional resume), in your education section, or in a separate projects section. Consider which location makes the most sense based on the nature of your projects and where that information will be the most impactful.

Use Consistent Formatting

No matter where you decide to list your projects on your resume, use formatting that is consistent with the rest of the document. Mirror the format of your other sections in terms of headings, subheadings, fonts , colors, and bullet points.

Add Links To Online Portfolios

In some cases, it can be more effective to show potential employers your projects rather than describe them. This is particularly true for creative and visual industries, like graphic design, photography, web design, illustration, and so forth. If you want to include these types of projects, add a hyperlink to your personal or portfolio website so employers can see and experience your work. You can also take a hybrid approach by describing your projects in one of the methods outlined above and hyperlinking the project title so employers can check it out if they wish.

Key Takeaways

Listing projects on your resume can be helpful whether you are a freelancer, a student or recent graduate, or a traditionally employed professional. Be sure to include only projects that are relevant or that showcase your transferable skills, and tailor your description of each project to match the employer’s desired qualifications. Quantify your project-based accomplishments with numbers and data whenever possible, and use action words and the PAR formula to make your projects impactful and exciting.

Not sure how to incorporate your projects into your resume? Consider using Jobseeker ’s professional resume creation tool. You can enter in all of your information and easily swap between formats and layouts, which can help you discover where your projects will be most effectively presented. Then download your polished resume instantly and get started applying to your dream job!

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How to List Projects on a Resume: A Concise Approach

In This Guide:

What are the benefits of listing projects on a resume, types of projects to include on your resume, how to list projects on a resume, how to avoid sounding boastful, how can i talk about a confidential project on a resume, how many projects should i include in a resume, summary & key takeaways: how to list projects on your resume.

You want to list projects on your resume, but you’ve got no idea how to do it?

Keep reading and you will learn:

• What are the benefits of listing projects on your resume
• What types of projects should you include on your resume
• How to list projects on your resume
• How to avoid sounding boastful
• How to talk about a confidential project on your resume
• How many projects should you include on your resume

If you want to save some time, you should definitely check out our Resume Builder .

But if you really want to really dig into the issue of listing projects on your resume, just keep reading.

Let’s dive in.

Why should I include projects on my resume, how would that help me?

The main goal of listing projects on your resume is to show potential employers that you have gained skills, experience and professional achievements that fit perfectly into their role.

What is important to do when listing your projects, is to highlight hands-on examples of how you applied your capabilities to find solutions.

Describing your experiences in the projects can also show potential employers if your character would be compatible with the company.

What is more, you can use these highlights to show that you have leadership skills, project management expertise and the ability to take initiative.

If you play your cards right, potential employers will start to picture you in a position that requires you to use the skill set you have gained in your previous projects.

There are a few types of projects you can include on your resume.

Keep in mind that whatever project you list, should apply to the job you are applying for. Its purpose is to increase your chances, so choose wisely.

We are going to take a look at the three most common types of projects that you can list on your resume:

Work projects

Your relevant work experience always works in your favour.

The way you can strengthen its effect and catch the recruiter’s eye is to list projects from your previous places of work on your resume.

Keep in mind that you should only highlight projects and accomplishments that show a set of skills relevant to the position you are applying for.

Personal projects

Another way to go is to list personal projects that show skills and personality traits that your potential employer might be looking for.

The project can be anything from community service and volunteering, to a personal project such as a blog.

Personal projects can make a really powerful impression on potential employers. They show that you take personal initiatives that develop your skills and personality traits.

When you have little or no work experience, personal projects can make an excelent addition to your resume.

Academic projects

The third main project type you can include in your resume are academic projects.

These projects can greatly highlight the skills and competencies relevant to a position you are applying for.

Academic projects can show your technical expertise or demonstrate soft skills such as teamwork and leadership.

Don’t hesitate to include any of these three types of projects on your resume. They can only work in your favour.

When listing projects on your resume, your best choice would be to write them below a job description as accomplishments.

Another way to go is to list them in a separate section. You can name it Projects, Academic Projects or Personal Projects, depending on their type.

If your projects are Academic, it’s better to list them in the education section on your resume.

If your projects are the strongest thing in your resume, we advise you to create a project-based resume.

Let’s take a look at all these scenarios.

Project-Based Resumes for Freelancers

When you are a freelancer, you will need a slightly different approach to building your resume.

A reverse chronological format works perfectly for most resumes.

It makes your resume easy to read by recruiters and it shows them if your experience is relevant in no time.

But when you are building a project-based resume, this format will probably not work so well.

As a freelancer, you probably work on lots of projects, and in many cases, the last one in reverse chronological order would not be suitable for the position you are applying for.

The actual problem arises because of the fact that recruiters have to look through lots of resumes every day.

That’s why a recruiter only spends about 7 seconds on a single resume, so chances are that a freelancer with a standard reverse chronological format resume would not be noticed.

The best way around that is to remove your work experience section, and replace it with Projects section.

Make sure you include details for every project in the section. That includes an overview of the project, time and numerical results/achievements.

Here is an awesome example of what you need to do for every project on your resume:

Adding Projects to a Resume—Traditional Employment

Even if you are not a freelancer, you might feel like you should include some of your side projects.

Don’t hesitate, but list them.

Projects are a great addition to traditional employment types of resumes as well.

What you need to do if you have extensive experience, is to create a separate section for your projects only.

Recruiters love extra sections. Having an extra section for your projects can only work in your favour.

As projects are not the main strength of your resume, you need to keep the project description brief.

Here is one example to get you going:

Key Projects

Spearheaded a cost-cutting project achieving a $50,000 dollar annual saving by replacing paper towels with hand dryers in all bathroom facilities as National Operations Manager with Redbridge Systems.

Adding School, College and Academic Projects to Your Education Section

If you recently graduated high school or college, or you are still studying, you might find it difficult to write your resume.

What you can do in this situation is list School, College and Academic Projects on your resume.

By shifting the focus from the lack of work experience to the projects and the skills you have gained from them, you can easily get some bonus points with the recruiter.

Here is an example of how to include project, such as volunteer work, on your resume:

There is also a slight risk, that listing projects on your resume might sound rather boastful.

In order to avoid that moment, you might want to stick to the advice of keeping it simple.

What you need to mention is an overview of the project, time and numerical results/achievements.

When you are using a confidential project on your resume to land a new job, caution is advisable.

It’s one thing to list a project on your resume when it has already gone public, but mentioning a confidential project is a good way to wreck your chances of getting the job.

Keep in mind that no employer wants an employee who would be willing to share a confidential project on a document that any stranger could potentially see.

You might think that you would be safe if you leave out most of the information.

However, the truth is that the recruiter may feel like it would be right to call your former employer and tell them that you are leaking confidential information.

Your week would probably not improve from there on, especially if you have a confidentiality agreement signed in the past.

So, all in all, you should focus on your public projects and accomplishments. Doing so will make your life much less complicated.

You should consider including a link to your online portfolio, website or blog if you have any.

This would encourage the hiring manager to review your projects in greater detail, and allow them to see the skill set you have acquired while working on the projects.

You should also focus on the projects that present your skill set in the best light,

What you need to do is list only a few important projects on your resume. If you have more to show the potential employer, you should definitely include a professional portfolio.

So, all in all, in most cases it is a good idea to include projects on your resume.

No matter if your projects come from former work, high school, college, or if they are personal, they can only work in your favour.

The key points you need to take out at the end of the day are:

• If you are a freelancer, you might want to consider building a project-based resume, instead of using a reverse-chronological format
• If you have some additional projects to your work experience, you should include them in your Work Experience or Education sections. If you have more projects, consider creating a separate section for your projects only.
• If you have too many projects you want to mention on your resume, consider mentioning the most important ones and include a link to a professional portfolio
• If you have worked on a confidential project, better leave it out of your resume

So, there you go, you are ready to get your resume to the next step.

Include the projects you have worked on and get the interview for your dream job.

*** What are your thoughts? Did you list your projects on your resume? Give us a shout out in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

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How to Make Projects on a Resume Look Good (Including Examples)

Whether you’re applying for your first job or seeking a new challenge in your career, there are different types of projects to list that can fit into your application.

Projects on a resume are a good way to highlight relevant soft skills and hard skills. It’s not an essential resume section but it definitely helps prove that you’re qualified for the job even without having years of experience under your belt. 

4 Types of Projects to Put on Your Resume 

There are 4 main types of projects to put on a resume . Each of these is effective for showcasing your skills as well as traits or qualities that companies may want to see such as a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. 

Academic Projects

Academic projects are tasks undertaken by students or researchers as part of their course. This type of project typically involves the application of theoretical knowledge to realistic scenarios.

Here are some examples:

• Dissertations: This is a research project that’s completed by students to achieve their bachelor’s degree. 
• Case studies: You may have had to research a specific scenario and write a detailed report about it.
• Group presentations: Part of your course could involve working as a group to deliver a presentation on a particular topic. 
• Scientific experiments: Those who are doing a STEM degree may have had to create and test hypotheses to answer questions requiring deep subject knowledge. 
• Study abroad programs: You may have managed to secure the opportunity at university to study and work abroad.
• Design projects: Students in engineering or design-related majors may have had to create a product prototype using a sample client brief. 

Freelance Projects

Freelancing is when a company hires you for a particular job as an independent contractor rather than an employee. However, this could also go in the professional experience section, which might be the better option especially when you have no direct work experience . 

Here’s a few examples:

• Freelance web designers – designing websites for individuals or businesses.
• Freelance writers – writing blog posts and social media content for companies. 
• Freelance video editor – editing YouTube and TikTok videos for content creators. 

Personal Projects

These are projects that you undertake in your free time. They’re also often referred to as passion projects because they’re purely motivated by your own interests and personal goals. 

• Learning a new language
• Building a website or app
• Volunteering
• Writing a book or starting a blog 

Work Projects 

Work projects are specific assignments or tasks that you completed during your employment at a previous company. 

For example, let’s say that you worked as a marketing assistant for a software company. 

Your manager assigns you to develop a social media marketing campaign for the company’s latest product release. Now although this can be mentioned in the work experience section, having a separate resume section allows you to elaborate on this project in more detail. 

A Note on Confidential Projects

A confidential project is one that includes sensitive data about a company. For example, you might’ve worked on a project related to future business expansion plans. In these cases, double-check the signed work agreements. 

But if you’re unsure, the safer option is to leave it out.

Where to List Projects on a Resume 

Work experience section.

Mention the project you carried out alongside what you achieved in the work history section . It’s no different than how you would normally write about your previous job position except you’re framing the project as an achievement. 

In short, here’s how to write about projects in the work experience section:

• Describe your project responsibilities
• Highlight the outcome of the project as a result of your own efforts

Now here’s some example bullet points:

• Managed a budget of $10,000 and ensured that the digital marketing project was delivered on time and within budget.
• Led the CRM project by overseeing the vendor selection process and organizing system implementation.

Additional Resume Section

An additional resume section could be:

• Extracurricular activities
• Involvement

See the example below. 

The heading could also be specified depending on the type of project you’re writing about. See an example of this below. 

Projects Resume Section

Lastly, another option is to create a resume section dedicated to listing and describing relevant projects. The header of this section should be “projects”. 

How to List Projects on Resume and Make Them Look Good

We’ll show you step-by-step how to create a resume projects section. 

We’ll also go through how to describe each project in a way that makes you look good by emphasizing your skills. 

Note: If you’d like to follow this process as we’re going through it, sign up here for free . You won’t be asked for any card details – simply enter your email and create a password to get started! 

1. Outline the Resume Section Format 

Start by considering the resume section format . This means taking into account the following details: 

• Resume font
• Horizontal lines
• All caps text

In other words, outline how you’re going to structure the projects section of your resume.

2. Enter the Resume Section Header

The header of your coursework section should either be “coursework” or “relevant coursework.” 

Use bold text for the resume section header so that it’s easy to find for the hiring manager. Feel free to also add a bold horizontal line to make this stand out.

See the examples below. 

3. Enter the Subheaders 

Include the following details as subheaders:

• Project name
• Organization
• Start and end date of project

This is how it looks from inside Rezi’s resume builder:

4. Describe Your Responsibilities

Inside Rezi’s resume builder in the projects section, the last box is where you write bullet points describing what you did. 

Now, there’s a few things to keep in mind to write bullet points about your projects in a way that impress hiring managers.

Start Your Sentences With Clear Verbs

Weak verbs are vague and overused. In contrast, strong verbs are specific. They make your contributions and actions clear, which highlights the impact that you’ve made. 

Examples of good verbs include:

• Accelerated
• Transformed

Examples of generic verbs include:

Highlight Your Achievements 

The first half of your bullet point is where you describe a responsibility. The other half is where you highlight the outcome that was achieved because of how well you carried out that responsibility.  

Now imagine that the project you’re writing about was the development of a new software app. 

Here’s some example bullet points to highlight your achievements: 

• Led a team of 5 developers and managed project timelines and budgets.
• Utilized Agile project management methodology to improve project efficiency by 30%.

On the other hand, you could highlight relevant skills that you learned or developed by writing bullet points such as:

• Developed strong communication skills by working with cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated strong leadership skills by motivating and coaching team members.

Use Numbers and Jargon Naturally

Let’s refer to the software developer resume example that helped one of our users secure a job interview with HubSpot. 

The key takeaway? Use technical language naturally and be as specific as you can when describing your responsibilities by using numbers. Jargon is generally okay as long as you’re not rinsing out buzzwords throughout your application or forcing them in bullet points where it doesn’t flow well.  

Tailor It to the Job Description

Match the company’s job description to position yourself as an ideal candidate with relevant experience. 

• Use resume keywords  
• Include projects that are closely similar to the responsibilities of the job position
• Embed the company’s values and terminology in a bullet point or two
• Showcase desirable skills and traits that were listed on the job ad

1 Bullet Point Can Be Enough

A single bullet point can be more than enough like the robotics engineer resume sample below.

Here’s a few reasons why you might only need one bullet point:

• Emphasis: a single bullet point makes what you’ve written stand out.
• Space: to give space to other sections that are more important while maintaining a one-page resume .
• Unnecessary: the other bullet points that you might write about the project aren’t as relevant. 

Use Rezi’s AI Resume Writer

You probably might’ve noticed that there’s a “generate bullet” button inside our resume builder for the projects section. After entering your project title, click this button to use our AI writer to draft bullet points for you based on the best resume writing practices. 

Then, either add it to your resume by clicking “apply suggestion” or click “AI writer generate” to try again. 

Watch the short clip below to see how our AI writer works.

5. Get Feedback Using the Content Analysis Feature 

The final step is to head over to the “finish up” tab where you can see the entire resume you created so far with Rezi.

Select “explore my rezi score.”

This resume checker tool gives you content and format suggestions to improve your application. Feel free to make adjustments based on the feedback provided. 

When to Include Projects On Your Resume

The goal of showcasing past projects is to highlight transferable skills to hiring managers. That said, there are 4 ideal scenarios for when to list your projects on a resume. 

It’s Directly Related to the Job Responsibilities

Let’s say you’re applying for an entry-level web developer job position. 

A personal project you might’ve worked on in your spare time was building a website purely with HTML. This would be worth mentioning on your resume because it shows that you have hands-on experience with a primary task.

You Have Little to No Work Experience in the Role 

Projects are good to include especially when:

• You’re a recent college graduate applying for entry-level roles 
• You’re writing an internship resume
• You’re making a significant career change 

Although you may not have experience in the field, listing projects helps highlight that you’re still a good match for the job. 

To Replace Outdated Work Experience

Writing about a recent project that showcases relevant skills is more impressive than an irrelevant job title from more than 5 or 10 years ago. In other words, use projects to replace outdated information. 

Here’s a good example below from the product marketing manager resume . 

You Have Employment Gaps

Employment gaps raise questions. Still, reassure recruiters that you’ve still got it. Reinforce your track record and prove that your skills haven't collected dust by describing the projects that you’ve been working on. 

When to Not Include Projects on a Resume 

These are common mistakes . If you find yourself in any of these situations, refrain from using a projects section. 

You Have More Direct Work Experience to List

Employers are usually more interested in reviewing your professional work history than past projects. So if you had a previous job that’s directly related to the role you’re applying for, it’s worth including this on your resume instead of a project. 

You Already Have 3 Projects Listed

Having too many projects strips away the focus from your actual work experience. This may not leave the best first impression, especially when applying for roles that require at least 2 years of experience. 

The only time this doesn’t apply is when you’re applying for an internship role or entry-level job . 

The Projects Are Outdated

Projects are outdated when they go as far back on your background as 10+ years ago. Although it could highlight passion and work ethic, it wouldn’t be as effective compared to describing a project completed a few months ago. 

If you decide you still want to mention the project, there are 2 alternatives:

• Bring it up on your cover letter instead of your resume
• Omit the dates 

3 Resume Examples With Well-Written Projects

Don’t see your job title listed below? No worries, you'll probably find it in our ATS library of 300+ free resume templates . 

Creative Producer Resume

Project Manager Resume

Software Engineer Intern Resume

Either create a dedicated projects section or mention it in another relevant resume section. 

When you’re writing about paid projects, consider listing them in the work experience section instead. And if you have too many projects to put on a resume, include a portfolio or website link. 

Astley Cervania

Astley Cervania is a career writer and editor who has helped hundreds of thousands of job seekers build resumes and cover letters that land interviews. He is a Rezi-acknowledged expert in the field of career advice and has been delivering job success insights for 4+ years, helping readers translate their work background into a compelling job application.

How to List Projects on Your Resume: A No Stress Guide

Listing projects on your resume helps make your job application stand out. You can draw a recruiter’s attention to your skills, teamwork, leadership, and achievements.

Here’s how to showcase your projects on your CV (as we call a resume here in the UK, and I’ll use both terms interchangeably in this article) to make it clear what you are capable of. I’ve included some examples below so you can see how to phrase your resume sections.

What projects to include on your resume

What types of projects should you include on your application for a new role?

In my experience as a hiring manager, I want to see the relevant experience that applies to the job. If you are a software engineer, show me your software projects. If you work in legal project management , talk about your process improvement initiatives or projects relevant to the job you are going for today.

You don’t have a lot of space on your resume, so pick a few projects that help you demonstrate the skill set and experience that most closely match the requirements for the job. These could be:

• Work projects: Initiatives you have led or taken part in as part of your job responsibilities in other roles.
• Personal projects: Things you have led or volunteered on that show what you are capable of in a different setting.

Personal projects could include community service, volunteering, and participation in local politics or interest groups. This type of work is great for showing your personality, and proactiveness as well as providing evidence of different skills.

Think carefully about whether including personal projects and side hustle projects as part of your professional resume. List them if they help show what you can do but if they don’t naturally give you the opportunity to highlight your skills, you might be better off using the space for something else.

OK. Ready to include work projects on your resume? Here’s how to do it.

1. Decide how to present the projects

I put this as the first thing to do as it was the hardest thing for me. I wanted to keep my resume to 3 pages, and including projects meant something else had to go.

In fact, 3 pages are kind of long. Make space on your existing resume or if you are creating a new CV from scratch, put the section into your document.

You have two choices about how to include projects on a resume:

• Create a separate section and list your main, relevant projects in there
• List one or two projects under each job title.

If you are going for a project-based role e.g. a project manager, I would create a section for projects and highlight your main achievements there.

You can put the section before or after your chronological list of roles. If you are going for a project management position, I would include it before your job history. If you are going for a different type of role, you can fit it in wherever you think makes the most sense.

If projects are incidental to your work, list your main job responsibilities as you would normally. Then use bullet points to describe the project(s) you want to highlight while you worked in that role, or write a short paragraph if that works better for your formatting.

Action: Make the decision about how long you want your CV to be and what type of layout you are going to use.

2. Identify the skills you want to highlight

Projects give you the opportunity to use a variety of skills. The trick to making your resume stand out is to make sure the projects you choose are the ones where it’s easy to see the relevant skills.

So… first, you have to know what specific skills you want to show off.

Luckily, this is relatively easy as most job descriptions will include a list of technical and soft skills and competencies they expect candidates to have. For example:

• Leadership (you lead the project)
• Teamwork (you worked on the project team)
• Decision-making (you provided data to help make decisions or were the person making the decisions)
• Communication (you gave a presentation about the project or wrote project reports or briefings).

You get the picture.

Action: Review the job description or person specification for the role and pick out the main skills that are relevant. Match the skills to the specific job.

3. Identify projects that used those skills

Next, go through your work history and pull out the projects that show you using those skills in the most significant and “biggest” way.

For example, perhaps you’ve contributed to lots of project budget planning as part of projects but only lead the effort to create a project budget from scratch just once. If one of the key skills required for the role you want is budgeting, make sure to mention the project where you led the budgeting work.

The more recent the project, the better. However, if it makes sense to highlight a project from a while back because it is directly relevant to the role, include it.

In my experience, it’s best to include a variety of projects. That gives you more opportunities to show project highlights from a range of experiences. If all your projects are very similar, that might pigeonhole you into a certain role (which you might want to do, so take that advice under advisement). 

Action: Make a project list so you know what to include.

4. Write project descriptions that evidence your skills

Finally, write a few sentences about the project. Phrase it in ways that provide evidence of your skills.

Let’s assume the skill you want to show is process improvement.

Bad example:

Involved in work to deliver a new sales pipeline process and workflow software that supports it.

Good example:

Led a cross-functional team of 5 to redesign the sales pipeline and implement process improvements. In 6 months we delivered the software and process changes that created time savings of 11% and improved the returning customer rate by 5%.

In the good example, I’ve used the keywords ‘process improvements’ and ‘process changes’. Many resumes are read by machines and filtered through keyword software before they even get to a human. Include industry-relevant jargon terms where you think the recruiter will understand them and might be looking for them.

Action: Write a project description for each project that you are going to include.

What to say about each project

The most important thing you need to do is determine what skills are required for each project. This will help you and your interviewer realize that you have the right experience for the job, so there’s no need to go into a lot of detail when describing each project.

Avoid company-specific acronyms and terminology that someone outside of your field wouldn’t understand.

Use the STAR format if you have space:

• Situation: Why the project was required or why you got involved.
• Task: What you were specifically responsible for or what you were asked to do.
• Action: What actions you took, and what you did in the situation.
• Result: What happened at the end, what you delivered or how you overcame problems.

Give an overview of what happened during the project and how it went with regard to its success or failure — whether it was completed or not completed, and what obstacles came up which needed to be overcome in order for it to happen successfully.

The STAR format is mainly used for interview prep and responding to competency-based questions, but the same approach is a great way to craft short project descriptions for your resume.

Have an upcoming interview? Prepare with our How to Prepare for a Project Management Interview ebook.

Tips for writing about projects on your resume

List the number of people on the team, the budget, the benefits, and the impact. Try to come up with concrete data points.

Why? This helps potential employers understand the scale of the work you are capable of leading and whether you are a good match for their role. Someone who has experience of leading a team of 10 might struggle when asked to lead a team of 200, but would be bored in a team of 2.

Led a team of 15 to deliver a $1.2m project that reduced the lead times for shipping by 20%.

Use action verbs

Action verbs describe what you did. Be as specific as possible such as:

• Designed (a website, a solution, a process)
• Created (a product, a process)
• Standardized (processes, workflows, ways of working)
• Recruited (colleagues, vendors, volunteers)
• Chaired (meetings, events, functions)
• Coordinated (something)
• Planned (the effort, the meeting, the event)
• Scheduled (the work)

Keep it short

Be concise.

Why? You haven’t got much space to impress on a resume (have I made that point already?? ?).

Led the marketing workstream (3 internal staff and 2 suppliers) for a web redesign project. The project was completed on time and on budget and improved customer retention by 22% over 12 months.

Include the dates

List each project with a start and end date, alongside the company name.

Why? This helps your interviewer size and scale your past projects.

• I worked full-time on this project for 20 months.
• I joined the time for the design and build phase and worked part-time on the team for 6 months.

Challenges of including projects on your resume

A project-based resume is going to have less space for you to talk about what you did in each individual role in the ‘traditional’ sense. You will still list each job title, company, and the dates you worked there along with your key responsibilities while in the post, but you don’t have to include as much as some of the important information will be covered in the project section.

You don’t want your resume to feel disjointed . If you think it does, another way to format the document is to list key projects under each job title .

It can be hard to include data points . I would say that if you don’t have the data now, start collecting it for the projects you are currently working on so you can include it in the future. If you can’t share benefits, project budgets and so on, try to include these data points:

• Number of people in the team
• Length of time you were on the project
• Number of hours of training delivered (or another delivery-related outcome – remember, this is to help recruiters see what scale of project you can lead)
• Number of customers or users affected
• Something specifically related to your role on the project e.g. number of contracts updated (legal project), adverts/social media posts/engagements (marketing project), products sold, etc.

Benefits of including projects on your resume

A project section is an excellent way to show off your skills . If you have had a less-than-traditional career, perhaps with several jobs at the same time, or as an independent contractor, freelancer, or managing side projects alongside your day job, listing projects helps provide a structure to your job history.

A project-based resume is a good way to show what you’ve done in different sectors in a relatable way if you are a career changer going for your dream job. It’s pretty easy to draw parallels between project management in one industry to another, and many of the soft skills will be relevant. Projects can show you are the best candidate, even if you don’t have any direct experience in that particular field.

Including projects makes your resume more interesting . So much work is project-led these days that it’s important to show you understand how work is delivered and what it takes to implement changes or improvements.

Project descriptions on your CV give the interviewer something to talk to you about . When I was interviewing candidates, it was always useful to have a hook for questions. For example, I could ask about how they demonstrated a skill on a particular project, or how their past experience was relevant to this role.

How to show off your project management skills

Up until this point, we’ve been using projects to show off your ‘general’ skills – as a way to highlight to future employers that you have a range of skills best evidenced through your project work.

But what about your ability to lead projects themselves? Project management is a core skill for many job roles.

Write about your project management experience as you would any other skill. Break it down into the components and processes of project management. For example, find a way to mention these technical sub-skills of project management:

• Scheduling and task allocation
• Risk management
• Issue management
• Change management
• Requirements elicitation and management
• Working with specific methodologies e.g. PRINCE2 , Scrum, SaFE, Kanban.

Should I include academic projects on my resume?

You can include academic projects on your resume if they help demonstrate relevant competencies for the job. For example, they may show your leadership skills, and ability to work with people from different organizations or highlight your specialist knowledge in a certain field.

How can recent graduates include projects on their resumes?

Use the work experience section of your resume to highlight your project experience. Include the important details from academic, volunteering, or professional projects. This can give you a way to add more to the chronological format of your resume. Link to an online portfolio if you have one.

Pin for later reading

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years. Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects .

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Project Details in a Resume: What Yours Needs To Include

Want to include projects on your resume, but not sure how much detail is too much? Here are the project details you do (and don’t) need in your resume.

a year ago   •   4 min read

Projects are a frequently overlooked but potentially high-value resume addition. This is especially true if you’re an entry-level job seeker or c onsidering changing careers — the right project can help fill out a less than robust work experience section and prove to hiring managers that you have the essential skills for the job you’re applying for.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• Exactly which project details need to go on your resume — and which don’t

How to write project details in a resume

• What part of your resume projects belong in
• Project-based resume templates and examples
• Selected project ideas that look great on any resume

Let’s start by looking at the most essential project details to list on your resume.

Essential project details to include in a resume

At a minimum, projects on your resume should include:

• The project title
• A short description of the project
• The dates you worked on the project
• Who or what the project was for, e.g. your employer, school, or personal project
• Your specific role
• The specific task(s) you performed
• Key technologies used
• The results or impact of the project
• The people you collaborated with (if appropriate)
• A link to the project

That seems like a lot of information, but it doesn’t have to take up a huge amount of space on your resume — keep scrolling for details, including templates and examples.

• In your Work Experience, Projects , or Additional section, create a “Key Projects” subheading.
• Write the project name and/or a brief description of what it did.
• List your employer, staffing agency, or consulting firm.
• List your job title. If you were self-employed , give yourself a standard job title.
• List the dates of employment.
• Include 1-2 accomplishments in bullet point format .
• Add a link to a GitHub profile , website, or online portfolio.
• Double check that you haven’t missed anything (including essential keywords or hard skills) by using our free ATS resume scanner .

Here’s an example of including project-based experience in your work experience section:

If your projects weren’t work-based but are still highly relevant, you could create a separate projects section:

If the project wasn’t directly relevant to the job you’re applying for — or if you’re running low on space — include it briefly in an additional section:

I’d recommend uploading your resume to the tool below to find out if you have structured your projects (and project details) the right way. It’ll also scan your resume sections and let you know which details belong on your resume and which ones to leave off entirely.

Sample project-based resume

Let’s take a look at a resume template that’s ideal for showcasing specific project-based experience:

This resume example has taken selected project experience and extended it out to include specific accomplishments , including project details and key metrics . Because these projects were essential to the role, here they’re included in the work experience section, but you could easily move them to a projects or additional section if they’re less relevant.

Download this free template (and others) from our ATS resume templates page.

Frequently asked questions

Should i put projects on my resume.

Short answer? Yes!

Longer answer? If:

• The project was relevant to the job you’re applying for
• You don’t have a lot of other, more relevant experience
• You want to highlight key technical skills necessary for the role

Then you should definitely make space for a projects section. If you already have extensive work experience without including projects, you can probably leave them off.

What kind of projects should I include on a resume?

Any kind of project can go on your resume. This includes work projects, university projects, and even personal or hobby projects.

Do personal projects count as experience?

Not in the strictest sense — meaning, you shouldn’t list them under a “Work Experience” heading unless you’ve actually used them at work. But yes, they do show hiring managers that you have some experience using relevant software, programming languages, or other technical skills, and they can count toward your years of experience or level of proficiency .

Should I list project roles and responsibilities in a resume?

Yes, but don’t list them as “roles and responsibilities.” Your role in the project can double as your job title, but try to focus on your accomplishments rather than your responsibilities.

What kind of projects look good on a resume?

Any — as long as they’re relevant! If you’re just starting out, you could include:

• Projects you completed as part of your university coursework
• Extracurricular projects
• Capstone projects
• Personal projects, hobbies, or side gigs
• Career Advice

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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.

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The Ultimate Guide to Land Your Dream Project Management Job in 2024

Resumes, cover letters, interview tips, networking, and more. Discover how to land your dream project management job in 2024. 

The job landscape for project and program management professionals is evolving rapidly, driven by new technologies, methodologies, and the increasing importance of agile practices. As we move through 2024, standing out in this competitive field requires not just expertise but a strategic approach to job searching, skill development, networking, and staying abreast of industry trends. This blog will dive in to actionable tips and insights for project and program management job seekers aiming for success in today’s market!

The dreaded job search

The project management job search.

Embarking on a job search in project management starts with understanding your unique value proposition. Tailor your job search strategy to highlight your specialized skills, experiences, and the specific value you can bring to an organization. Utilize job boards, LinkedIn, and professional networks dedicated to project management roles. Braintrust offers:

• Project & Program Management Job Board
• Project & Program Management Networking Space

Think about your long-term career goals

Exploring careers in project and program management offers an opportunity to oversee multiple related projects, driving strategic benefits and organizational change. As you navigate this path, focus on opportunities that align with your long-term career goals and leverage your ability to manage complex project portfolios.

Project manager resume tips

Highlight quantifiable achievements.

A project manager's resume should serve as a testament to their ability to lead and complete projects efficiently. Rather than listing tasks, focus on achievements with measurable outcomes.

For example, if you led a project that resulted in a significant reduction in operational costs or an increase in revenue, specify the exact percentages or dollar amounts. This approach demonstrates your impact on the bottom line, showcasing your value to potential employers.

Tailor your experience

Customize your resume for each job application. This means carefully reading the job description and using keywords that match the required skills and experiences. If the job emphasizes Agile methodologies, highlight your Agile certifications and experience. For roles requiring digital transformation leadership, detail projects where you successfully implemented new technologies. This customization helps your resume pass ATS filters and shows the hiring manager that you've taken the time to understand what they're looking for.

Soft skills and leadership

Project managers must excel in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Include examples of these skills in action. Perhaps you mediated a dispute between team members, ensuring a project stayed on track, or innovated a communication strategy that improved stakeholder engagement.

Additionally, leadership is about guiding teams and making tough decisions. Include instances where your leadership directly influenced project outcomes, such as leading cross-functional teams to achieve ambitious project goals.

What's in a project manager cover letter?

Engaging introductions.

Start your cover letter with a compelling introduction that grabs the hiring manager's attention. Mention a high-impact project you led or a significant achievement in project management. This sets the tone and immediately presents you as a high-caliber candidate.

Personalize the letter by stating why you're excited about the opportunity and how your career goals align with the company's mission.

Demonstrate value and fit

Use the body of your cover letter to dive deeper into your qualifications, focusing on how your experience and skills directly align with the job requirements. If the company is looking for someone to improve project delivery times, detail a specific instance where you implemented efficiencies that cut delivery times without sacrificing quality.

This section is your chance to show that you've done your homework about the company's challenges and are ready to tackle them head-on.

Close it out strong

Conclude your cover letter by reiterating your enthusiasm for the role and the unique value you bring. A compelling closing can leave a lasting impression, so consider inviting the hiring manager to discuss how you can contribute to the company's future successes.

Thank them for considering your application and suggest a follow-up action, such as a meeting or phone call, to discuss your application further.

Prepping for Project / Program Manager interview questions

Strategic alignment and prioritization.

Be prepared to discuss how you align program objectives with organizational goals. You might be asked about a time when you had to prioritize certain projects over others to meet strategic objectives. This question tests your ability to see the bigger picture and make tough decisions.

Share specific examples that highlight your strategic thinking, such as reallocating resources from one project to another to address changing business priorities, and the rationale behind these decisions.

Leadership and conflict resolution

Program managers often face situations that require strong leadership and conflict resolution skills. Interviewers might ask about a time you led through change or resolved a significant conflict within your program team. Prepare to share stories that demonstrate your leadership style, how you communicate with and motivate team members, and your approach to resolving conflicts.

These examples can illustrate your ability to maintain team cohesion and navigate challenges effectively.

Project outcomes and lessons learned

Expect to discuss the outcomes of specific programs you've managed, focusing not just on successes but also on lessons learned from challenges. Interviewers are interested in your ability to adapt and grow from experience. Discuss a program that didn't go as planned and what you learned from that experience. This shows your capacity for self-reflection, continuous improvement, and resilience—qualities that are invaluable in program and project managers. 

Want more? We have a comprehensive list of interview questions and answers here. Some samples:

• Program Manager interview guide
• Project Manager interview guide
• IT Project Manager interview guide
• Digital Project Manager interview guide
• Technical Project Manager interview guide

Skill development for project & program managers

Sharpen your project management skills.

Continuously refining your project management skills is crucial. Focus on areas such as risk management, stakeholder communication, and agile methodologies to enhance your effectiveness and appeal to prospective employers.

Program management training and certifications

Investing in training and certifications such as PMP®, Agile, and Scrum can significantly bolster your credentials. These certifications not only validate your skills but also signal your commitment to professional growth. This might be the difference between you and another candidate. 

You never know, you might learn something new along the way!

Agile and Scrum certification

With the increasing adoption of agile methodologies, holding Agile and Scrum certifications can make you a more attractive candidate, especially for organizations implementing these practices.

If you're currently employed, try to get this reimbursed from your employer!

Networking and professional growth

Always be networking.

Building a robust professional network is invaluable. Attend industry conferences, participate in webinars, and join project management forums to connect with peers and industry leaders.

Join Braintrust's Project & Program Management Networking Space and start talking to like-minded peers!

Engaging with professional groups and attending project management events are excellent ways to stay informed, share knowledge, and meet potential mentors or employers.

Optimize your LinkedIn and Braintrust profiles

Optimize your LinkedIn profile and Braintrust profiles with keywords relevant to your desired role, showcase your certifications, and highlight successful projects. A compelling profile can be a key tool in attracting opportunities and recruiters. Add your top skills to your profile!

Industry trends

Project management trends in 2024.

Stay informed about the latest trends, such as the use of AI in project management, the growing importance of soft skills, and the shift towards more remote and hybrid work models.

Employers are looking for someone that's always learning and improving, as well as adaptability to the new AI era and beyond. 

Talk about recent trends in Braintrust's Project & Program Management Networking Space to make sure you're up-to-date with the latest program management news.

The future of program management is set to focus more on strategic alignment, flexibility in project execution, and the integration of advanced technologies for project tracking and analytics.

Familiarize yourself with the latest project management software and tools that facilitate collaboration and efficiency. Understanding agile project management trends will also be crucial as more organizations adopt these methodologies for their flexibility and customer-centric approach.

In conclusion, navigating the project/program management job market in 2024 requires a blend of strategic job searching, continuous skill development, effective networking, and staying updated on industry trends. By following these guidelines, you can position yourself as a top candidate in this dynamic field.  

Check out Braintrust's project & program management job board for current openings across the world! Filter for skills, location, and more. Sign up today to stay notified about the newest job opportunities.

Read more about the future of work

Navigate the nuances of hiring program and project managers.

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