Our customers have been hired at: *Foot Note
Your career goes beyond your role duties. What you’ve accomplished outside the expectations of your role can speak highly of your professional impact. Including projects on a resume shows an employer a well-rounded version of who you are as a candidate. As long as a project has relevance to your next career step and highlights your skills and experience, you can include it.
But, does every project matter? Where should you include it? And more importantly, who benefits from including projects on a resume?
Let’s look into:
Make a resume with MyPerfectResume
Our Resume builder can help you write the perfect resume. Start Now!
What are Projects on a Resume?
Projects are endeavors you partake of either on your own or through a team collaboration. These endeavors can be part of your regular tasks at work, an addition to your responsibilities or a personal undertaking you want to tackle or explore.
Before adding a project to your resume, ask yourself:
- Does it add value to my experience?
- Is it relevant to the resume application?
- Can I include quantifiable results to show the impact of the project?
Why Should You Include Projects on your Resume?
Including projects on a resume can help you stand out from the candidate pool. It shows an employer what you’re able to accomplish beyond your regular quantifiable accomplishments.
Projects on a resume can highlight your soft skills, especially your interpersonal skillsif it was through a collaborative effort. And they can also showcase additional hard skills, like your technical skills.
Who Should Add Projects to their Resume?
Everybody can include projects on their resume, professional or personal, as long as it is relevant to the role they’re seeking. However, there are certain groups of candidates whose resumes greatly benefit from including projects on their resume.
- Freelance and contract workers: Demonstrate you can deliver impactful results through previous projects.
- Students: Create a resume with no experience by including projects that show you have the skills the employee seeks and the commitment and interest to learn more through on-the-job experience.
- Career changers: Highlight your transferable skills and relevant experience through projects from your previous careers. Remember to include metrics that show your ability to bring in results.
How to Write a Project on a Resume
Be strategic when writing a resume. Use the application description as a guide on what the employer is looking for. Tailor each project you want to list for the job and for each include:
- The project name
- Your project role
- Keywords and metrics relevant to the job
For example:
Projects
Real-Time Chat Application (RCA)
Software Developer
Developed a real-time chat application using Node.js, Socket.io, and React.js. Integration with third-party APIs and optimization for performance resulted in a 25% increase in user engagement, a 10% reduction in support tickets, and a 99.9% uptime rate. The application processes over 1 million messages per day.
So, now you know how to list the project, but where should it go? The answer depends. You have three options:
- List it under the education section, if completed during your academic career.
For example:
Chamberlain University Chicago, Illinois| June 2023
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Capstone project: Implementing a Patient Education Program to Improve Medication Adherence in Heart Failure Patients. A pretest/postttest design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, using electronic pill dispensers and self-reported adherence questionnaires. Medication adherence rates increased by 20% in the intervention group compared to the control group. Patient satisfaction with the program was high, with 95% of participants reporting that they would recommend the program to others.
- Add it to your work experience as one of your quantifiable achievement bullet points.
For example:
Senior Graphic Designer
Creative Agency Inc.
June 2021 – Present
- Developed and implemented a branding strategy for a major client, contributing to a 25% increase in brand recognition and a 20% rise in sales within six months.
- Managed a team of 4 junior designers, providing mentorship and guidance that improved project turnaround times by 15%.
- Spearheaded two projects: the design and launch project of a new product line's packaging, which led to a 50% increase in shelf visibility and a 10% boost in sales. Also, led the redesign project of the agency's website, resulting in a 45% increase in user engagement and a 30% reduction in bounce rate.
- Create a separate section to list your projects. You can choose a captivating title, such as "Property Management Projects" or "Creative Endeavors Projects," to grab the reader's attention and emphasize the subject. Or, you can simply list it as “Projects.” Whichever your choice, be sure to include all the relevant information for each project.
For example:
Creative Projects
- Content creator for Clean Mango, a lifestyle brand focusing on vegetarian and vegan creations, from food to home goods, in the Caribbean.
- Increased website traffic by 18% and reached 250,000+ shares through the series “Meet the Chef” focused on Caribbean vegan and vegetarian chefs and cooks.
- Partnered with Choose Life Foods to promote the brand through a special content strategy dedicated to the diaspora.
Our Resume Builder offers an option to include additional information, such as projects. You can list them however you want and title the section as you wish using the 'Additional Information' feature. Alternatively, you can incorporate your projects into core resume sections, such as 'Education', as shown below:
Projects on Resume Examples
In the Education Section
Bachelor of Arts in English
University of Southern California | June 2022
President of the English Club
Teaching Assistant for Freshman Composition
Project: Developing a Literacy Program for Underserved Elementary Students
- Acted as project coordinator and collaborated with a team of volunteers to create and deliver a literacy program at a local community center, serving over 50 students and improving their reading comprehension by an average of 2-grade levels.
Master of Science in Data Science
University of California, Berkeley | May 2022
Relevant Coursework: Machine Learning, Statistical Modeling, Data Visualization, Big Data Analytics, Deep Learning
Project: Sentiment Analysis of Social Media Data for Brand Reputation Management
- Developed and implemented a machine learning model to analyze social media sentiment towards a specific brand, achieving an accuracy of 92%. Provided actionable insights to the marketing team, resulting in a 10% increase in brand awareness and a 5% improvement in customer satisfaction.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance,
University of Chicago | May 2024
Relevant Coursework: Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance, Investment Management, Financial Modeling, Risk Management
Project: Valuation and Investment Analysis of a Publicly Traded Company
- As a Lead Analyst, conducted a comprehensive financial analysis of a publicly traded company, including valuation using discounted cash flow, comparable companies and precedent transactions. Presented investment recommendations to a team of classmates, achieving a consensus buy rating with a projected 15% upside potential
In the Work Experience Section
Digital Marketing Manager
Great Company
June 2022 - present
- Executed the Digital Marketing Campaign for Product Launch using Google Analytics, Facebook Ads Manager and Mailchimp. Created email marketing campaigns that increased lead generation by 20%.Analyzed campaign performance and optimized strategies to improve ROI.
EHR Intelligence Analyst
Clinic Solutions
May 2021 - present
- Spearheaded the Implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) System project, which transitioned from paper-based records to an EHR system in a multi-specialty clinic using Epic Systems, HL7, SQL. It reduced record retrieval time by 50% and improved the accuracy and accessibility of patient information.
Sales Manager
Fancy Enterprises
August 2019-present
- Led the successful launch of a new product line, generating $2 million in revenue and exceeding sales targets by 30%. Collaborated with marketing and product development, trained the sales team, and leveraged data analytics to target key industry verticals. Within the first six months, the project saw a 20% market penetration and a 15% increase in overall customer engagement
In a Dedicated Projects Section
For a sales manager resume:
Professional Improvement Projects
Sales Performance Improvement Initiative
- Led a team of sales representatives in implementing a new sales methodology and performance management system, resulting in a 15% increase in revenue and a 20% reduction in sales cycle time.
For a customer service manager resume:
Projects
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Implementation:
- Acted as project lead and managed the implementation of a new CRM system, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems and processes. Defined system requirements, oversaw data migration, and provided user training, resulting in improved customer data management and increased sales efficiency.
For a high school teacher resume:
Leadership Projects
- Developed, implemented and acted as facilitator for the Student Leadership Development program to empower students to take on leadership roles within the school community. Increased student participation in leadership activities by 25%, improved communication and collaboration skills by 30%, and fostered a sense of responsibility and ownership among students.
Tips to Write Projects on a Resume
- Always make it relevant to the application. Whether you’re using your resume to apply to graduate school or for the next role in your career, a project should highlight the knowledge, skills and experience you bring to the table.
- Include numbers and metrics. Quantifying your project results shows you’re able to provide results.
- Use bullet points and clear language. Make an easy-to-read section and avoid using jargon that could confuse the reader, even if your project is in a highly technical area. The resume reader might not be as familiar with the topic.
- Add links when possible. If your project lives online or has feedback available online, let the hiring manager see with their own eyes what you’re able to accomplish.
- Run an ATS resume checker test. Confirm your resume can be parsed correctly through the application tracking system even after including projects.
Make a resume with MyPerfectResume
Our Resume builder can help you write the perfect resume. Start Now!
Key Takeaways
- Projects are a great addition to your resume. They add value by highlighting your skills and experience in a different, yet relevant scenario.
- You can list any project on a resume, as long as it is relevant to the application.
- Carefully choose which section should hold your project: education for projects worked on as a student or work experience for projects related to a specific role.
- Build a dedicated project section to include different yet related projects.
- Include the project name, your role and results yielded by the project, no matter which section you place in.
- Use action verbs and quantifiable metrics to empower your role in the project and keep the reader engaged.
FAQ
How to list projects on a resume?
To list projects on a resume:
- Choose which projects add value to your resume and application.
- Decide if you want to list them under a specific section, like work or education, where you would include it as an additional bullet point. Or build a dedicated section to list similar or related projects together under one title.
- Follow a format similar to work experience’s role and include the project name, your role in the project and metrics on the project’s outcome.
To highlight your projects favorably, choose a resume format according to your career stage. This will help guide the reader’s eyes.
What projects to put on a resume?
You can list any type of project on your resume. It could be a personal, academic, research, creative or volunteer project, among others. However, a resume is a snapshot of your career. It should be clear and concise, and most importantly, projects should be relevant to the application.
For example, if you’re a great photographer with a vast portfolio, but you’re seeking a role as a data analyst, avoid including it on your resume. Limit your projects on a resume to those that add value to the application and tailor it to the role.
How to put personal projects on a resume?
To include personal projects on a resume, create a dedicated section. You can title it according to the type, for example, Creative Projects or Volunteer Projects. Or, be more specific and title it according to the specific projects, like Community Contribution through Web Development or Entrepreneurial Pursuits. Remember, projects are an optional addition to your resume. Even if your personal project is amazing, do not include it if it doesn’t add value to the application.
Rate this article
How to List Projects on a Resume
Nilda Melissa is a Certified Professional Resume Writer who has written for The Washington Post and Latina Style Magazine. She has a master's in Journalism from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
More Articles by Nilda Melissa Diaz, CPRWOur customers have been hired at:*Foot Note
