With nearly 45% of American workers reporting a side gig, the side hustle is a mainstream method for developing skills and pursuing passions. This has left many job seekers asking if this work should appear on a professional resume. Understanding how to strategically position your side hustle can be a powerful tool, transforming it from a source of extra income into a compelling narrative of your ambition and capabilities.
Deciding If You Should Include Your Side Hustle
The decision to add a side hustle to your resume hinges on its relevance to the job you are targeting. The most compelling reason to include it is when the work showcases skills and experiences that directly align with the prospective role. For instance, a freelance social media management gig is highly relevant for a marketing position, as it demonstrates practical expertise in content creation, audience engagement, and digital strategy. These ventures are excellent for showcasing initiative and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Including a side project can also be a strategic way to fill a gap in your employment history. Having something on your resume to account for your time is often better than leaving a recruiter to guess about a period of unemployment. Even if the work isn’t directly related to your career path, it shows that you remained productive and continued to develop skills like time management and customer service.
Conversely, there are clear reasons to omit a side hustle. If the work is completely unrelated to the job you’re applying for, it can act as a distraction. A potential conflict of interest is another major concern; a hiring manager might worry that your side business will detract from your focus and commitment to the full-time role. You should also consider leaving off any venture that could be seen as controversial or that is too new to have produced meaningful, quantifiable results.
Where to Place Your Side Hustle on Your Resume
Once you’ve decided to include your side hustle, the next step is determining its proper location on your resume. The placement sends a signal about its significance relative to your other experiences. The two primary options are to integrate it into your main “Professional Experience” section or to create a separate, dedicated area.
For side hustles that are highly relevant to your target job, substantial in scope, and have a significant history of achievements, listing them within the “Professional Experience” section is the best approach. This treats the work with the same weight as any other professional role. You should list it in reverse chronological order alongside your other jobs, ensuring the format is consistent with other entries.
If your side hustle is less directly related, or if you have multiple projects you want to showcase without cluttering your main work history, creating a separate section is a more effective strategy. Titles for this section could include “Entrepreneurial Projects,” “Consulting Work,” or “Freelance Experience.” This positioning allows you to account for the experience and highlight transferable skills without making it seem like your primary career focus.
How to Format and Describe Your Side Hustle
The way you describe your side hustle is what gives it power. You must frame it as a professional endeavor with tangible results. This begins with selecting an appropriate and professional title that clearly communicates your role and expertise. Avoid generic terms like “Side Hustle” or overly grand titles like “CEO” of a small operation. Instead, opt for specific and recognized titles such as “Freelance Graphic Designer,” “E-commerce Founder,” or “Content Strategist.”
When writing the description, focus on accomplishments rather than just duties. Use strong action verbs to start each bullet point and, whenever possible, quantify your achievements with specific metrics. For example, instead of saying you “managed social media,” you could state that you “Grew Instagram follower count by 40% in six months through targeted content strategy.” Numbers related to client growth, revenue generated, or traffic increases provide concrete evidence of your impact.
A key part of the description is highlighting the transferable skills that are relevant to the job you want. Carefully read the job description of your target role and identify the qualifications the employer is seeking. Then, tailor your bullet points to show how your side hustle has given you direct experience with those skills, whether it’s project management, client relations, or digital marketing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Presenting your side hustle effectively requires avoiding several common pitfalls that can undermine your professionalism. One frequent error is using informal or overly casual language. Your resume is a professional marketing document, and every entry, including your side business, should reflect that. Avoid slang or titles that sound like hobbies rather than legitimate work.
Another major mistake is failing to quantify your accomplishments. Vague descriptions like “handled customer inquiries” are far less impactful than “resolved 20+ customer tickets daily.” Without specific data, you miss the opportunity to demonstrate the true value and success of your work. Providing concrete figures shows the impact of your efforts.
Be careful not to include overly personal or irrelevant details. While you may be passionate about your venture, the hiring manager is interested in your professional qualifications, not your life story. Your side project should be presented as a complement to your primary career path, not as your main focus.