How to List Projects on Resume – Academic & Personal Examples | Placed Blog
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How to List Academic and Personal Projects on Resume (Proven Formats)
Step-by-step tips to highlight personal and academic projects that strengthen your resume and impress recruiters.
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Rakib Uddin
Published September 21, 2025, 5:24 AM
Table of Contents
As a beginner or recent graduate, it can be hard to present information clearly on your resume. You have a list of achievements, such as a research paper, a final-year project, freelance work, or other initiatives, but you're unsure how to present them effectively.
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That's why including projects on a
resume
can be invaluable.
In this blog, we will show you how to list projects on a resume and explain how to feature them properly to make yourself stand out from the crowd.
But yes, there are several types of projects available online. And among them, you have to know the specific ones that can make your resume complete.
Here, we have compiled a table of projects commonly listed on a resume, which can provide you with a better understanding.
Type of Project
Examples
Best For
Academic Projects
Thesis, research paper, coursework projects, group case studies
Professional Projects
Client work, company initiatives, campaigns, data development
Freelance/
Consulting
Technical/
IT Projects
Creative Projects
Blogs, copy writing, branding, design, video editing, photography
Volunteer/
Extracurricular
Personal Projects
Blogs, YouTube channels, open-source, personal website, side hustles
So, Why Listing Projects Matters on a Resume?
Adding projects to your resume is a powerful way to demonstrate your abilities to employers. It shows clear evidence of what you can accomplish.
Instead of simply listing skills, projects showcase your skills, experience, and achievements to employers or recruiters, providing a more comprehensive view of your capabilities.
Here are more detailed reasons why projects matter on a resume:
Projects can also showcase your soft skills, such as communication, collaboration, and leadership, as well as hard or technical skills relevant to the role.
For students, fresh graduates, or career changers, projects can bridge experience gaps and show your eagerness to learn.
Undertaking and completing projects proves you are proactive, results-focused, and able to exceed routine job expectations.
Listing projects often sparks questions from recruiters. It provides you with the opportunity to delve deeper into your experience.
A well-described project paints a comprehensive picture of your capabilities, helping your resume stand out from the crowd.
How to List Projects on a Resume
Now that we know the basics, let's explore how to list projects on a resume. Here are the steps you can follow:
1. Identify Key Skills to Highlight
The first step is to identify the key skills that best suit your resume.
Because recruiters nowadays aren't just interested in what you did. They want to know the real value of your words, how you make, and what abilities you bring to the table.
To do so, consider revisiting the job posting to understand what the company is looking for in a candidate. These hiring postings outline the qualifications that employers seek in future hires, and candidates with these skills have a better chance of getting hired.
So, select your skills and showcase them on your resume. Here are examples of how you can choose your skills:
If you worked on a university research paper, highlight skills such as data collection, critical thinking, and report writing.
If you develop a personal blog or app, you need to build writing skills such as content strategy, SEO, or programming.
2. Select the Relevant projects
When adding projects to your resume, ensure you only include those most relevant to the position you're applying for.
You don't have to show hiring managers everything you've ever done, like most beginner does. Recruiters only prioritize the work that aligns with the job role.
So, pick projects that highlight your skills, problem-solving abilities, or teamwork experience that match the job role.
For example, if you are applying for:
Academic/Research role: List your "Data Analysis Project," where you used Python to analyze survey findings instead of irrelevant coursework.
Digital Marketing role: You can say that you have done a Social Media Growth Project that boosted Instagram engagement by 40% in 3 months.
Software Developer role: Highlight your 'E-commerce Website Project' where you built a responsive site with payment integration (instead of a group project for school that wasn't connected).
3. Decide Where & How to Showcase Projects on Your Resume
Third is the project's placement. Where you place your projects on your resume depends on their relevance and strength.
Here are some common locations you can use:
You can mention what you did at each of your prior jobs under each job description.
If you have multiple projects to list, you may create a separate projects section in your resume.
Alternatively, if you have school-related projects, such as senior projects or those from training courses, you can list them in the education section.
Remember, placing projects effectively makes it easier for employers to read. In addition to the ATS system, ensure they can quickly see your top work.
4. Make a Format & Describe Each Project
The format also matters for projects. Each project entry in your resume follows a consistent format that clearly and easily highlights your contributions.
The best thing you can do is:
Give each of your projects a short, descriptive name.
Include the dates you worked on or are working on the project, such as the month and year.
Use 2–4 concise bullet points to describe your contributions and achievements.
Start with an action verb, such as "developed," "designed," or "analyzed," to convey your direct involvement.
Describe your specific actions and the tools and technologies you used.
Craft your results with possible numbers, percentages, or dollar amounts.
Use the CAR (Circumstance, Action, Results) method to create effective descriptions.
Here’s an example:
Real-Life Examples of Listing Projects on a Resume
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional, examples always provide a better understanding of a topic.
Check out these examples of how we are including projects in a CV:
Academic Projects on Resume
Academic projects should be listed in your education section as either a bullet point or a short paragraph below your degree information (such as university name, extracurricular activities, and academic awards).
Here's how you can add academic projects to your resume:
Give your project a name
Include dates (or the semester it took place)
Add a short description highlighting any necessary skills or experience outlined in the the job description.
Academic project example
EDUCATION
Massachusetts Institute of Technology- Cambridge, MA
Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics
Expected Graduation date: May 20XX
Mathematics Research Project
(Capstone Project | May 2024- Apr 20XX)
Led a team of 4 students in developing predictive models for urban traffic optimization under faculty supervision.
Utilized R and Python to process 50,000+ patient records, implementing chi-square tests and logistic regression models.
Note: Candidates often use their grades or CGPA on their resume. However, nowadays, HR or ATS systems are not typically interested in grades. So, skip it.
For more examples, check out this blog on academic projects on a resume.
Personal Projects on Resume
Your personal projects are likely unrelated to your education or work experience.
Nevertheless, you must include your personal projects on your resume. Create a dedicated section for them and title it “Personal Projects” or “Relevant Projects.”
Here’s how to add personal projects to your resume:
Provide a project name and the dates you worked on it.
Include bullet points that accurately describe what the project entailed.
Highlight any qualifications and skills you gained from the experience.
Here’s an example of how a candidate lists his travel blog on a resume when applying for a Content writer role at a travel company.
Personal project example
PERSONAL PROJECTS
vromonbuzz.com
August 20XX-Present
Create and curate engaging, culturally sensitive blog content about Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina, tailored for American tourists.
Receive 2,000 visitors monthly, and personally engage with 50+ weekly through online comments and emails.
Design visually appealing graphics and infographics using Canva and Adobe Photoshop to enhance social media posts and improve shareability.
Volunteer Projects on Resume
If you don’t have academic or personal projects on your bucket list, consider adding volunteer projects to your resume.
Nowadays, universities offer a variety of volunteer projects within their organizations or clubs. Or you have volunteer experience from outside your region.
So, list them. Listing volunteer projects shows employers that you’re self-driven, and can be an excellent opportunity to highlight your transferable skills.
Here’s how to list volunteer projects on your resume:
Give your volunteer project a name.
Mention where you volunteered (including city, state)
Indicate how long you spent on the project.
Include either a short paragraph or an extra bullet point describing what you accomplished.
In this resume example, the applicant fills the space with a volunteer teaching experience to demonstrate the value of this candidate to the recruiter.
Volunteer project example
Community Learning Center
Santa Rosa, California
June 20XX – Present (5 months)
Assisted high school students in understanding algebra, geometry, and calculus concepts through one-on-one sessions
Created simple problem sets and practice quizzes to improve learning outcomes
Helped increase student test scores by an average of 15% over the semester
Freelance projects can be added under your professional experience section, or you can list them in a separate “Freelance” section.
Listing freelance projects on your resume highlights your ability to work remotely, deliver results, and manage clients.
Here’s how to list a freelance project in your resume:
Give your freelance project a name and list it alongside the company's name.
Mention a location if applicable.
Include either a short paragraph or an extra bullet point describing your duties and responsibilities for the project, as well as what you achieved.
Add the start and end dates of the project (if it’s still underway, add “ongoing” after the project name).
Here’s an example of how to include a freelance programming project in your work experience section.
Freelance project example
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Freelance Web Developer (ShopEase)
New York, NY
January 20XX – April 20XX (4 months)
Completely overhauled an existing e-commerce platform to improve user experience, mobile responsiveness, and conversion rates using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, React.js, Node.js, MongoDB, and AWS.
Optimized site performance, reducing page load times by 60% and improving SEO rankings
Common Mistakes to Avoid when Listing Projects
When job seekers add projects to their resumes, they often make minor but costly mistakes that weaken their resumes.
Here are some things you should not do when you list projects:
Adding too many irrelevant projects can divert attention away from your best work.
Being unclear is another mistake. Saying things like "worked on a project" without showing results or how you did it.
Some candidates also list projects without providing any background information, such as the role they played, the tools they utilized, or the results they achieved.
Another problem is formatting. Recruiters and ATS systems can both get confused by layouts that are too busy or styles that don't match.
Lastly, refrain from sharing too much about small class tasks or unfinished projects unless they clearly demonstrate functional abilities.
Conclusion on How to List Projects on a Resume
So, we have discussed the ways to list projects on a resume. Whatever your projects are, listing any of them will strengthen your resume.
It shows your skills, dedication, and real achievements. You can fill in gaps in your work history and highlight your leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
However, the resume and cover letter are also important. A thoughtful copy can further increase your hiring chances.
Tools like Placed today help you create a professional resume and cover letter in just minutes. Plus, it'll make your application look polished and professional.
Try it out!
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