Overview
Getting your first copywriting job is a catch-22: agencies want to see a portfolio, but you cannot build one without clients. The solution is to create your own opportunities. Freelance for local businesses, write for the student newspaper, volunteer for a charity. The work you produce matters more than who paid you for it.
Hannah Whitfield graduated from Leeds Beckett University with an English and Creative Writing degree. She built a freelance copywriting portfolio while studying, edited the student newspaper for two years, and worked at Waterstones. Her resume works because she has already done the job before applying for the job.
What Makes This Resume Work
The freelance section proves she can deliver. Hannah wrote website copy for 6 clients, created a 12-email welcome sequence that generated £2,400 in first-month sales, and wrote over 25 product descriptions for a Shopify store. She also maintained a 100% on-time delivery record. This is not someone who "wants to get into writing." This is someone who has been doing it, with measurable results.
The student newspaper role shows editorial skill. Two years as editor means she can manage a team, meet deadlines, and maintain a publishing schedule. She edited 4 print editions and managed 12 writers. For agencies looking at junior copywriters, knowing someone can also edit and manage content is a bonus.
Waterstones is not filler. The staff recommendation cards she wrote are essentially short-form copy that had to persuade customers to pick up a book. Three of hers were selected for the branch's monthly picks. It is a small detail, but it shows she thinks about writing even outside of formal roles.
Key Takeaways
If you want to be a copywriter, start writing for real clients before you graduate. Freelancing for local businesses costs nothing to start, and the work gives you both portfolio pieces and metrics to put on your resume. Open rates, sales figures, and follower growth all count. A portfolio website does not need to be fancy, but it needs to exist. Include a link on your resume. Agencies and in-house teams hire junior copywriters who can show they have already done the work.
