Should you put your Uber Driver experience on your resume?

Driving for Uber and Lyft has become increasingly popular over the years, currently there are close to 2 million active drivers in the US and over 3 million globally. Rideshare companies allow people to use their own vehicles to generate additional income to their existing regular jobs as well as generating income in between jobs. Most people look at rideshare driving as a part time side gig but about 20% of Uber and Lyft drivers are on a full time basis. The question many people have is whether they should add full-time or part-time work with Uber or Lyft onto their formal resume. 

Many use ridesharing as their main income source while looking for permanent employment or even as part-time work. Does working as an Uber driver look good on your resume? One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is including irrelevant jobs on their resume. The main purpose of your resume is to show that you’re a good fit for the particular position you’re hoping to catch. Including irrelevant ridesharing jobs like Uber or Lyft to your resume will do more harm than good. No hiring manager cares that you drove for Uber or Lyft if it has nothing to do with the position you’re targeting. However, in certain jobs such as package courier, shuttle bus and delivery drivers, personal chauffeur, etc, Uber and Lyft driver experience may be helpful. Stick to education, experience and skills that show you’re a good fit for the exact position you’re applying to, this is the only way to land an interview. Most employers today also use an ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to automatically screen resumes. An average of 75% of resumes are rejected at this stage. Including irrelevant information like ridesharing could confuse the ATS which could mean automatic rejection.

[Opinion] To Include or Not to Include Uber, Lyft driving on your resume?

I personally believe, each job candidate should evaluate their skill set individually and decide to include rideshare driving on their resume. Including your rideshare driving experience on your resume is an excellent way to showcase your skill set. The main challenge is translating your rideshare experience into an applicable ability for your new job. 

There are many benefits that come with including your rideshare history on a resume. For example, it shows you are entrepreneurial. After all, your were running your own business as a rideshare driver. Including your rideshare work will also plug any gaps in your work history which can be major red flags to recruiters and potential employers. Just as important as the decision to include your rideshare work is how you present that experience. You’ll want to highlight the skills you gained and how they can be applied to a new role. For example, if you are applying for a sales position, focus on the customer service skills you developed while working as a rideshare driver.

What About Employment Gaps?

Many take on ridesharing while in school or to generate some income while searching for a permanent job. After being laid off or leaving a job could cause you to have an employment gap which is why many are tempted to include Uber or Lyft on their resume. There are other ways to work around your employment gaps.

Method #1 – Using a Functional Resume Format

There are a few different resume formats you can use and the Functional Format is a good option for those with employment gaps. Instead of focusing on your employment history, the functional resume format emphasizes your actual marketable skills. Its entire objective is to showcase the abilities that you have that would make you a great candidate for the job you’re applying for. It takes the spotlight off your work experience, choosing actual skills over prior jobs.

Method #2 – Include Other Information

You can focus on projects, professional development or other work experience you had to cover up this gap. Did you do any freelance work that’s relevant to the position you're applying for? Were you involved with specific projects for school? Then these can be added in, instead of your Uber and Lyft experience. If the gap was less than two years, don’t worry about trying to cover it up. HR department managers understand that the workplace is currently very different with people changing jobs today more often than any time in history. An employment gap used to be the worst thing for your job search but times have changed. With an estimated 57 million people involved in the gig economy, hiring managers are becoming more accustomed and understanding of applicants. Focus on the skills and experience that shows you’re a perfect match for the position you’re targeting.

When to Definitely Include Ridesharing on Your Resume

You should include ridesharing on your resume in these situations:

1. It’s relevant to the position you’re targeting.

You can include Lyft or Uber on your resume if you’re targeting a similar position like a chauffeur, bus driver, truck driver etc.

2. The job doesn’t require specialized skills or education.

If the position doesn’t require specialized skills, experience or education – then you can include ridesharing. You would include ridesharing like any other position.

How to Best Present Your Rideshare Experience

Keep in mind there are more aspects of rideshare work than most employers might realize. It is important to be explicit so that none of your skills go overlooked. One example of an overlooked ridesharing skill is gross revenue to net earnings conversion. If you’ve ever tracked mileage, noted expenses, and/or documented your income, you have experience as a small business owner. Multitasking is another skill that often goes overlooked in rideshare workers.

Let’s take a detailed look at the duties of a rideshare driver and discuss how the related skills can be highlighted on a resume. While you’re reading through this list, try to think of specific times when you performed these duties or used these skills yourself. This will help down the line when an interviewer asks for examples.

1. Efficiently Transporting Passengers

Successful drivers are efficient drivers, because efficiency means higher profits for a rideshare driver. Some examples of efficiency that can be included on a resume are:

• Optimizing vehicle position to reduce wait times
• Changing schedules to drive during peak times to take advantage of surge pricing
• Planning routes that go by the cheapest gas stations to minimize costs

Highlighting your efficiency shows that you are good at planning and organizing your daily routine. It also shows that you find innovative ways to maximize earnings and don’t waste time.

2. Customer Service

Rideshare drivers interact with customers every single day. Employers love seeing customer service and other people skills on a resume. If possible, provide a specific example of how you’ve demonstrated customer service in your resume or cover letter. For instance, mention the time you dealt with a heavily intoxicated passenger. The ability to deal with aggressive customers is essential in some professions, like security guard or bartender. It also might be worth mentioning your ability to stay level-headed during an emergency. As a rideshare driver, you sometimes receive reviews and ratings. If you have a very high rating and glowing reviews, prominently displays those on your resume.

3. Maintaining a Clean and Presentable Vehicle

Not only is maintaining a clean vehicle a sign of professionalism, but it also shows you pay attention to details. Furthermore, it demonstrates that you can be trusted with expensive equipment. If you are applying for a job as a machine operator on a construction site or in a warehouse with expensive equipment, this might be a particularly valuable addition to your resume.

4. Bookkeeping

As mentioned above, potential employers rarely consider the business side of ridesharing. Most people have no idea how much work goes into running a successful rideshare operation. As a rideshare driver, you are an independent contractor. You are your own boss, and you run your own business. That means that you are responsible for tracking expenses, reporting income, and filing taxes. Tracking mileage and expenses is essential to receiving the largest possible tax deduction. This skill is transferable to any occupation. If the job requires numbers of any kind make sure to reference accurate recordkeeping in your resume.

Drivers are also great at time management as Rideshare drivers do not have the luxury of wasting time. 

5. Multitasking

As every driver knows, multitasking correlates with profitability. At any given time, drivers are navigating busy streets, maintaining conversations, and keeping an eye on upcoming fares.

Being able to handle multiple tasks at once indicates to employers that you don’t get flustered when the pressure is on. It also shows that you can stay organized and focused no matter what happens.

Rideshare Resume Example

This example uses a bulleted list that allows the reader (hiring manager of potential employer) to quickly scan your experience. The skills outlined here focus on the consumer-facing duties of a rideshare driver, as well as the business aspects. This example would be perfect for someone seeking employment in the customer service industry.

Rideshare Driver: May 2017 – June 2019 in Los Angeles

• Ensured that passengers arrived safely at their destination. 
• Focused on customer service
• Completed over 3,000 successful rides with 4.93 out of 5.0 rating scale
• Created an Excel spreadsheet to track mileage, maintenance and other expenses related to my business
• Cultivated relationships for repeat rides
• Stayed level-headed during encounters with aggressive and inebriated passengers. Used humor and customer service to de-escalate potential disputes
• Optimized positioning and schedule to reduce wait times and increase revenue.

At the end of the day, remember that being a rideshare driver is nothing to be embarrassed about, you work hard. Being an independent contractor and remaining profitable takes a great deal of talent. The skills it takes to successfully be your own boss as a rideshare driver are transferable to all sorts of different careers!