Freelance Profile- Creating a poor profile is a bad move for any professional - why add your name to something without making sure it's perfect?
Also, having an incomplete or
outdated profile keeps your employers away from contacting or hiring you. Why will
they employ a person who doesn't have time to craft his online presence?
As one of the requirements is to
make sure that your profile remains complete and up-to-date, some websites -
notably Dr. Job Pro - help you
stand out from the crowd by introducing tips below on creating a freelance
profile that sells your services on any professional platform.
Creating your freelance profile
is easier if you know how to make it smart.
Use Your Real Name
What will happen if people on any
platform know that your name is "Nancy"? Is it a secret?
Selecting strange unprofessional
names will weaken your professional levels and will cost you more clients.
Use your real full name; no need
for any abbreviations. Nancy M. or N.Cuttygirl both will harm your brand and
keep clients away from your profile.
Use The First-Person Narration
Using "I" and
"Me" in your freelance profile isn't an option. You're not narrating
a story.
It's also not a company profile,
so do not make lists of your vision and mission.
The perfect summary should be no
more than 200 characters stating your added value.
Upload A Professional Profile
Picture
If you were a highly professional
employer, would you hire someone using a selfie photo? Or a photo with his
family or friends?
If you reply honestly, you'll say
"No."
So, your profile picture plays a significant
role while talking about "the first impression," as it's the first
thing that the client sees before deciding to review your profile.
Your photo should be friendly,
smiley, and neat to push the client to know more about you.
It has to "invite" the
project owner to award you the project.
If you can invest in taking a
professional photo at any studio, this will be rewarding.
If not, try to find a friend who
has photography talent and ask him to take a photo of you in a quiet place with
a formal look.
Write an Effective Headline
Following the profile picture,
your headline is the second major section that engages your project owners and
makes them memorable when they need your service.
The perfect headline is clear,
direct, and comes in not more than one line.
Your headline is your
"Selling Job Title." So, if you are a content writer, who depends
heavily on SEO strategies, your headline should be "SEO Content
Writer," instead of " Content Writer," Or "English Instructor,"
instead of "Instructor."
The narrower your headline, the greater
your chances to receive project invitations.
Showcase Your Skills
Most job searching platforms have
today's advanced algorithms that can help rank your profile higher. To impress
the project owners, you've to
impress these algorithms first.
So, it's vital to include your
unique skills "selling points" to help you sell your services as a
freelancer.
To sell your service, you've to
make it clear to the client that you're enthusiastic, committed, and reliable
to get the project. So, mention your skills in the summary, work experience,
portfolio, education, and certifications sections.
To list the skills that win
projects,
- Define your target niche.
- Research the target clients on the freelance career platform.
- Define a list of 10 skills that are commonly used in your niche.
- Use them "naturally" in the abovementioned sections.
For example, if you're a "
web content writer," you'll find that the common most-in-demand skills are
SEO writing, article writing, blogger, digital writer, so your profile should
include these keywords here and there to ensure higher rankings and more
projects as a result.
Reminder! Hashtag these skills
while posting on your profile.
Add A Video Resume
Be different! While most
freelancers ignore filling out the optional sections, you should strengthen
your situation using it. We're now in the age of multimedia, and people watch
videos 3XX more than reading content. So, uploading your video resume will help
you engaging more clients and getting more projects as well.
If you want to make the best use
of this feature, but you're a hopeless introvert, here's how to record a video resume without being on
Camera.
Prove Your Experience Via
Portfolio
Instead of following the
traditional ways of listing down your skills and experience in an endless list
of buzzwords, think about how to prove that you have the skills they need.
Your portfolio should include examples from your past work that conveys your
reliability.
These examples should:
Convey Your skills: A creative
copywriter? Include samples from a previous campaign that achieved high
revenues.
Quantify your skills: Are you a
sales representative who meets and exceeds his monthly target? Show how this
affects the company's monthly profits by using numbers.
Clarify your skills: Everyone
knows what the "writer" do, but not everyone knows what the
"WordPress content writer" does, so your portfolio should demonstrate
clearly what is precisely your job by linking to a previous project you've
worked on for another client, using visuals, and writing a short description
for each project.
Include Your Certificates
It's essential, especially if
you're working in a field that needs continuous learning to be updated with the
latest market trends, like the "IT" sector, for example.
Online courses are a good source
for joining new classes and get certifications by the end.
But, it's not about the number of
certificates. It's about their quality and what they will add to you.
Highlight Your Previous Work
History
Your skills are essential but
where and how you've gained these skills is also necessary.
Your potential clients need to
know who was your previous employers And how you've added value for them.
Add your work experience in chronological
order (from latest to oldest), mentioning briefly your responsibilities and
what you've added to the table.
That will help your clients to
know more about your professional background and your scope of skills.
Additionally, your employment
history section doesn't have only to include your experience working for
employers; it can also include your volunteering, freelancing, online courses, mentorship programs, and extracurricular activities.
Wherever you've added value, it's
worth mentioning.
In the "Other
Experiences" area, you can also include informal activities. That could
involve research projects, competitions, or other hobbies that can help you
demonstrate your worth.
Give Answer to Your Clients'
Question "Why Should I Hire You?"
Clients review your profile to
find what sets you apart from the crowd; why they should hire you.
So, try to find strong reasons by
defining your unique skills. These exceptional skills may include working for a
world-class company, getting a highly specialized educational certificate, or
anything that boosts your outstanding solutions for their problems.
However, be cautious not to
overstate. Everything you put in your profile must be something you can follow
through with when the project needs it.
Broaden Your Profile
Strategically
In the beginning, you've to figure
out ways that help you win in the competitive freelancing market.
You may need to cut your prices in
the beginning then you usually would. It'll be a win-win situation. You'll
receive less to get more clients and build a solid portfolio, and the client
will pay less for high-quality work.
By that time, you'll gain more
clients, feedbacks, and work samples so you can ask for higher rates. It's a
matter of proving your worth first before leveling up your career as an
independent.
Always Be On Your Client's
Radar
Completing your profile doesn't
mean that you did it. As your business grows, you'll need to provide more
robust samples, so keep your profile updated with your latest work.
It's also critical to maintaining
activity after making bids. Before finalizing recruiting choice, many clients
will contact several significant employees with more inquiries. You can make
the worst mistake is making a fantastic bid and then losing your job because
you failed to respond to a basic query on time.
Show Understanding
As a freelancer, showing
understanding is really valuable as you'll be able to provide your clientele
with what they desire, require, and value. Furthermore, it must originate from
a reliable source.
Directly displaying "flexibility"
on your freelance profile can set you apart from the crowd. It demonstrates
that you care and, more importantly, that you are human.
Tailor for your clientele when
putting up your profile—speak their language, identify their potential pitfalls,
and offer suggestions for how you might assist them in resolving them.
Make It Easy to Reach You
State it clearly, where you
provide your services and how the client can contact you.
Many project owners prefer local talents when
they are looking to fill out some positions.
Furthermore, the faster it is to
approach you, the further trustworthy you will be. Then again, one of the most
crucial aspects for clients when employing freelancers is trustworthiness. In
essence, they're entrusting their plan to your skilled hands.
If you're submitting your freelance profile to a job board, the conditions may stipulate that you interact solely through the site. If this is the scenario, leave out any other contact details in case of being suspended or blocked from the site.
Examine and Evaluate Your Profile
You might get ideas from other
freelancers' profiles, but don't forget to make yours creative and exciting.
Also, before you publish your
profile, solicit comments from friends. Another helpful technique is to read
your profile aloud. This is a fantastic way to assess if it fits well, has a
pleasant cadence, and looks like you.
Make A Maintenance Schedule
Your freelancing account isn't a
one-time investment. It does, however, necessitate routine maintenance. You
should modify your internet presence as well, just like updating your
resume or
cover letter.
As a freelancer, your digital
presence is part and parcel of your profile, so learn how to sharpen it so that
you can build a stronger personal brand.
Link to Your Social Media
Accounts
In freelancing, having an online
presence is critical, particularly on
LinkedIn. It's a way to prove your digital skills as well as your communication
skills. Having more followers ensure getting more visibility to obtain
opportunities in your industry.
Although your accounts on Dr. Job
Pro, for example, are private, they help the site identify your preferences and
recommending projects based on data from your activity.
Some Additional Tips for Your
Freelance Profile
Check Your Spelling and Grammar: Before submitting your profile, double-check
it for any grammatical or spelling mistakes. A missing letter can cost you a
project.
Steal It: If you're stumped on what to mention in your
"About" section, take a look at the top-rated freelancer profiles for
inspiration.
Request Testimonials: When a project is finished, most clients will
give feedback right away, but if they don't, don't be hesitant to seek it.
Request Referrals: If your client compliments you on your work,
ask him to recommend you to others.
Finally,
Were these tips helpful to you? Do
you have any additional information that you think might be useful to other
freelancers? Please share it with us in the comment box below.
Wait for a big thing to happen! To
stay updated,