How to create an appealing Upwork profile to attract clients

Upwork easily comes to mind when thinking of freelance jobs from home for beginners. It is a great platform where you can find jobs as a freelancer.

There are many freelancing opportunities on Upwork, but the space has grown competitive, especially recently. The Upwork community recently reported over 100,000 freelancers signed up on the platform, and a sizable number of these are hung up on each job a client uploads. Therefore to maintain a step above the competition, you need to fill out your profile properly.

A professional overview of Upwork profiles makes it easy to see where freelancers are getting it wrong or right. This article will enlighten you on how to create a standard profile that will easily catch the eye of clients.

You'll learn:

• How to properly fill out a profile on Upwork

• How to write a professional overview on Upwork

• Upwork profile examples

But let's delve into why all these are relevant.

Why you should fill out your Upwork profile properly

Every Upwork client faces the dilemma of choosing the top skilled amongst the influx of freelancers who have pitched their proposals. Predictably, they take a profile overview of all freelancers who have applied and make their pick.

No client wants to hire a freelancer who is unsuitable for the job. Aside from the proposals the freelancers use to apply for the job, the next target is a freelancer's profile.

Ensuring your Upwork profile is set up properly, in the grand scheme of things, is one of the freelancing hacks you ought to know, especially as a freelancer figuring out how to get started freelancing. 

How to properly fill out an Upwork profile

Looking at a sample Upwork profile, one can see all the sections that must be completed to create a complete profile. It is important to note that completing your profile is an important step in creating an outstanding profile that will bring you quick freelance jobs.

Job titles, Upwork profile overview, portfolio, certifications, payment rate, education, employment history, experience level, and other sections should be completed. Some of the sections below are especially relevant to creating an excellent Upwork sample profile.

Add Freelance job titles

Your job title is one of the first things seen on a freelancer's profile on Upwork. This implies that you have to be very intentional about your job title. 

Titles also appear in the search bar and job listing, so it would be wise to optimize your title to rank higher on profile searches. This would increase your chances of getting a job and being invited to apply.

Many freelancers on Upwork use a generic name, making it harder for their profile to stand out among many others. For example, a freelance writer would often use the job title 'Expert Content Writer' or 'Professional Content Writer.' For a fact, many other freelance writers on Upwork may be using the same title.

It is more profitable to use specific titles such as 'Front-end Developer' rather than just 'Professional Web Developer' or 'Tech Innovations Content Writer' rather than plain 'Content Writer.'

Set up an Upwork portfolio

Your portfolio displays your work and gives clients a chance to see your professional skills at play. Even if you are a newbie on Upwork, it is strongly advised that you have a portfolio to make your job search easier. If you haven't done any jobs that you can display yet, task yourself and write some articles relating to the niche you intend to freelance in. Then upload them to your portfolio. 

For the most part, clients are not interested in you singing your praises. They'd rather see what work you've done before to help them determine if you are the right fit for the job they have listed. 

Since the first four items are displayed at first sight in the portfolio section on your profile, it is advised that you at least have that same number of works in your portfolio. This gives an impression of professional experience. 

Fill up your Upwork skills section

When selecting your top skills for your profile, Upwork allows a maximum of ten skills. This means you have to pick the best ten of your skills to be attached to your profile. 

This is when you get to the individual specifics of your freelance expertise. For instance, if you are a freelance designer, you can select skills depicting all kinds of designs you're good at here.

These skills are important because a client posting a job would often select the skills needed in a freelancer to complete that job. This helps narrow down the search, and if your skills match, it helps you rank higher for the job.

Include your certifications 

For some clients, certifications don't matter, but it's a bonus to have that to make your profile even more professional. 

Upwork allows certifications that can be accessed and verified online, so if you have completed any courses relevant to your job title, you may upload your certification(s) on your profile.

Include a professional overview

A profile overview is like a detailed summary of your skills and what you have to offer your clients. It's like your very first pitch, which is why it has to be the best.

Your profile overview for Upwork is of the utmost importance. Upwork algorithm shows the first eighty characters of freelancers' profile overview in search results. A little over five hundred characters are displayed in a profile search, and a client would have to go the extra mile to see the entire overview. 

This means that you shouldn't waste time with introductions or pleasantries while drafting your profile overview. When your profile appears before a client in a search, you need to get a compelling message across, or part of it, in those first eighty characters.

Get straight into the specifics of what you have to offer, either in one compelling sentence or outrightly listing your skills. 

Upwork profile examples

To give you a clearer insight into what we have been talking about, we would illustrate by providing samples of what successful Upwork profiles look like and, in the process, tell you what not to include in your profile.

Notice that in this profile, the freelancer made it all about the client and didn't essentially focus on her own skills. Clients are only interested in how you'd help them get the job done, not particularly what your credentials are.

This freelancer began his profile with reviews and testimonials from previous clients, which is a great way to get more freelancing jobs if you're already in the business. 

Note how this sample screenshot of an Upwork freelancer's profile is focused on personal achievements and skills rather than what can be offered to the client as value. This is one way not to write your overview and present your profile. 

Starting and advancing your freelance career

Whether you have been in the freelance business for a while now or are new to the field, having your website attached to your profile is one way to increase your professionalism.

One great tool you can explore is Workee. Workee is a platform for freelancers working with clients online via video link. It contains a calendar for booking lessons, video links, service billing, and instant online tax payment. Workee is a perfect description of a free modern website that can help you increase visibility by allowing you to highlight your freelance history. 

Workee also serves as a platform to display your portfolio for potential clients to see. Get started today.

Conclusion 

Landing quick freelance jobs are made readily easy when you take the time to work on your profile. Following this guide, you can scale that hurdle and be well on your way to building the freelance career of your dreams.