10 Reasons You Should Write A Cover Letter For Your Upwork Job

Congratulations on taking the first step in your Upwork career!

The following 10 reasons will help you understand why writing a cover letter for your job is so important.

Upwork Cover Letter for total BEGINNERS [FULL TEMPLATE!]
Takeaway
1. Increased Job Opportunities
2. Showcase Your Skills and Expertise
3. Stand Out from the Competition
4. Personalize Your Approach to Clients
5. Address Client’s Specific Needs
6. Demonstrate Professionalism
7. Highlight Relevant Experience
8. Express Enthusiasm for the Project
9. Build Trust and Credibility with Clients
10. Improve Your Upwork Profile and Reputation

1. It Tells Them You’re Serious About The Job.

A cover letter is your chance to show that you’re serious about the job and care enough to put in the extra effort. You want them to know that this isn’t just another formality a chance for you to say “I’ve submitted my resume, now hire me!” Instead, it’s an opportunity for you to explain why they should hire you specifically.

You may think your resume does all the talking for itself, but there are so many other applicants who have similar qualifications! If a hiring manager doesn’t see why they should pick out one applicant over another (or even just doesn’t recognize that he or she needs an assistant), then what’s going to happen? 

He won’t read past his first paragraph and he’ll move on to someone else without knowing how great of a candidate he was passing up on!

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2. It Tells Them More About You

The cover letter is one of the best ways to tell a hiring manager more about yourself and why you’re right for their position. The hiring manager will be able to see how you communicate and can get a feel for your personality. 

You can use the cover letter to discuss topics that you wouldn’t have been able to fit on your resume, such as why you’re passionate about certain things or what makes you unique as a candidate. You can also talk about any hobbies or interests that might not be reflected in other parts of your application materials.

You should also use this opportunity to show off your sense of humor! If they’re going to be spending time with you every day (and depending on the job), they need something else than just professionalism and skills at work here – so go ahead and crack some jokes!

3. It Helps Ensure That You’re A Good Fit For The Job And Vice Versa.

The cover letter is an opportunity for you and the client to get to know each other, making sure that you’re both a good fit for the job at hand. 

You can use this time to briefly explain your skills and experience, and explain how they will benefit the project. In return, they should be able to tell you what they’re looking for in terms of work style, timeline, and budget.

If there is something specific about their project that you don’t feel comfortable doing or if there are resources available that might help make their project possible (such as someone else who could assist with some aspect of it), mention these things here too!

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4. You Can Use It As A Way To Highlight Stuff From Your Portfolio Or Resume

Writing a cover letter is a great way to highlight stuff from your portfolio or resume.

Your cover letter allows you to tailor your application to the client’s specific request and needs. In fact, some employers only look at cover letters before they make an offer because they want to see how well you can write in their industry.

Writing an effective cover letter is essential because it helps ensure that you’re a good fit for the job and vice versa. If there are gaps between what you’ve written on your resume versus what was requested by the employer, then those gaps won’t be filled in until after an interview has been scheduled (if ever).

5. It Allows You To Tailor Your Application To The Client’s Specific Request And Needs

When you write a cover letter for your Upwork job, it gives you a chance to show the client that you’ve read their job description. This is a good time to bring up any areas of experience or skills that may be relevant for the job. You can also use this opportunity to highlight any past work experience with similar companies or projects.

This is also where you should mention if there are any other ways in which your background has prepared you for this position. 

Try to tie in anything from previous work experience, volunteer work, school projects, and personal interests into how they relate back to the job description’s requirements and/or goals of this project as needed by using contextual links between them (e.g., “I learned how X works when working on Y project at Z company”).

Using these details will allow clients to look through resumes & cover letters to see what sets yours apart from others!

6. It Increases Your Chances Of Getting Noticed By The Right People

You can do this by making sure your cover letter is short, sweet, and to the point. And by that, we mean to make it as short as possible.

This is because attention spans are shorter than ever on Upwork. Your cover letter needs to be crisp and clear so that employers can get an idea of what you’re all about quickly before they move on to your resume or job posting details.

So if you want to increase your chances of getting noticed by the right people, then write a great cover letter!

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7. You Have Far Greater Control Over It Than You Do In An Interview

You have far greater control over the cover letter than you do in an interview. You can customize it to the specific job, including talking about how your skills and abilities will help them achieve their goals with this project. You also have time to think about what to say, unlike during an interview where you may be caught off-guard by a question that catches you unaware.

8. It’s A Chance To Show Off Your Personality, Interests, And Passions Outside Of Work

Your cover letter is a chance to show off your personality, interests, and passions outside of work. It’s important that you’re professional when writing a cover letter for Upwork (or any job). However, there is nothing wrong with showing off your personality by including hobbies or interests that demonstrate you are an all-around well-rounded person.

For example:

“I’ve been running competitively for the past year and have recently started doing marathons.” Or “My favorite hobby is baking cookies.” As long as it doesn’t come across as unprofessional or too silly (for example: “I like sitting in front of the TV watching Netflix”), this can demonstrate that you have more going on than just being able to write amazing scripts for video games!

A compelling proposal can be the key to winning freelance projects. Learn the art of creating freelance proposals that get your clients addicted and increase your chances of securing the gigs you desire.

9. It’s A Chance To Write Something Meaningful, Interesting, And Even Funny 

As long as it’s tasteful – that showcases your creative abilities in addition to your skillset.

When you write a cover letter for your job on Upwork, the first thing to consider is: how do I make this cover letter stand out?

There are two schools of thought here. One school says you should be as creative as possible and show off your personality, humor, and anything else that makes you unique. The other school says that because it’s a “cover” letter, it should be formal and professional. There are pros and cons to both methods (and everything in between).

The best way to approach writing a cover letter is to find a middle ground between these two extremes. You want to showcase your skills while also showing that there’s more than meets the eye (think Sherlock Holmes).

10. It Helps Separate You From The Field Of Applicants Who Won’t Bother With It 

Writing a cover letter can help you stand out from the crowd of other applicants. A cover letter helps show that you want the job and are willing to put in the extra effort it takes to get it, so it makes sense that clients would be more likely to respond positively to your application if they see that you’ve taken the time and energy to write something personalized for them.

Also, because Upwork is a platform where freelancers tend to submit many applications without getting any responses back from clients, writing a cover letter for every job will increase your chances of being seen as a serious candidate. This means more interviews (and job offers) for you!

If you write good cover letters and apply for jobs on Upwork often enough especially if they’re high-paying jobs then eventually clients will start responding back with requests for interviews even when they don’t require one at first glance! In fact… 

I have had this happen multiple times already because I’m willing to go above and beyond what others will do by taking extra steps like drafting personalized letters each time rather than simply submitting generic ones over again each time.*

Your Upwork profile is your digital business card. Ensure yours stands out among the rest by exploring the traits of the best Upwork profiles for freelance success and crafting a compelling online presence to attract potential clients.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve taken the time to read this article and understand why it’s so important to write a cover letter when applying for a job on Upwork.

The main benefits of writing a cover letter are:

  • It allows you to introduce yourself and demonstrate your expertise in the field of your choice, which may not be reflected in your profile summary
  • It shows that you have invested time and effort into getting the job, even if it takes longer than simply sending off an application form or CV by itself
  • It helps give potential employers an idea about what kind of person they’re hiring, rather than just their resume/CV

Further Reading

Morgan Overholt: Mastering the Art of Upwork Cover Letters: Discover expert tips and examples to perfect your Upwork cover letters and increase your chances of landing freelance projects.

eBiz Facts: Writing an Upwork Cover Letter That Stands Out: Learn how to craft a compelling Upwork cover letter that sets you apart from the competition and impresses potential clients.

LearnTrainer: Professional Cover Letter Sample for Upwork: Access a professional cover letter sample tailor-made for Upwork freelancers to enhance your application and win more contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is A Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a document that gives an employer information about you and why you would be a good fit for the job. It should include the following:

  • Your name and contact information
  • Your resume or CV (if attached)
  • The job opportunity you are applying for, including the name of the company and position title

Why Should I Write One?

You should write one because it shows that you care enough to make sure they understand why they should hire YOU! Also, writing a well-thought-out, professional document will show that you know how to communicate effectively in written form. Do not just copy/paste your resume into an email! That isn’t going to get anyone excited about hiring you!

What Should I Say In My Proposal?

It is acceptable to use the cover letter to give your client an idea of what you are capable of. You can mention any previous work that you have done that is relevant but don’t lie about it. If the client wants a certain skill set that you don’t have, they will ask for something else instead.

How Long Should My Cover Letter Be?

A proper length depends on how much information is included in your proposal and resume. The average response time is around 10 days, so if you don’t hear back from the client within this period of time, feel free to send them another message asking if there was anything wrong with your submission.

Should I Send The Same Cover Letter To Every Job I Apply For?

While sending some variation on one basic template will make life easier when applying through UpWork’s system (which doesn’t allow attachments), sending exact copies of each document may lead some potential clients away due to its lack of personalization or uniqueness from other applications submitted at a similar time as yours. 

It could also make them wonder why yours might be better than others.  In general though: no matter what kind of job opening/requirement there may be listed by clients especially those posted directly by users who are looking specifically for someone like YOU! That being said: make sure everything reflects what they need before submitting anything just yet…

Should You Write A Cover Letter For Every Job On Upwork? 

Yes! It’s just good practice to write one, and you want to stand out from the crowd of other applicants.

How Long Should A Cover Letter For Upwork Be? 

Cover letters shouldn’t be more than 500 words (but can be shorter), so make sure your content is concise and focused. If you have questions about what should or shouldn’t go into your Upwork cover letter, check out our guide here!

What Should I Include In My Upwork Cover Letter? 

Explain why you’re interested in the position, share any relevant experience or skills that will help them fill the role, and tell them what sets you apart from other candidates but don’t just repeat everything from your resume! Instead, focus on telling them why they should hire YOU specifically.

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