How Long Should The Upwork Cover Letter Be?

Cover letters are an important part of the job application process. They can make or break whether you get the interview. We’ve all seen cover letters that are poorly written, generic, and vague. A good cover letter is one that gets you noticed right away and highlights your experience in a specific way as it relates to this one particular job. 

However, there’s also another side: how long should your cover letter be? Here are some tips on writing your own UpWork cover letter with brevity in mind…

How to Write a Great Cover Letter (with Samples/Examples)
Takeaways
Writing a strong Upwork cover letter is crucial to stand out from the competition and land new clients on the platform.
The ideal length of an Upwork cover letter can vary, but it’s generally recommended to keep it concise and focused, typically between 100-300 words.
Personalizing each cover letter to the specific job and client is essential to demonstrate that you understand their needs and can provide the best solution.
Highlighting your unique skills, experience, and past accomplishments can help you stand out from other freelancers and increase your chances of winning a proposal.
While it may be tempting to use the same cover letter for multiple proposals, taking the time to personalize each proposal can make a significant difference in winning clients on Upwork.

Keep It Short

UpWork’s cover letter is a place for you to introduce yourself, and explain why you are a good fit for the job and what makes you unique. Don’t ramble. Keep it brief and concise because the hiring manager will only read 2-3 sentences before deciding whether or not they want to continue reading your application.

  • Do not include references or skills – if UpWork requires these, they will ask for them during the application process
  • Do not include your resume – this can be viewed as redundant information and may cause confusion with hiring managers who have already reviewed your profile on UpWork (which should have included all of this information)
  • Do not include salary requirements – UpWork does not allow employers to discuss salary until after making an offer

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Customize The Templates

The templates are great for helping you get started, but you should feel free to adjust them to meet your needs. For example, if you’re applying for a job that requires a very specific skillset, be sure to highlight those skills in the cover letter they should be the focus of the first paragraph.

If you know that one of your qualifications will stand out more than others, make sure it’s mentioned early on as well.

The best way to write an Upwork Cover Letter is by following these three steps:

  • Write multiple drafts and edit each one carefully; don’t expect perfection right away!
  • Use our cover letter samples as inspiration rather than exact templates; personalize them however makes sense given your own goals and experience!
  • Don’t forget about formatting (like fonts or spacing), which can help make things easier on readers’ eyes =)

Keep It Between 2 To 3 Paragraphs

When you’re writing a cover letter, keep it short. The idea is to get the reader interested in a few paragraphs. If they can’t read your letter in one sitting and understand what you want to say, they probably won’t read much more than that.

When writing your cover letter, use simple language and don’t try too hard to impress by using big words or long sentences. Your goal should be to make it easy for the reader to understand what you’re saying without having to pause and think about how best you could express yourself.

And finally, don’t repeat yourself throughout this first paragraph or any other part of your application! This will only serve as a filler instead of giving employers insight into why exactly you’re qualified for their job opening.

Address The Client By Their Name (Where Possible)

When addressing the client, don’t use general terms like “Dear Sir/Madam”. Instead, try to address them by their name (where possible). This helps make your cover letter more personal and will give you an advantage over other applicants.

When writing a cover letter that you know will be used for multiple jobs, it’s important to use different salutations based on which company you’re applying for. This is because it shows that you’re putting time into researching each opportunity before sending in your application. For example:

  • If you are applying for a job at Company A, address the cover letter “Dear [Name of Recruiter]”.
  • If you are applying for a job at Company B or C and know that they have similar requirements as Company A (like working hours or education level), then address this particular recruiter as “Dear [Recruiter Name].”

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Always Start With A Brief Introduction Of Yourself

  • Always start with a brief introduction of yourself.
  • Include your name, location, and contact information.
  • Briefly explain why you want to work for the client: what do they offer that excites you? Are there any other reasons why you believe they would be an excellent fit?
  • Detail your experience in relevant fields: if the job is for an administrative assistant, mention that you have years of experience working with spreadsheets, office software, and social media platforms; if it’s a marketing position at a tech startup, tell them about how many campaigns have been successfully launched under your supervision; etc.

Tell The Client What They Will Get Out Of Hiring You

When writing an Upwork cover letter, it’s important to be confident and explain why you are the best candidate for this job. Explain what you can do for your client and what benefits they will get out of hiring you over other candidates. 

If you have a unique selling proposition (USP), mention it in your Upwork cover letter as well. Make sure that your USP is relevant to them or else they won’t care about anything else that follows after that point.

Mentioning your strengths is also important because you want potential clients who are looking at your profile to see them clearly. 

You need these strengths highlighted so that potential clients can easily find them when reading through all the information on the site instead of having to dig through pages worth of content just trying find something specific about yourself without knowing what exactly would interest other people reading through everything else!

Be Specific

In your cover letter, be specific. Use specific examples to back up your claims. Specific examples of your achievements, skills, experience, and qualifications are great ways to impress hiring managers on Upwork.

If you’ve had an internship with a company that is similar to the one you’re applying for, say so in your cover letter! You can even go as far as highlighting some of the projects that you worked on during this internship and how it will help you excel in this job role at this specific company.

Or if there’s been a position that has been particularly challenging or exciting for you before (maybe because it required more responsibility than usual), then mention it here! This kind of thing makes employers notice because they know that if someone was able to handle a difficult situation well in their past experiences then chances are they’ll also be able to handle similar challenges when working at their company too!

Craft A Killer Opening Sentence That Gets You Noticed Right Away

The first sentence is your opportunity to grab the reader’s attention and make a memorable impact. Use it wisely. Here are five ways to get started:

  • Start with a question that immediately piques the reader’s interest in your skills and experience for the job (example: “Do you want someone who can get things done?”).
  • Tell an anecdote about yourself or otherwise connect with the reader on a personal level (example: “I’ve been called ‘the Michelangelo of copywriters'”).
  • Make an assertion that summarizes what you have to offer and relates directly back to what they’re looking for in their ideal candidate (example: “I’m highly experienced in developing marketing campaigns that drive results”).
  • State facts about yourself or your experience directly related to skills listed in their job description (example: “My background includes over 10 years of experience doing digital marketing at companies such as Xyz Corp”).

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Carefully Analyze The Job Description And Highlight Your Experience

Start by carefully analyzing the job description. The best way to do this is to write down all of the responsibilities and duties listed in the job posting, then identify which ones you most closely match. Think about how your background and experience specifically related to those responsibilities.

For example: Let’s say you’re applying for a social media manager position at an eCommerce company. You might notice that this company wants someone who “has experience with Facebook ads” and “is familiar with Google Analytics.” That doesn’t necessarily mean that only experience using Facebook ads or familiarity with Google Analytics qualifies someone for this role it could also mean that they want someone who has both! If you’ve managed social media campaigns before, but haven’t used Facebook ads or Google Analytics before, it’s good news: you’re still qualified!

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Give Examples Of Success That Proves Your Abilities

A cover letter is a sales pitch for your services, but it can be more than that if you make it stand out by including real-life examples of how well you have done what the client needs. Give specific examples that prove your abilities in terms of the job description and then explain how they apply to this particular job opportunity. This will help convince employers that they should hire you because they know exactly why hiring you would be beneficial to them.

Write Each Cover Letter For Each Job Application Based On Job Description

  • Don’t use a template. A lot of people think it’s okay to use templates, but that’s not the case—it’s better for you to write each cover letter for each job application based on job description.
  • Don’t just copy and paste. At first glance you might think that this is okay since most employers require applicants to send in their resume anyway (and therefore also their cover letters), but there are some issues with doing this:
  • It shows laziness on your part
  • If a person is reading hundreds or thousands of applications, they will probably notice if one applicant’s cover letter looks exactly like another applicant’s cover letter. This could make them doubt both individuals’ intentions and create negative feelings towards them in general.
  • Don’t just use the same cover letter for every job application – do research! If you can find out more about the company/client beforehand then definitely do so – it will help with writing an effective query email as well as developing an appropriate response when contacted by someone from that company who finds your profile interesting enought o contact via email first before actually looking through all other candidates who have applied online through Upwork itself!

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Conclusion

These are just a few tips to help you write your cover letter. The most important thing is to always act as if you were talking with someone in person. If you can do that, you will be able to get your message across effectively every time!

Further Reading

The Cover Letter: How Long Is Best for Proposal?: This thread on the Upwork community forum offers valuable insights from experienced freelancers on the ideal length of cover letters for proposals.

How to Write a Killer Upwork Cover Letter (with Real Samples): This comprehensive guide provides valuable tips and examples to help freelancers craft a compelling cover letter that stands out on Upwork.

Upwork Cover Letter: The Ultimate Guide: This guide offers a comprehensive overview of Upwork cover letters, with valuable tips and examples to help freelancers write a winning proposal.

FAQs

What is an Upwork cover letter?

An Upwork cover letter is a written proposal that freelancers submit to clients when applying for a job on the Upwork platform. The cover letter is intended to introduce the freelancer, highlight their skills and experience, and convince the client that they are the best fit for the job.

How long should an Upwork cover letter be?

The ideal length of an Upwork cover letter can vary depending on the job and the client’s preferences. However, it’s generally recommended to keep the cover letter concise and focused, typically between 100-300 words.

What should be included in an Upwork cover letter?

An effective Upwork cover letter should include a personalized greeting, a brief introduction of the freelancer, a summary of their relevant skills and experience, and a strong closing statement that encourages the client to consider their proposal.

How can I make my Upwork cover letter stand out?

To make your Upwork cover letter stand out, it’s important to personalize your proposal to the specific job and client, highlight your unique skills and experience, and provide evidence of your past successes and accomplishments.

Can I use the same Upwork cover letter for multiple proposals?

While it’s tempting to use the same cover letter for multiple proposals to save time, it’s generally not recommended. It’s important to personalize each cover letter to the specific job and client to demonstrate that you have read the job description and understand the client’s needs.