Upwork is one of the leading freelance marketplaces. The platform connects freelancers and employers from all over the world, who are looking for the best talent in their fields of expertise. Upwork boasts over 10 million registered freelancers and 4.5 million core active clients, making it a great place to showcase your skills and earn an income while you’re at it.
In this article, I’ll cover ways to showcase your skills on Upwork so that you can attract more clients, get better feedback ratings, and higher payments per hour.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Optimize your Upwork profile to make it stand out from the competition. |
| 2. Highlight your relevant skills and experience to attract potential clients. |
| 3. Use a professional profile picture to create a positive impression. |
| 4. Craft a compelling overview that showcases your expertise and value. |
| 5. Continuously update and refine your profile to stay relevant and competitive. |
Focus On Experience
Focus on your experience. Don’t just list your skills, describe how you’ve used them to solve real problems. Share examples of the work you’ve done and even talk about the projects that you have worked on. In addition to this, including results and data to showcase how efficient your approach was in solving real issues.
Finally, don’t forget about showcasing your portfolio! This is probably the most important part as it showcases all of your past work which potential clients can review before hiring someone like yourself.
Building a strong Upwork profile is the secret ingredient to landing more projects. Learn how to optimize your profile and attract clients by following our guide on The Secret Ingredient That Will Help You Land More Upwork Projects.
Use The Right Keywords
The first step to understanding the best way to showcase your skills on Upwork is to look at the job description. You’re going to want to make sure that you use keywords that appear in the job description. If you don’t have any experience with a certain type of project, then it might be difficult for you to find a good fit for it on platforms like Upwork. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t any jobs available.
Instead of trying your hand at something new (and potentially failing), consider doing some research and seeing how other freelancers are making money in this market space by using one or more of these techniques:
- Using keywords that appear in the job description
- Using popular keywords in your industry
- Using related keywords to your skillset and experience level
Unitize Your Work
Make sure your profile is current and complete. This means that you should have a picture of yourself, short descriptions of your skills and experience, and links to examples of your work. It should also contain a portfolio link so clients can see samples of your previous work.
Write down all the relevant certifications and achievements that back up your experience in different fields as this will help future employers recognize the value of what you offer. You can include things like degrees from university or relevant learning experiences on the job by sharing success stories from previous positions where you were able to achieve something noteworthy for an employer or team.
Always present yourself professionally with clear communication skills when responding to requests for bids on Upwork projects so as not to give off any red flags right away when starting as an independent contractor on this platform (or anywhere else).
In addition, make sure not too many requests end up going unanswered because they were too vague in their description and needed more details before responding effectively
Want to make your Upwork profile stand out from the competition? Our guide on How to Make Your Upwork Profile Stand Out provides valuable tips and strategies to showcase your skills effectively and attract clients.
Provide A Portfolio Link
Providing a link to your portfolio is a great way to show off your best work. It’s also the easiest way for clients to see what you’ve done in the past, and why they should hire you. The best way to do this is by creating a custom portfolio page on your site or blog that highlights only the projects that are most relevant and important.
It’s important not to use generic links like “Portfolio” or “My Projects,” because these don’t tell people anything about what they’re going to see when they visit those pages!
Share Your Success Stories
The best way to showcase your skills is by sharing success stories. You don’t have to be a “rock star” or the “best freelancer,” but you do need to show that you’ve helped past clients in some way.
This can come in many forms, such as:
- Showcasing your expertise
- Showcasing your work
- Telling stories of how you helped other people (in a humble way)
You mustn’t brag about yourself in these posts, and keep them short and sweet it should only take 2 minutes max!
Present Yourself Professionally
Present yourself professionally. Upwork is a business platform, and you need to behave like it. Dress well, be on time, and be polite. If you’re not confident in your skills or abilities then don’t expect clients to hire you long-term just because they want something is done cheaply (or free).
Be positive about yourself and what you do for a living. You are qualified to do the job because of your education and experience with other clients’ projects before this one!
Follow Directions
There’s nothing worse than landing a job opportunity, only to realize that you weren’t the right fit for it. You must pay attention to the job description and follow any client guidelines. If they ask for a resume in PDF format, do not send them your Word doc resume.
Additionally, if they ask for two samples of previous work, make sure those are included in your submission and double-check their spelling and grammar.
Upwork is a powerful platform for freelancers. Discover the best ways to utilize Upwork in your freelancing career by reading our comprehensive guide on The Best Ways to Use Upwork in Your Freelancing Career.
Improve Your Written Communication Skills
Improving your written communication skills is an important part of establishing yourself as a talented freelancer. Upwork recommends using the following tips for demonstrating your ability to communicate well in writing. Provide examples of your writing skills. When you write on Upwork, make sure you use the right words and tone, and be concise and to the point.
Use visual aids like tables or charts where appropriate to simplify or highlight information; bullet points are also helpful for emphasizing key points while saving space on the page (and reducing potential mistakes).
While it’s always nice if a potential client makes an effort to read through your entire proposal before hiring you, they may still want something more concrete than just knowing that “you can write good stuff!” So if possible, provide some evidence of what exactly those good things might be by linking them through relevant sites such as LinkedIn or a personal blog where they can see examples themselves.
Respond To Clients Quickly And Professionally
Responding quickly to clients is a great way to show your commitment and professionalism, which are important qualities in any freelancer. It’s also an easy way to stand out from the crowd.
I always respond professionally to all of my clients, even those who don’t pay on time or communicate poorly. I use their name when I reply so that they know I’m paying attention and that their message matters to me!
Customize Your Cover Letter
When you’re customizing your cover letter, focus on the client’s needs and give it a brief, to-the-point introduction. Don’t just repeat what’s in your profile; tailor this piece to show how you can help them. If they’re looking for an experienced copywriter, make sure you have relevant experience to share.
If they’re hiring someone to write content for their blog, highlight some examples of posts that have done well on other blogs. And don’t forget: check for spelling or grammar errors before sending. The last thing anyone wants to see is a cover letter riddled with typos. It shows that you care about quality and attention to detail very important qualities when it comes time for interviews.
And as always: don’t lie about anything! Be honest about how much experience (or lack thereof) you have this isn’t the place where fibbing helps anyone out anyway (except perhaps yourself).
Be Professional During Interviews
When you’re interviewing for a position, you should be prepared to answer any question that the hiring manager asks. Don’t get distracted by what’s going on around you and stay focused on answering questions. Be courteous to everyone at the company during interviews.
Make eye contact with people when they speak and don’t ramble or talk down to anyone even if they’re not part of your interview process. They can still help give you an idea of what it’s like as an employee there, so try not to offend anyone along the way.
Don’t Be Too Excited Or Desperate To Get The Job
In a cover letter, you’re taking the time to reach out and introduce yourself to potential clients. So, you must make sure your cover letter is as professional as possible. If you want to get hired by clients on Upwork, then making sure your cover letter conveys the right information is imperative for success.
Everyone wants their skills showcased appealingly but don’t let excitement show in your writing! Clients should feel like they’re hiring someone competent and professional, not someone who will jump at any opportunity they get (even if it’s not the best fit). Add up all your relevant experience in Upwork and other websites by making it clear that you are not new to freelancing.
If you are a newbie on Upwork, it is important to show potential clients that you have experience in the field of freelancing. This can be done by adding all your relevant experience in Upwork and other websites by making it clear that you are not new to freelancing.
If you have worked on other freelancing sites before, mention them in your cover letter so that potential clients will know that they can trust your services. Remember though that even if you do not have any past experiences, always mention them because they will help build credibility as well.
Writing a great proposal is key to winning projects on Upwork. Learn valuable tips and techniques to craft persuasive proposals with our guide on 13 Tips on How to Write a Great Proposal.
Explain Your Availability, Work Process, And What Tools You Use For Projects
By being clear about your availability, work process, and what tools you use for projects, you can put yourself in a better position to get hired.
Be clear about your availability: Let potential clients know when you are available and how long it will take you to complete the job. This information is important because it lets clients know how much time they may have to wait before the project is done.
Be clear about your process: Explain what steps or phases are involved in completing this type of project so that clients know exactly what to expect from you and how far along they should be able to see their project at any given time during its creation.
Showcase Your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
In the second paragraph of the cover letter by highlighting what makes you different from the other candidates. Avoid repeating phrases like “excellent communication skills” and “professional attitude.” Those are given. Instead, tell them why you are better at what you do than others.
For instance, if hundreds of others can also write well but you have vast experience in writing academic papers, then let them know that academic content is your expertise of yours. It would make a huge difference in getting shortlisted for interviews. Provide details about your unique selling point.
Focus On Your Unique Skills
If you have experience in a specific topic, mention it. If not, showcase your experience in similar kinds of topics. Avoid repeating phrases that are common like “excellent communication skills” and “professional attitude.” Those are given! Instead, tell them why you are better at what you do than others (if possible).
For instance, if hundreds of others can also write well but you have vast experience in writing academic papers, then let them know that academic content is your expertise of yours. It would make a huge difference in getting shortlisted for interviews!
Are you looking to increase your profile views on Upwork? Our guide on 13 Proven Tips to Increase Your Upwork Profile Views provides practical advice to boost your visibility and attract more clients.
Profile Complete Score Matters A Lot On Upwork
So, try to improve it by uploading samples, videos, certifications, and honing language skills. Profile complete score matters a lot on Upwork. So, try to improve it by uploading samples, videos, certifications, and honing language skills.
You can find your profile score in the ‘Profile’ tab when you are logged into your account. The score is an average of all the positive feedback from clients who have hired you in the past. A good score can help you get noticed amongst hundreds of other freelancers with similar experience and skill sets as yours.
Final Thoughts
You can use these tips to get more clients, but it’s important to remember that some of them will take time. Don’t get discouraged if your first few applications aren’t accepted. It can take a while for Upwork to decide whether you’re the right fit for a job and even longer if you’re competing with other freelancers who’ve been on the site longer than you have.
It’s also essential not to give up after one or two rejections. You’ll want to keep applying and learning how best to market yourself on Upwork until you find a niche where you consistently get hired for jobs that interest and excite you that way when those jobs come along in the future, all of your hard work will pay off.
If this article wasn’t helpful enough (or taught me anything new), there are plenty of other resources available online about how best-selling authors prepare themselves for publication opportunities like this one:
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further enhance your understanding of optimizing your Upwork profile:
Tips to Set Up Your Upwork Profile: Learn valuable tips and best practices to set up a compelling and professional Upwork profile.
What Skills Should I Put on My Upwork Profile?: Discover essential skills to include on your Upwork profile to attract potential clients and increase your chances of landing projects.
Tips and Upwork Profile Example: Explore useful tips and an example of an effective Upwork profile to gain insights and inspiration for optimizing your own profile.
People Also Ask
How Do I Get A Job On Upwork?
The first step is to create an account and fill out your profile. You must provide good information about yourself, including any relevant skills and experience so that clients can find you and hire you. Once that’s done, it’s time to start bidding on jobs!
How Do I Know If My Profile Is Complete?
It’s important to answer all of the questions accurately so that clients can find you easily. If you don’t have enough relevant skills or experience, consider adding some before submitting your profile for review. You can also add additional skills later after you’ve been approved for a job.
What should I do if my profile isn’t approved?
If your profile is not approved, we recommend that you go back through it and make sure that everything is correct and complete. If it still doesn’t pass the review after making edits, it will be sent back to you for another review once it meets our guidelines again.
Can I Use Social Media Profiles Like Linkedin Or Facebook?
Yes! Many employers prefer that their freelancers have their website or blog because it shows them that you are committed enough to spend time promoting yourself professionally outside of Upwork.
How Do I Know If Someone Will Hire Me?
You can’t always predict who will hire you or not, but you can increase your odds by having a great profile with lots of relevant experience and great references. If someone wants to hire you, they’ll reach out so don’t worry about whether or not they’ll find you.
Focus on getting started with building out your profile and getting some good references lined up so when people do reach out, they’ll see how awesome you are.
How Can I Get More Clients On Upwork?
Answer all questions in your profile. Clients will be able to see that you have a lot of experience and are familiar with whatever they need to be done.
How Do I Get A Good Review?
Make sure you always communicate clearly, make sure deadlines are met, and deliver high-quality work. You also have to be timely: if you don’t complete the task within the time frame, give them an update on what happened and why it took longer than expected.
What If I Don’t Have Any Skills?
We know that you’re looking for a job and you don’t have any experience. We also know that it can be difficult to show off your skills when you’re starting. But we’re here to help.
First of all, congratulations on taking the first step in your career search by creating an Upwork profile. You’ve already taken a huge leap towards getting hired and that’s no small feat. If you don’t have any work experience yet, there are plenty of ways to showcase the skills that you do have.
For example, if you’re applying for a writing gig, consider including some examples of articles or blog posts that you’ve written before. If you’re applying for a marketing position and don’t yet have any clients under your belt, including testimonials from previous employers or customers who were happy with their experiences working with you.
And if there isn’t anything specific enough like that available online? No problem! Just write up some case studies based on your past experiences so potential employers can get a sense of what kind of work ethic and professionalism they should expect from working with someone like you.
I am a content writer, and I love what I do! Writing makes me feel like the words are flowing through my fingers, and then onto the keyboard, like magic. My experience as a writer has taught me that writing makes me feel good, as well as helps others to feel better too!
