By Ann Gonzales | November 18, 2022
Freelancing can be an excellent way to make money while you work on projects you enjoy. However it’s not a secret that many excellent freelancers actually struggle to find work as freelancers. On the other hand many freelancers seem to have found the secret sauce to succeed and do earn money (and sometimes a lot!) from freelancing.
Well, the most important thing is your profile. You need to set yourself apart from the competition with an eye-catching profile.
Your profile is how clients find you, so it’s vital that it showcases your skills, experience and professionalism in order to secure new business and more lucrative contracts in the future.
What makes a good freelancer profile? Here are six elements that you should consider when making your profile for you to stand out:
1) A professional headshot
A professional photo is key for your freelancer profile. It’s the first thing people see and can be the difference between getting hired or not. A photo should be a headshot (make sure your head takes at least 60% of the frame), taken against a white or light background, with no one else in the frame. Lastly, the right expression is important, generally speaking, smiling can help put candidates at ease and make you look more approachable for clients..
2) A detailed overview of your skills and experience
Having a clear and detailed explanation of your skills and the experience that you have in these skills will help clients decide if you are a good fit to their needs. Don’t be shy here, make sure you detail your skills, and use the right terminology and tools you have experience at. Clients often look for specific words when they look for freelancers (for example, PHP, MySQL, Photoshop, Zapier etc.)
3) Samples of your work
Include samples of your work and portfolio. You can add photos, videos, audio clips, and links to live projects. Showcase what you’ve done in the past so that employers can see how well you work on your own and how you collaborate with others. Keep your profile updated with new projects and accolades. Be aware that many clients in our days would only hire freelancers with previous experience in the specific job they’re hiring for. It’s way easier to take a job that you’ve done previously, and have hands-on experience at, than taking a job you cannot show any previous expertise at.
4) A list of your rates
Listing your rates and services is crucial. You want to make it easy for potential clients to see how you can help them and what they’ll need to pay you. If you offer multiple types of services, be sure to list the rates for each one. Make sure you include information on how much time each service will take so that people can easily compare your prices and decide if they want to hire you or not. Don’t forget about your hourly rate! Important tip: especially if you’re just beginning with freelancing – start with a lower rate, the most important thing you can get at the beginning is experience, reviews and testimonials. Once you have those, you’ll be able to charge much more!
5) Positive reviews and testimonials
It’s important to have reviews and testimonials for your freelancer profile, but it’s also important to word them correctly. You should highlight the good reviews that you have from your previous clients and showcase how they benefited from your services. It’s okay to remind clients to write a review. Feel free to nudge them. Clients are often busy, it’s nothing personal, and usually if the job is completed and they are satisfied, they’ll be happy to give you a positive review.
6) A clear description of the services you offer
Finally, a description of the services you offer should be as detailed as possible, ideally you want to add how long it usually takes you to finish a typical job. Also, many freelancers don’t proofread their services. Clients may see this negatively. So make sure there are no grammar and spelling mistakes.
OK, now you’re ready to start earning money – Go ahead and make sure your goopss profile stands out!.
