Freelancer.com is a gateway for job and business opportunities. It facilitates the connection between freelancers and employers globally who would otherwise not have been able to find each other. It is a fantastic tool to get noticed by potential employers. However, just as in real life, you must stand out from the crowd in order to increase your chances of obtaining work.
Your online profile and portfolio are key to winning work and act just like an advanced CV, showing employers your potential. As all employers are different, there is no exact science here. Good news is, there are a number of ways you can build your online portfolio to ensure as much interest from others as possible.
Stand out
Getting a job can be hard, and putting in extra effort and hustle can go a very long way to stand head and shoulders above the crowd. Rather than go into deep explanation, check out this example, and another one, to see how this goal can be achieved amazingly.
Examples of previous work
Depending on your area of expertise you can create various examples of work that you can provide to potential employers. Writers, designers, translators, even developers, can now provide samples of code or show the best of their abilities in their chosen field. Employers often look at these examples as indication of what you might be able to achieve for them.
Fill out all information
As simple as this sounds, very often freelancer will not complete their profile page or choose not to include information about themselves in their portfolio. Profiles without pictures, little information, and very few verifications (payment, phone, and email for example) can hugely put off potential employers. Make sure you’ve completed and verified everything.
Attain good metrics
Once you have started to win projects, now is the time to shine! Do good work and make employers happy. Your Freelancer profile page shows the percentage of the following metrics -- jobs completed, jobs completed within budget, jobs completed on time -- plus a repeat hire rate. Also, your profile shows average marks out of 5 concerning quality of work, communication, expertise, and would hire again attributes. These metrics are vastly important on your profile and portfolio.
Attain good reviews
Following on from the metrics above, employers can leave reviews on your work and working relationship. This is something most potential employers will look at right away when considering hiring you for their project.
Whatever your skill is, an online portfolio must set you apart from everyone else. Look at others with similar skill sets and be creative, it’s up to you how to win work and become a success.
Find your next freelance project and go for it!