How To Win Your First Project On Freelance Sites

Being a freelancer is easy not but closing a project is very competitive because of the number of professionals looking to close the deal with the employers. When I was starting I thought I couldn't win any assignment because there are so many other freelancers who have more experience than I do. So how exactly can you make the employers choose you from other service providers? Here are my tried and tested tips that will help you win on the project bidding:

Profile
Setting up your profile is very important. Provide as much information as you can so employers can trust that your account isn't bogus. There are many freelancers scamming and running off from projects after they receive payment so more companies are being careful to avoid being cheated at. Add a professional photograph and be precise with your objectives. Make it simple and straightforward. Be honest with what you can do and your proficiency on the given field to gain trust from employers.

Resume
Presentation is very important so make sure that you provide all the necessary details that employers would like to know such as education, work history, skills, and expertise. Some may under estimate the importance of having a resume on their profile but this could be your edge from other freelancers applying for the same job. Service buyers prefer to hire providers who came from prestigious universities and colleges so show off those credentials and start closing deals.

Bid
Set your rate accordingly. If you are an expert on a specific field and you can back it up with an excellent work performance, you can definitely set a higher fee. However, that will sometime not work if you have not proven how good you are. So to get employer's attention, settle on sufficient rate that is competitive enough. Be reasonable and do not drop your price too much for other companies don't always prefer service providers that is too inexpensive as the quality of work may not be satisfactory. You can always increase your rate at anytime. When bidding, choose projects that have been posted not too long ago to increase your chances of winning the assignment. Why? Because you are only given a limited number of applications in a week and other employers may have made up their mind on other providers. So don't use up your application on a project which you have very little chance of closing unless you have the best credentials among the other applicants. Projects are posted every hour so take your time.

Feedback
Comment from employers are very significant because other service buyers will refer to them to know how capable you are on the field you have chosen. So when completing a project, do not drop the ball and always give it your best shot if you want to win more projects. You will also be allowed to leave a feedback to the employer so be honest and professional because it will say about what kind of a worker you are. As much as possible do not leave a bad comment unless it is necessary.

Portfolio
Provide details of your completed assignments whether inside or outside of the freelance site where you have an account. Give all the details and preferably add links and images for the service buyers to see what you have done and what you are capable of doing. After completing a project, add details to your portfolio to increase your credibility and competence.

Cover Letter
Make your cover letter precise and informative. You do not need to make a long message to prove your skills because your profile and resume will say it all. Provide contact information and the time you are available for interview for the employer's convenience.

Interview
Normally, service buyers hold interviews on chat so there is no need for you to be nervous. Always be confident, analyze the question, and answer accurately. Focus and concentration is necessary. Do not under estimate chat interview because employers can still tell if you know enough on the project or not. You may not believe it but some experienced service buyers can tell if you are confident with your answers or not. And always show appreciation to the employer for giving you the opportunity of being interviewed for the project. They are investing their time with you so be thankful. It may matter or it may not have an effect but it says what type of an employee you are.


I hope that these tips helps you land your first project as a freelancer. Good luck!

These tips are very helpful and will surely give us newbies on how to close deals with employers. Thanks for the informative guidelines admin

Help tips for me. Thanks! As i am a freelancer logo and t-shirt designer.

Great! I'm a freelancer myself and I have had great chances of closing a deal with employers by observing these tips . Glad to hear that it helps.

@50Cent: I'm sure you have a great time creating logos and t-shirt designs. My friend sometimes gets offered to do t-shirt designs and I have to say that the pay is pretty decent