If you’re in search of a new full-time job or simply looking to supplement your monthly income, Upwork is a terrific place to start from. But first, you need to know what to say when that digital interview comes – and ace it.
Typically, there are many criteria that job posters examine when determining which candidate to hire, but there’s no denying that the proposal, or as Upwork refers to it, “the cover letter,” is the most important.
Writing a Upwork proposal can be ridiculously simple and easy if you know how to properly do it. To your good fortune, in this article, we will give you a detailed explanation of how to structure a proposal along with the most significant things to mention.
A well-structured proposal will surely land you some amazing projects through the Upwork marketplace.
Comfort Client that You Have Understood the Job
Initially, you need to prove to the client that you know what you’re applying for, and thoroughly understand the job. On Upwork, there is a wide range of diverse work positions, in areas from IT and development, to writing and translation.
Whichever job you are applying for, you must be aware of the work position and your role in the project.
Based on many clients, if you show that you understand what kind of work you have signed up to do, the chances of getting the job are higher.
After all, every client requires a competent hiree. From the start, the candidates that have more understanding of the job, are in the lead in front of other candidates.
Introduce Yourself
The next step of making the perfect Upwork proposal is the introduction. The focus of your introduction should be on the client, not on yourself. The client has two major concerns – how are you going to meet their requirements and what advantages will they gain from doing business with you.
Before you get to that, you need to provide the following information about yourself:
- Provide personal information, so the client knows more about you.
- Introduce yourself by providing some education information, and previous work experiences.
- State that you’ll meet their needs or give them what they want.
- Tell them you’ll do it in a manner that will provide them with benefits they value.
- State that you are in a better position than anyone else to provide the benefits you mentioned before.
- Explain why you are a more fitting choice for the project.
For extra credit, if you want to stand out from the other candidates, an introductory video is a terrific method to do this.
How Will You Handle This Project?
Clients want to be sure that the freelancer they hire will be able to handle the project well. Showing a prospective client an example of something comparable you’ve already done is the simplest way to convince them that you can succeed.
In your portfolio or Upwork profile, It would be a good idea to highlight a couple of your former experiences that might be relevant to the potential clients’ projects.
You should also describe the ways your experience could benefit the client’s project and how long you’ve been in the industry. It’s more likely that the client will decide to trust you with a job if you have greater and more far-reaching experience, which means you are perfectly capable of operating the project.
Make Sure to Mention Work Ethics
In order to show the potential client that you are a serious and suitable candidate, mention that you are familiar with work ethics. Employers frequently prefer workers with strong work ethics for special projects because they are dependable, devoted, and disciplined.
Some of the most important work ethics traits worth mentioning are:
- Being productive: show that you can get the work done properly
- Being reliable: persuade the client that you are trustworthy and can finish the project in a timely manner
- Being professional with the employer, co-workers, and others involved in the project
- Being a good cooperative team player, boasting a great attitude with co-workers
- Disciplined and dedicated, mainly focusing on the job
Offer Demo or Free Work
In case a client wants high-quality service, they understand that it is not available for free. However, a job-seeker offering some free work to a client is always a good idea.
Even if you’re looking for a job in your area of expertise on Upwork, there are different positions with which you may not be fully familiar. For that reason, the client should give you a demonstration of the work you will do, and in exchange for that, you offer several days, or weeks for free, depending on how much learning you have to do.
Especially if you’re a new freelancer, doing some free work can be good for further experience. Also, working for free for a prospective client can result in getting a recommendation letter, which can be used for future jobs.
Ask Relevant Questions
Some job appointments include pre-programmed proposal questions that ask whether you have any particular questions about the project. This is another chance for you to demonstrate that you’re qualified to assist.
Make sure you only ask relevant questions that demonstrate how well you grasp the situation and what has to be done to address it.
Relevant questions that are good to ask are considered those about the timetable, product, or business details. You can also ask what you may expect to do on a daily basis while working on the project.
Whatever you choose to ask, do not overburden your potential client with nonprofessional questions, which can, in turn, result in the client going for someone else rather than you.
Greeting & Conclusion
Last but not least, cease the Upwork proposal with a professional yet friendly greeting. Kindly thank the client for the time they set aside in order to read your proposal. After that, state that you sincerely hope they will consider you for the job position and are waiting on their call.
Through this article, we hope that we have helped you find out how to properly structure an Upwork proposal. If you write a cover letter based on the key points we stressed out, landing a job should be as easy as a piece of cake.
