oDesk Guide: Creating a Profile that Will Woe Competitors ~ Your Freelance Guy

Every contractor needs a profile to showcase their skills as a freelancer. How you create your profile tells exactly how you are. So don't copy other's profile, make them stand out. How will you create a profile that can stand out?

Easy.
1. Take oDesk Readiness Test first. In this way, clients see you as a person not an auto generated bot.

2. Take Skills Test. This will determine your skill. Take tests relating to your skills. Do not attempt to cheat because it will only hurt your reputation in the long run. Answer honestly.

3. Upload a portrait. The portrait must be professional looking. Not those taken somewhere with friends or those commonly used pictures in social networking sites. This is work, so treat it as one. A good portrait doesn't have unnecessary background. White is preferred. Clothes in the picture must look professional too.

4. Create a unique title. A title must not just have your skill, show what other things you know. Be unique and descriptive. Ex. Web Designer (CSS, HTML, JavaScript) and SEO Freelance Writer

5. Build your Objective. Your objective is your sales pitch. Write objectives that will draw the employer's attention. Be creative, clients will know if your objective is just taken in the internet.

6. Set up your portfolio. Any works related to your skill can be your portfolio. If you don't have one, I'm sure you have school or personal projects that you have kept elsewhere.

7. Education and Certification. Education tells how deep your level of understanding is. Show off what you have attained, describe the degrees you have taken. If you have honors and special mentions describe them too.
Most freelancer have certifications, most don't. If you have one, it is one of your greatest advantage. Show off your scores too.

8. Employment Background. Put an employment background that is more related to your work. We don't need carpenters, janitors, or sewing or any job not using computers.

9. Skills. Skills must be as much as possible relevant to your chosen field. If you want a data entry position, show data entry skills like for example MSExcel, MSword, or Powerpoint. Treat each as a skill and not in groups(MSOffice Applications).

10. Other experiences. What other skills or unique abilities you know? Show them off here. Make sure that they are relevant to your chosen field.

An outstanding profile: