Creating the ideal freelance profile that accurately showcases your skills, expertise, and service offerings is trickier than it may seem. Finding the right balance requires some nuance, but don't worry - this article will guide you through winning strategies for selecting your profile skills.
Creating the ideal freelance profile that accurately showcases your skills, expertise, and service offerings is trickier than it may seem. Some freelancers tend to be overly modest, leaving out essential skills that clients are looking for. Others go overboard, listing off an overwhelming number of competencies. Finding the right balance requires some nuance, but don't worry - this article will guide you through winning strategies for selecting your profile skills.
While it may be tempting to showcase every skill in your arsenal to flesh out your profile, this approach often backfires on platforms like Malt. Instead, hone in on your core strengths and offerings to present a clear and compelling profile for potential clients. Clients are seeking freelancers who excel in their respective fields and can significantly contribute to project success. In fact, our "Freelancing In Europe" research found that 64% of freelancers believe they possess more specialised skills than their clients. To further bolster your credentials, link your competencies to relevant experiences listed on your profile.
Use the Top Skills feature to highlight your most valuable and proficient skills.
Ensure the descriptions of your professional experiences and academic background align with and support the skills highlighted on your profile for consistency.
Go beyond just listing skills - elaborate on your depth of knowledge in certain areas by mentioning specific methodologies, technologies, tools, etc.
If you have niche expertise, definitely include it as this can attract targeted clients.
If you have a specialised industry background or proven track record, highlight this as a selling point through "Industry Expertise".
Link relevant skills to each of your experiences to provide clear context - this shows how, where, and when you developed each skill, reinforcing your expertise and credibility.
While showcasing strengths is important, avoid an excessive number of skills which can overwhelm your profile and make you appear unfocused.
On Malt, clients find freelancers in two main ways - either by searching for specific skills/keywords or by posting a project brief that gets matched with relevant profiles via Malt Plus. In both cases, the Malt algorithm matches your competencies with the client's needs. Therefore, the keywords in your profile are crucial for visibility to clients with suitable projects. Ensure that your profile features the keywords prospective clients are likely to search for by:
Leverage the curated skills list and use specific, industry-standard skill names.
When adding a skill via the search bar, take note of how frequently that skill appears on freelancers' profiles. This provides insight into the most commonly sought-after skills on Malt.
Benchmark successful freelancer profiles in your field for effective skill displays.
Set a calendar reminder to routinely revisit and update your skills as your expertise grows.
It's important to recognize that your skills and expertise will continually evolve over the course of your freelance career. Routinely revisiting and updating the skills on your Malt profile ensures it remains an accurate representation of your current capabilities. Setting an annual reminder to refresh your profile is a simple way to keep it aligned with your growing skillset.
Your Malt profile is your virtual storefront, and articulating your skills is your biggest opportunity to attract ideal clients and projects. By highlighting your specialised strengths, using client-friendly terminology, and keeping your skills aligned with current offerings, you'll craft a compelling profile that positions you as the perfect fit for your prospects' needs. With this tailored approach to skills selection, you're maximising visibility for the work you're most passionate about.
Ready to showcase your expertise? Complete your profile now!
