Create a Winning Profile

One of the most important things you can do to advance your online writing career is to write an outstanding profile.  If you choose to use bidding sites like Elance or oDesk, you will have to create a profile to participate.  However, creating a profile is beneficial for whatever writing you plan to do. 

Your profile should do three things:

1.  It should introduce you as a writer to potential clients.  Your profile should tell something about the kind of writer you are, what you write, and what experience you have.  This will help clients decide if you are right for their project.

2.  It should show who you are as a person.  While your writing abilities are the most important aspects of your career, people like to hire real people.  Do your interests fit with what you write?  Do you have real-life experience on the topics you cover?

3.  It should gain you writing jobs.  Your profile should be so compelling that clients want you to write for them.  It is an advertisement for your abilities.  This advertising is done by meeting the first two points.

How do you write a great profile? 

You start by listing your skills that are relevant to writing.  Any previous work experience or volunteer efforts should be listed.  Any life experience in areas where you plan to write should also be mentioned.  What you don't say is just as important as what you do say.  This is not a Facebook or online dating profile.  Don't mention that you love cats and have three of them unless you plan to write about cats. 

Three tips to create a winning profile:

1.  Use powerful words to describe yourself.  You might want to study up on writing great resumes, and look at some of the wording that is used.  Instead of saying you wrote articles for an organization, you might say you wrote "compelling content" or "creative sales pages." 

2.  Find as much experience in your background that is relevant as you can.  This may include writing for a school newspaper or editing a work newsletter.  Anything that will make you stand out should be included.  At the same time, don't lie about your qualifications, because it will be obvious when you submit your first article to the client if you don't really have the experience you say you do.

3.  Add a portfolio.  This is essential to getting clients.  People don't just want to hear you tell them what you can do; they want to see what you have done.  If you don't have previous work to show, write some now.  If you want to get work writing press releases but haven't done any before, write one for a fictional company.  It will show your abilities, which is what the client wants.

You may be wondering where to post this outstanding profile if you aren't using bidding sites for work.  You can create a blog or a website that includes your profile for others to see.  A profile is one of the basic keys to getting work on the internet.