This post has been updated for 2023 to provide newer, more relevant advice for Upwork.
If you are trying to get approval on Upwork then this Upwork Profile Example is for you, to help you get started in your Upwork freelancing career!
It’s fair to say Upwork changed my life. I went from having ZERO skills to earning over $4000 A MONTH on the platform in less than a year.
(2023 Update, I now make over $100,000 a year as a freelancer and it all started from Upwork!)
People think that you need to have special skills to become a successful freelancer on Upwork.
But No! It was all trial and error. That’s why I want to share with other people how to succeed on Upwork!
I even released an ebook where I outline the exact Upwork strategy I used to become successful on Upwork and earn thousands of dollars a month.
My ebook has been downloaded over 2000 times with many happy Upworkers as a result!
Upwork Bio Example For Beginners
This is a sample profile, my actual Upwork profile. I want to help YOU win your first client on Upwork and become a successful freelancer!
Maybe you’re the kind of person that learns better with online courses, which is cool too. There are some amazing courses on Udemy, and most of them are always on sale for $20.00 or less.
Also, Udemy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all their courses, so there’s literally no risk!
These are the best-selling Upwork freelance courses on Upwork if you want to have a look.
This course is for anyone who wants to become a freelancer and earn a full-time income. Over 19,000 students have bought this course and it has a rating of 4.5/5, best of all it’s only $20.00!
2. How to Use Upwork to Make a Living: Freelance Full-time
6000 students rated this course as 4.2/5 and it will teach you everything you need to know about Upwork freelancing.
3. Upwork Ultimate Guide – Beginner to Pro, From A to Z!
An amazing course that is perfect for beginners, taking you through the whole Upwork process and guiding you through winning your first freelancing job.
Remember Udemy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on any course so there’s no risk if you buy a course and decide it’s not for you!
How To Write An Upwork Bio
Step 1 – How To Write An Upwork Bio
Your bio is the first thing potential clients see on your profile. Think of it as the first impression.
Even if you are a beginner on Upwork it’s vital to create the impression that you are a serious professional freelancer.
Make sure you come across as confident and professional but try not to sound too serious. A friendly freelancer is always preferred over someone with no sense of humor!
Upwork is an online work environment. The way you would behave in an office environment is the way you should behave on the platform.
Write in clear, concise sentences. Focus on how YOU can help clients get their project completed.
Have a read of my Upwork bio and profile example for an idea of the kind of thing you should be aiming for. Upwork has also provided further sample profiles for further inspiration, take a look!
Upwork Bio For Beginners
Upwork Bio Example For Experts
This post was originally written a few years in 2019, and since then I’ve evolved on Upwork to be making over $100,000 a year freelancing.
This is my current upwork bio example if you want some more advanced inspiration.
You’ll see my style has developed over the years, I still follow the same initial format for beginners but then I also add in some testimonials as well as listing my primary services for potential clients.
There is a whole chapter in my ebook on how to create the perfect Upwork profile where we go into an in-depth look at what makes a good profile stand out.
Important Upwork Bio Points
1. TITLE – This is literally the first thing clients see along with your photo. So make it good!
Highlight your expertise and clearly state your skills. Try and describe your services in one sentence if you can.
Use words like expert and experienced to help create the impression that you are a competent and capable freelancer. Don’t be afraid to combine two services, but no more than two. Focusing on a niche service is far more profitable in the long run.
2. EXPERIENCE – How long have you been working with your chosen skills?
I made sure to include in the Upwork description that I had over five years of experience as a market researcher and administrative assistant.
This helped add credibility to my profile. Show off your expertise and why clients should hire you. How can you help the client?
3. LANGUAGES – Do you have any languages to highlight?
If you are a Native English speaker this is a big plus point for clients from USA, UK, Canada looking for freelancers. Make sure to point out that you are a Native English Speaker.
4. PHOTO – Your photo is the first impression and it sure does count!
A smiling photo is infinitely more preferable but your clothes do need to be professional. If you don’t have any professional office attire, then choose your neatest outfit and use that!
Remember that Upwork is an online work environment and you want to show that you are professional. Focus on your face, wear suitable attire, take the photo in a neutral environment and smile!
Read More – How To Get Your Upwork Account Approved In 2020
Step 2 – Upwork Portfolio Sample
In my Upwork Profile Example, you can see that I uploaded two examples of content that I had written for a company I used to work at.
My chosen skills were actually to try and be a Market Researcher, but at the time I had no sample reports to show. However, I had read online that having a 100% complete profile really helps.
By showing evidence that I have done professional work and it is published online for anyone to see. This helps build trust between potential Upwork clients and the freelancer.
If you are creating your Upwork profile as a beginner freelancer and you don’t have ANY samples to upload, then think about creating a simple website and writing some content for it. You can use the website to show your skills in building websites, graphic design, SEO knowledge.
Or perhaps you could design a logo using Canva and explain the process behind it. Get creative and don’t play yourself down.
Step 3 – Upwork Skills Section
Upwork provides a long list of standardized skills for you to choose from. There are more than enough options so you can define your skills specifically and help you stand out in your niche.
Some clients choose to search for certain skills and services e.g. web design, social media expert, virtual assistant. As you can see from my Upwork profile example, I included variations on the keyword Virtual Assistant to make sure that I am searchable to all clients searching for my services.
When you create your Upwork profile, do your research. Look for the different keywords relating to your services and try and include as many as possible in your skills section.
Related: How To Win Jobs On Upwork
Step 4 – Employment History
Including your work history as part of your profile can help you get approval on Upwork. By allowing the administrators to see your experience in the field. Your work experience is important, include all relevant work!
But, to tell the truth, when clients are searching for freelancers they will rarely scroll right down to read through your employment history.
When filling out the work experience section be sure to make to your responsibilities clear and write concise descriptions. On my Upwork profile template, I start each responsibility on a new line. My work experience is clear to read and understand.
You might not have any work experience to include and that’s OK! Don’t panic!
On the Upwork website they suggest including your new freelance business as part of your work history. Or you could include relevant projects that you may have done during your education.
Step 5 – Some Final Tips From Upwork
I found this on the Upwork website. They included some fantastic tips to summarize everything above and ensure that as an Upwork beginner you will get approval!
If you are serious about freelancing on Upwork and want to take things to the next level, check out my ebook for an in-depth guide on on how to master freelancing and start earning money off the platform!
Notes: You can even check me out on Upwork here and see my actual, live profile!
