Freelancer Bio, Hired Often and Paid More

Have you written your Bio? Not a book or Biography but a brief summary of your background and qualifications? Most bloggers have something comparable on their “about” page and you should have one too. Use a well written Bio with an overview of your historical qualifications to help your next client make a decision. It’s important to try to differentiate yourself from the large number of  freelancers scouring the internet for work as your competition.  Due to the vastness of the internet it is difficult to build a close relationship with a client because you lack the opportunity for a face-to-face interview.

Bio Personality

Use your Bio as a way to portray your personal goals , hobbies and passions. Adding a personal touch can help someone feel like they know a little more about you and add a certain level of comfort. Consider leveraging your own blog as a way to advertise your skills and your personal background. If you don’t have a blog, consider creating one on a free blog site such as blogspot.com, wordpress.com or typepad.com . I also recommend creating an account on Linkedin.com and using it to stay connected to past clients as well as a tool to network. Linkedin is reads a little more like a resume rather than a Bio but you will still need to create a Bio for your profile.

Getting Started

There are dozens of how-to articles on Bio creation and a quick search on google will reveal a number of quality resources. In my opinion the most important attribute  for your Bio is your specific personal touch, your voice and personality. Make sure you allow your personality to shine through and allow potential clients to see who your are and connect with you. Again, this is where a blog can really help because you can add far more than a simple Bio to help boost your credibility. You can use your blog as a place to show off your work and your style. Start with your Bio, build a personal blog (janedoe.com) and go advertise yourself.

Do you have a Bio? Do you revise it regularly and keep your most  important and recent achievements on there? Please feel free to post a link to your Bio or Blog in the comments section. I would love to see what you have.