Build Your Profile - Essential Items

The title of your profile is your first impression to potential clients. It spotlights your top skills and area of expertise.

To edit your profile title

1. Go to Your profile
2. Select the ✎ icon next to your title
3. Update your title and choose Save

Tips

• Be descriptive about the services you offer
• Highlight your primary talents instead of trying to include every skill you have
• Make it an eye-catching title, short and visually appealing

Custom profile URL

If you’re a Plus plan member, you can create a customized URL for your freelancer profile. It must be between 4 and 20 characters long and only include letters A-Z and numbers 0-9. You may not include "Upwork" in your URL.

Please note that it may take some time (up to a week) for Google and other search engines to start including your updated profile link in their search results.

To add a customized profile URL

1. Go to Your profile
2. Click the ✎ icon next to Profile Link in the right-hand column
3. Customize your URL and choose Save

For Basic plan members, it isn't possible to customize your profile URL. You can upgrade to a Freelancer Plus plan or share the default profile URL as it appears in your browser by selecting the copy link icon or the share icon.

To complete your Upwork profile and start submitting proposals, you must upload a profile portrait photo. Profile photos must be an actual picture of you. This is important for both verifying your identity and connecting with potential clients.

To upload or change your profile photo

1. Go to Your profile
2. Select the ✎ icon next to your profile photo
3. Choose a file, adjust and crop the photo to your face, then choose Save

Tips for choosing a great portrait photo

• Clear, headshot-style photos work best
• Sunglasses, logos, clip-art, group pictures, and digitally-altered images are not allowed
• A How-To Guide for Your Perfect Profile Picture

If you would like to request a religious exemption for using a profile picture, please contact Upwork Support.

Sometimes it’s okay to show off and brag a little bit — your overview is one of those times. This is where you set the tone for your whole profile — show your personality and give clients a reason to read more about your incredible skills and experience. But don’t go too long — only the first 250 or so characters will appear in the freelancer search results list. And remember, never include your contact information in your profile.

To add an overview to your profile

1. Go to Your profile
2. In the section right below your title, choose the ✎ icon
3. Type in the message what you want clients to see about you first and choose Save

Looking for more tips on getting started?

• 8+ Tips to Help You Create a Profile That Stands Out

Your hourly rate gives clients an idea of how much you generally charge and allows clients to filter freelancer searches by rate. It may be higher or lower than the actual rates in your Upwork history, and it does not prevent you from negotiating new contracts on a case-by-case basis.

When you change your rate, it won’t affect your current contracts or proposals. You can change it as often as you like. Some freelancers update it to match each proposal they submit. Others use it as a baseline for negotiations, much like a store would publish a higher full retail price and then offer discounts.

If you’re not sure what to charge, you can research other freelancers on Upwork to get an idea of what others with similar skills are billing in your industry. You can also subscribe to Freelancer Plus to see what competitors are bidding on specific job posts.

To update your profile’s hourly rate

1. Go to Your profile
2. Hover over your hourly rate and choose the ✎ icon
3. Enter your rate and choose Save

Sharing your skills can help a potential client determine whether you are right for their project. When choosing which skills to list, consider your greatest strengths, what you enjoy doing most, and what you see clients request in their job descriptions.

To add skills to your profile

1. Go to Your profile
2. Scroll down to the Skills section and choose the ✎ icon
3. Start typing the name of a skill, then select the best match from the list and choose Save
4. Repeat for all your skills

You can add up to 15 skills and choose their order by moving the tags in the editor window. How you arrange them here is how they will appear in your profile.

When adding your skills, be sure you're using the correct spelling and naming the skill in English. If you are having trouble finding your skill among the options, try some synonyms. For example, "fax" instead of "facsimile." Or be a little less specific. For example, try "technical documentation" instead of "electronics manual creation." Please note that we have purposefully excluded services that you can't directly sell in our marketplace, such as "dog groomer" or "ninja."

We’ll ask you about your English proficiency when you create your profile. You should self-assess your skill level; however, it’s important to be honest when assessing your language abilities.

Overstating any skills may make it difficult to satisfy your clients and could adversely impact your reputation on Upwork. Being upfront helps establish trust with potential clients.

If English is not your native language, you can also become English-verified on Upwork to let clients know your English proficiency level.

To edit your English proficiency

1. Go to Your profile
2. Scroll to the Languages section in the side column and select the ✎ icon
3. Specify your proficiency and choose Save

To verify that you are fluent in English if it is not your native language

You can get English verified on Upwork in two ways:

• Take an Upwork-approved test from a third-party provider, which includes IELTS - English Proficiency Exam, Cambridge, and Duolingo tests, and add your certificate from the test. Learn more about adding certifications to your profile.
• Get rated by three clients when they end their contracts. When your contract ends, we ask your client to rate your English proficiency.
  Note: We take only the first three distinct clients' feedback for evaluating your English proficiency

You can use your employment history off Upwork to establish the credibility that clients look for in a freelancer.

To add your employment history to your profile

1. Go to Your profile
2. Scroll down to the Employment history section and choose the + button
3. Enter the employment details and choose Save

Once you’ve added employment history, you can edit entries by selecting the ✎ icon.

Your employment history will always appear in chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Generally, you only need to list the history relating to the types of projects you seek on Upwork. If a past job is not an exact match but helped you acquire skills that relate to your current work, be sure to highlight that in your job description.

You can add any degrees or diplomas you have earned in the Education section.

To add your education

1. Go to Your profile
2. Scroll down to the Education section in the side column and choose the + button
3. Enter your school and degree details and choose Save

When adding a degree, type the first few letters (such as "B" or "Bach" for Bachelor of Science/B.S.) and then choose from the list of matches. You must choose from the standardized list, but if you can't find the option you need, select 'Other' and name the degree in your description.

Your experience level helps clients to match you with the most relevant projects. Be truthful in selecting your experience level. Setting inappropriate expectations may make it difficult to satisfy your client(s) and could adversely impact your reputation. Being upfront helps establish trust with potential clients.

To update your experience level

1. Go to Your profile and choose Profile settings
2. Scroll down to Experience level and choose from Entry Level, Intermediate, or Expert

You can select up to four categories when you first create your freelancer account. Your profile will be displayed in these categories when clients search through them.

To update your profile categories

1. Go to Your profile and choose Profile settings
2. Scroll down to the Categories section and choose the ✎ icon
3. Select your categories and choose Save

Focus on your strongest, most specialized services when selecting categories. Although we limit the number of categories your profile is viewable in, you're always welcome to submit proposals to projects in any category.

You can share your Upwork profile through your browser and the Upwork mobile app by using the Share option (share icon) in the upper right-hand corner of your profile.