Do you wonder why clients don't reply to your proposals?

Why you don’t get invited to any job interviews?

Or why your Upwork proposals either get denied or archived?

These had always been my questions when I started freelancing 2 years ago. I felt depressed and clueless about what I have been doing wrong, what I did and didn't include in my proposals, and what I could have done to improve my profiles.

But now, the tables have turned when I niched down and ventured from being a general Virtual Assistant to HR Manager & Recruiter - this happened after I enrolled in Jason Dulay's Road to 100k Masterclass last year.

Being in-charge of hiring freelancers, I can now see everything from a client's point of view. I understand my mistakes then because now, I am getting paid to screen applicants.

Because of this, I’m more aware of what clients look for in freelancers and the factors they consider before shortlisting applicants. Let me share them with you...

3 Things Clients (and HR Recruiters) Look At First

1. Your answers to screening or additional questions

This is the first thing clients and recruiters see when you submit proposals, especially from Upwork. This may sound weird, but I highly suggest that you answer these questions first before crafting your cover.

You see, clients see your answers to the additional questions first. Surprisingly, your cover letter comes after. If the client or HR recruiter sees favorable answers or replies that fit their qualifications, they will automatically shortlist you, even without reading your cover letter.

That's why you must focus on answering the additional questions first, rather than putting the majority of your effort in your cover letter.

Most of the time, these questions may seem generic and redundant to you but trust me, they are interrelated and crucial.

For example, let's say that the client posted these two additional questions:

a.) How many hours a day can you dedicate for this task?

b.) Do you have a day job?

These two may seem like easy questions but this is where a lot of freelancers get archived.

If you responded that you can dedicate 6 to 8 hours for the task AND yet, you also answered that you have a full-time day job, you would be archived immediately. Clients wouldn't want to hire someone who's too tired from his/her day job to function for another 6 to 8 hours with them.

For direct clients, some may also require you to fill out a Google form with additional questions, aside from your cover letters - so please answer those properly.

2. Your relevant experience

Relevant experience does not ONLY mean online experience. You can cite work experiences from previous corporate jobs that are related to a job post you’re applying to.

If you’re applying for Microsoft Excel jobs, mention any work you've done in Microsoft Excel from your corporate jobs or even internships.

Here's the rationale - how will a client shortlist an applicant for a Content VA position when his profile and cover letters highlight more of his Customer Service experience?

Take a look at this example:

I would have interviewed this applicant if he was applying as an E-Commerce VA. Knowing that he also has a background in managing people, I'm sure he could be an asset to any E-Commerce client.

But since the job post was for Content Management, I couldn’t see that he had any relevant experience in writing content. Even if he did have some, he did not mention it in his proposal.

3. Your cover letters or proposals

Clients receive tons of applications from one job post. After looking at so many, they can easily tell if your cover letters are generic and templated - no questions asked, they just do.

Copy-pasted cover letters give clients an impression that you’re not interested enough to write a response specific to the job. This also shows that you’re not a good communicator and that you probably won't give your best effort for the task.

So even if it's tiring, customize every cover letter you send and make sure it emphasizes relevant information about you.

Avoid starting your sentences with ‘I’. You should focus more on your client’s goal and what you can bring to the table. This can easily be achieved by changing the “I” to “You.”

VA Bootcamp students definitely have an edge in their applications when they follow the cover letter guidelines discussed in our lessons. We've also started a Hustle Challenge in the Students'Support Group wherein we help students consistently craft high-quality cover letters that will entice clients to respond.

There you go!

Those are the 3 things I wish I knew when I was just starting out as a freelancer.

If I had known these then, I would have landed my first job faster. But no regrets, I'm still grateful for everything I've learned along the way because I could share them to help you guys now.

I hope you learn from my experience and remember these tips when you apply for jobs. When you do, I'm positive that you'll get hired by that next client or recruiter in no time!