5 easy ways to create an Onsiter profile that stands out to potential clients
As an independent contractor on Onsiter, there are two ways to get hired. You can either apply for assignments posted by clients or get invited to apply for assignments posted by clients.
In both of these ways, a complete and updated profile becomes an important introduction to prospective clients and an opportunity to stand out from the competition. But that’s not all — a complete and updated profile also helps us match you to assignments that are relevant to your skills and interests.
Benefits of signing up for an Onsiter account
Onsiter is one of the largest marketplaces in Europe that specializes in connecting independent IT and business contractors to companies that hire external workers. Independent contractor profiles are viewed by potential clients every day, even if they aren’t signed up to Onsiter.
Signing up for an Onsiter account also means that you’ll be the first to know about assignments that are relevant to your skills and preferences. You’ll receive an email for assignments posted on Onsiter as soon as they are published.
To help you create an Onsiter profile that breaks through the crowd and gets you noticed by potential clients, we’ve put together some tips that will take just a few minutes to apply to your profile.
1. Don’t skip the details
Companies are often looking for experts with exact skills, qualifications, and proven experience when hiring independent contractors. So besides uploading your resume, adding details such as a summary, key selling points, your professional and academic background, and certifications is the strongest method for setting yourself apart from other professionals with the same job title.
2. Keep it updated
Keep your profile updated with your available dates. Clients are more likely to reach out to profiles with clear availability statuses. It can help them with planning, and they may contact you for assignments that coincide with your availability. If your profile hasn’t been updated in a while, it will display “Might be available”, along with the date of when your profile was last updated.
3. Add a headshot
Maybe you’re hesitating about adding a profile picture or maybe you just never got round to it. But if there’s one thing that you have time to do today, add a photo to your profile. LinkedIn found that members with a photo receive far more engagement: 21 times more profile views and 9 times more connection requests. Like on LinkedIn, a photo is an effective way to boost your chances of getting your profile viewed on Onsiter.
Don’t worry if you haven’t got a photo that’s been taken by a professional. There are lots of tips for taking a great profile picture with your mobile phone on the internet. A few quick tips from us: Take the photo in a bright, naturally-lit location. Look into the camera, and smile! And finally, avoid adding a picture that’s skewed or stretched.
4. Set a realistic rate
Your rates should also be competitive and reasonable. Avoid pricing yourself too low with the intention of outbidding other candidates. This may create a misconception of your true value. On the other hand, pricing yourself too high may discourage potential employers from picking you. If you haven’t updated your rate in a while, then it may be time to revise your rates to reflect your true value.
Our blog How to calculate your hourly rate as an independent contractor (with calculator) offers some tips and guidelines for setting a fair price.
5. Create a profile for your consulting agency
If you are part of a consulting agency or vendor supplier in Europe, create a profile on Onsiter to expand your clientele.
Onsiter gives you the opportunity to grow your consulting business in 2 ways:
- When you create an agency account, you can easily add your consultants to the account. Then, when relevant assignments come up, you can pitch your contractors in seconds.
- Because the Onsiter marketplace is entirely open, clients can view and contact your consultants without registering with the platform. This is a great way to market your agency and individual consultants.
Learn more about how consultancies and vendor suppliers benefit from Onsiter here.
Got questions? Send us your questions in the comments and we’ll get back to you!
