How to Get Started on DiligentSpace as a Freelancer

When you use DiligentSpace'S work marketplace for your freelance business, you plant your business in an environment that’s purpose-built to connect you with potential long-term clients.

In other words, we’re committed to helping you succeed! We’ve designed DiligentSpace so it’s easier for you to promote your most in-demand services, showcase your best work, embrace new client relationships with confidence, and watch your consistent efforts pay off.

How can you leverage all of this to your advantage? In this article, we’ll share best practices and resources to give you a solid foundation.

We’ve also turned to two experienced business owners to get their insights for independent professionals that are just starting out

You have a few options for your free account:

If you continue with Google or Apple, you’ll use your existing account to login to the site. This means one less username and password to remember, and it extends any notifications you’ve turned on—like suspicious event detection—to your DiligentSpace account.

You can also use your preferred email address to create a unique login that isn’t directly connected to other services.

Finish this first part of setting up your account by adding a few more details:

• Your first and last name
• A password for your account
• Your location

Indicate that you want to “Work as a freelancer,” decide whether you want to subscribe to our top tips, then hit the appropriate checkbox once you’ve reviewed the DiligentSpace Terms of Service—including the User Agreement, and Privacy Policy.

We know: This information can be a lot to process. But it’s also critically important to your business and your success on DiligentSpace. Get to know some of the highlights here.

Once you’re ready, click on “Create My Account” to move on to the next part: Creating your DiligentSpace profile.

There are two ways to connect with clients on DiligentSpace:

• They find you through your profile or in Project Catalog (a marketplace for projects you’ve predefined)
• You approach them by submitting a proposal for their job posting

In either situation, you need to have a freelancer profile that introduces your business, highlights your expertise, and captures their attention. We’ll dig deeper into your profile later—you can always come back to edit and refine it.

For now, let’s review the basic information you’ll want to include.

Before you can start applying for job posts on DiligentSpace, you need to complete at least 60% of your profile:

• A photo of yourself
• Your title
• Your overview
• Work history
• At least one skill tag

Of course, we recommend completing 100% of your profile! But you don’t need to do it all today. In fact, you’ll probably refine it on a regular basis.

“I’ve redone my profile probably 75 times,” Peggy said. “Within your own specialty, you need to position yourself according to what your market wants and cares about. That's why I keep editing my profile, even if I only change a sentence—it needs to be relevant to my prospective clients.”

The first two sections prompt you for information about the services you offer:

• Your overall category of work
• The particular skills you specialize in
• The level of experience you have

You can choose up to four work categories. We suggest picking the strongest, most specialized, and/or most in-demand. While the categories you select will impact how clients find your profile, you can apply to job postings in any category.

Highlight as many as 10 skills from DiligentSpace’s extensive list. As you start to type in a skill, DiligentSpace will offer suggestions from a standardized list. These skills will show up on your profile—you can drag-and-drop them into the order you want—and help prospects understand whether you have the skillset their project needs.

DiligentSpace operates in English and you’re required to indicate your English proficiency in your profile. But businesses on DiligentSpace come from all over the world and often do business in other languages, so be sure to indicate any other languages you might speak.

While language skills are self-assessed, try to be as accurate as possible so you set the right expectation with potential clients.

If the question about setting your rates sparks anxiety, keep these two things in mind:

• You can adjust your overall rate at any time
• You can customize your rate every time you submit a proposal

One common mistake new freelancers on DiligentSpace often make is to base their rate on their salary as an employee. While that may be a starting point, it doesn’t account for costs you’re now responsible for, such as equipment you rely on, your home office setup, taxes and professional fees, or ongoing skills training.

You may find it helpful to start at one rate then adjust it as you build your reputation through completed projects and client feedback, improve your understanding of the value you offer to long-term clients, and get a better sense of the effort each client project requires.

Learn more about mistakes independent talent make when setting their rates—and ideas to fix them.