What You Need to Do on Social Media/Online

You want your profile to attract potential clients. Your profile needs to be professional but also interesting to attract people to look at your C.V. Your profile photo should be clear and professional. The headline of your profile is something that you should use to grab people's attention and must be well-written so you stand out from the crowd. State what you do, the types of clients you work for and evidence of your experience and expertise. Proofread your profile carefully before uploading- a poorly written profile will mean clients are less likely to contact you.

The main body of your profile needs to highlight relevant experience and skills. You need to begin with a summary covering your current work situation and some examples of work successes. This is like a mini interview and you want to sell yourself- summarise qualities about your work and work ethic that is relevant and discuss relevant education and qualifications. You should highlight your unique qualities and emphasise what makes you good at your work. With your educational experience, you generally want to focus on aspects that are relevant to the type of roles you are pursing and to leave out those that are no longer relevant.

"Tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable". However tempted you are do not lie or exaggerate on your professional profile. You need to be honest about your skills and also your experience. Highlight the important points of your work history and make sure you address any gaps in an honest and open way. Do not try to ignore them since future clients will notice them and wonder why you are ignoring them. Any career gaps should be briefly covered with a summary but you should also highlight any relevant skills or experience that you may have gained during the time in another role, even if it is not work related. Gaining recommendations and endorsements from other users in your network can strengthen your profile but again make sure these are honest recommendations from people who are in a position to know your work.

Once you have a profile set up you should check and update it regularly. As a freelancer, your work can fluctuate and having an up-to-date profile helps maintain an online presence attracting future work. Ensure any new skills or qualifications are added as relevant as well as any new clients you are working for or projects you have become involved with. Linking with new clients will also open your profile up to their contacts and increase your exposure.

At Scott-Moncrieff, we can help you to work in the way you want to get the best for your clients as well as ensuring you have the right work-life balance. Working for Scomo as a freelance lawyer allows you to be self-employed, work from home or satellite offices, manage your own hours and keep 70% of the fees you bill.

If you are interested in learning more about a career as a freelance lawyer and have at least five years PQE with relevant experience in a particular area of law then email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will get straight back in touch with further details.