Be considered for projects
You stand a much better chance of being considered for a project if the first few lines of your email contain all the information the subcontractor is looking for. First of all, jot down what the project poster is asking for and respond accordingly (and truthfully!). But time matters because subcontractors usually have little time to allocate projects. The first few responses always receive much more attention than the ones arriving hours after the posting was first made. So make it fast and to the point!
- Who are you? Briefly include your membership of professional bodies or accreditation & experience in the specific subject matter
- Where are you? Many applicants omit to say which country they are writing from, which may be relevant with respect to bank charges and time differences.
- What will you charge? You’d be amazed how many people leave the subcontractor guessing or forcing him to work it out for himself.
- Can you meet the deadline? State your deadline, expressed in the subcontractor’s time zone. Needless to say, only promise what you can deliver.
- Keep it brief, include your contact details and check your spelling very, very carefully.
If the first 10 lines of your email contain all this information rather than simply referring to an attachment, your application will belong to the 10-20% to make a good impression on the subcontractor who is likely to be flooded by emails.
You can then go on to state your terms of payment, references, or other information that you deem relevant.
Nothing is more irritating than applicants who don’t pay attention to the contents of the posting, for example, by replying after the job is closed, by translating a text sample when this is not required or by not using the correct email address.
United Kingdom