How to add skills to your profile

Your Skills list is visible not only your provider profile, but also on your provider directory listing that appears in search results. Review your skills list regularly to add new skills and update your existing entries.

It is best to only list skills and areas of expertise in which you are truly proficient. Listing every piece of software or programming language you've ever used is unnecessary. A long, generalist skills list is less attractive to buyers than marketing yourself as a specialist.

You may update your skills list at any time.

1. Go to My oDesk -> Profile & Settings -> My Provider Profile.

2. Press the Add or Edit button in the 'Skills' box.

3. Describe one skill at a time:

• Skill - Enter the name of the skill. A helper list will appear with suggested skills that start with the same letter you typed. Select from the list, or type whatever you want. All the skill names you enter will appear on your provider directory listing.
  
  
• Years - Select how many years of experience you have with this skill.
• Level - Select your skill level. Be honest about it. Don't pretend to be an expert at everything.
  
  
• Last Used - Select the last year when you used this skill. Make sure you update this when you use the skill again.

Optional, but strongly recommended:

• Project Description - Describe your experience in more detail, and/or give an example of a project where you used this skill. Don't forget to add these projects to your portfolio!
• Project URL - Add a link to an example of your skill at work.

4. Press the Save button at the top or bottom of the 'Skills' box to apply your changes. Press the Save and Add More button to add this item to your list and reopen the form to add another item.