Guide to Work Preferences

As an Independent, it’s common that your workload and schedule can be inconsistent. With constant changes, it’s important for your potential clients to know when you are available for new work.

“Work Preferences” on Contra allow you to showcase if you’re accepting new clients, and preferences on the type of work opportunities that are the perfect fit for you. 👏

Accepting New Clients

Keeping your availability up to date on Contra allow you to showcase if you’re accepting new clients, so we recommend keeping it updated regularly. 👏

Updating your Availability Status

If you’re open to new work, the first step you should take is clicking your availability status under your profile picture. You can select to extend your availability for up to 1 month from today's date. Clients are actionable; they want to hire people who are ready to get to work. Having your availability up to date gives clients a green light to reach out 🚦

If you don’t have your status up to date, a client may overlook your profile and go in a different direction. Aka: stop missing out on new work coming your way!

Turning on Inquiries

This will take less than 30 seconds 👇

1. Navigate to your Contra Profile
2. If not already, turn on the “Get in Touch” toggle.

You can toggle your status on and off from this view as well!

Pro Tip: if you are available to get hired, always have your “Get in Touch” button turned on. This allows clients to send inquiries your way!

Work Preferences

To get matched to opportunities made for you, adding in your work preferences is the place to start!

Here, you can customize:

• Tools: platforms/resources you know how to use best
  • Ex: Photoshop
• Project duration: how long you want to work on a project
  • Ex: 1-4 weeks
• Hourly Rate: the amount of money you charge per/hour for your work (these are shown in ranges)
  • Ex: $25-50
• Time Zone + Extended Hours: the time zone you are available for work in → make it flexible by adding extended hours!
  • Ex: Pacific Standard Time (PST) +1 hour
• Languages + Proficiency: the languages you speak
  • Ex: German + Fluent



Setting your Work Preferences

Setting your availability will take under a few minutes 👇

In your “Profile” tab

1. Navigate to your Contra profile
2. Select your Location, Timezone and preference for extended hours.
3. Add your languages and proficiencies.
4. Make sure to click “Save Changes”

And that’s it! If you’re ready to update your profile, navigate your profile settings today. We can’t wait to see the work headed your way 🚀