Couple of questions about proposals/cover letters

[fea500ef]

Hi, I'm new here, obviously.

I've applied for about 5 or 6 transcriptionist jobs today, and I'm wondering if I'm not commiting a couple of upwork/freelancer social fopars on the proposal page.

Upwork may take this as a compliment if they wish, but something in their online tone is fairly relaxed and casual, and I then feel awkward using a formal tone in my proposal and cover letter.

I usually only use a couple of sentences, to say I'm new, and looking to make a good impression etc and about my history, then a couple of things to indicate I've looked at their proposal, or know what they want of me.

The problem is I end up (maybe subconsciously) writing out something that is too short to be the sort of formal cover letter I've been trained to write, but too long to be just 'hey, I tpye. bye.' and I don't know if it's landing the way it supposed to.

Is that the tone they generally expect ? 

Secondly, I also started writing something a long the lines of 'I don't mention my jobs prior to freelancing as most potential clients aren't interested in them, but between car valeter, house keeper, conservation volunteer and industrial cleaner, I've developed important key skills such as time keeping, attention to detail ....

Is this A. a good way to highlight my skills and B. a totally fine way to shoehorn them in?

Thanks!

L