Every freelancer makes the rounds, searching for leads on freelance jobs everywhere they know to look. Frustrating, isn’t it? From the web sites which offer nothing more than scraped jobs from Craigslist to the ones charging you subscription fees for more web-scraped gigs, it can be a real chore to wade through the garbage.

1. It never ceases to amaze me how skewed the signal-to-noise ratio is.  Quality freelance jobs are not impossible to come by, but there is a large amount of nonsense and clutter standing in the way between getting your resume to a project manager or editor worth the time and getting the gig.

I’ve been sifting through these sites and job boards since 2002, and I’ve learned a trick or two along the way. Here are some of them:

• Don’t Pay. When it comes to freelance MARKETS, there are a couple of very good resources worth your time and money. The best ones aren’t the ones you see listed everywhere, either. When it comes to finding a freelance job, chances are you can find plenty of work without having to pay a subscription fee. I have never paid a fee to get a freelance writing gig, and I’ve worked with plenty of recognized names including HowStuffWorks.com and AOL.com. You don’t have to pay. Just be persistent.
• Use RSS Feeds. Subscribe to the RSS feeds on Craigslist to get those jobs coming at you as fast as possible. Ever notice that some freelance job boards don’t use RSS? That’s because they want you to come to the website instead. Some sites use the RSS icon when directing you to their e-mail lists. Sorry, but sites doing this might not be looking out for your best interests there—especially when that freelance job info is scraped from Craigslist. Go directly to the source and sign up for the RSS feed. Cut out the middleman.
• Don’t Wait. One of the biggest mistakes freelancers make when looking for freelance jobs is waiting for “help wanted” ads to show up on the job boards. Instead, why not approach a potential client directly with a letter of introduction and some writing samples? Be proactive.
• Target Your Resume and Clips. When you approach a potential client, don’t fire off a generic resume and a list of unrelated clips. Stack the deck in your favor by creating a custom resume for the freelance job you’re applying for. Include only the most relevant information whenever possible. Leave out the unrelated stuff and focus on the skill sets that client wants.
• Expand Your Horizons. If you’re not writing about material that’s currently a hot topic, start tackling that subject even if it’s just on your own blog. Take advantage of the trends and ride the wave. You’ll be much more marketable if you can plug in to the current demands in the marketplace. Today’s demands including finance, investing, green energy, fuel economy, and frugal living. Not writing about any of those? Opportunity is knocking.