Regardless of your profession, the freelance market has become cutthroat in the post-COVID era. The gig economy is thriving as more people opt to work from home. With all the competition, it can be hard to stand out when searching for gigs. Here are some tips on increasing your job search success rate.

Create a Portfolio

It is almost impossible to land a client if you can't showcase your expertise, and nothing beats a portfolio when it comes to proving your suitability for a job. There are cheap (and sometimes free) sites where you can create a profile and upload your portfolio, whether you are a coder, artist, or writer. While these are good, you will always stand out from the competition when you create your own portfolio website. This begins with finding a reputable domain name registrar to reserve your website name. Your own website gives you more freedom to present yourself and your work as you want it. Also, unlike commercial portfolio sites, you don't have competitors listing their services on your website.

Get a Professional Email Address

It is good practice to have a professional email address separate from your personal inbox. This ensures that client messages don't get lost amidst the chaos of email notifications from services you've subscribed to and social media notifications. Also, a professional email—as the name suggests—shows professionalism on your part. Include your full name to make it easier for clients to search for your correspondence in their inboxes. If you own a domain name for your portfolio, your web host will probably allow you to use it for a custom email address. If you can't get a custom email address, at least sign up with a popular and reputable email service. Some obscure email services can make you look unreliable or like a scammer.

Network

No one person has a full understanding of an industry's freelance landscape; you never know what opportunities you are missing when taking a lone-wolf approach. It pays to invest time into finding online meetups and discussion boards for freelancers in your niche and your locality. Begin your search on social media platforms and request membership. Networking helps you understand tips on growing as a professional, as well as increasing your knowledge of the job opportunities available to you. If you attended an institution of higher learning, including online universities, find your alma mater's alumni association. They offer excellent networking opportunities.

Direct Pitching

You'll probably get most of your work from online marketplaces or professional communities like LinkedIn. However, these tend to be crowded, and your bid or proposal can get lost among competing bids. This is why it pays to research your industry and find individuals and organisations who need your services, and pitch to them directly. Most may not be hiring, but if they are, then you're more likely to get hired as you'll probably be the only candidate (or one of a few) they are considering.

Conclusion

Getting more gigs as a freelancer is all about standing out from the crowd and taking initiative. Having a classy portfolio site and a professional email service presents you as a serious candidate. Networking and direct pitching help you land more opportunities.