Back to the job search

My workload has dropped significantly in recent weeks, so I've had to start searching for jobs again.

For the first year or so of my freelance career, I searched for freelance work every day without fail. Then almost a year ago, I got to the point where I had so much work that I had no time to search for jobs. Between my regular clients, a handful or so of new clients who found me via my website, and the occasional job search, I was able to sustain my workload and my income over a period of more than 9 months.

Unfortunately, my workload has dried up a little lately: One of my regular clients no longer needs me, and another has gone MIA. So today I hit the job boards with the intention of once again making this a daily task.

I also decided to make some changes to my approach to searching for jobs. For one thing, I decided to revamp my cover letter — I had made some changes here and there since I started freelancing, but for all intents and purposes I was working off a two-year-old model.

I also decided to apply for fewer jobs, but to spend more time on each cover letter. I used to use copy and paste to (quickly) send my cover letter and resume to pretty much every freelance gig I could find. However, I have so much more experience now that I'm going to be a little choosier — and spend a little more time customizing my cover letters — than I used to.

My goal is to find a couple more regular clients, and maybe a few one-off jobs to jump start my workload in the meantime. Wish me luck!