One of the most difficult things about being a freelancer is that you are constantly seeking out new work. Even when you have a steady stream of regular jobs that can meet your financial needs, you keep an eye out for additional work because the nature of freelancing is such that those steady jobs may end at any time. The job search is one that can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Establishing a regular routine for finding new jobs helps to de-stress the situation. And making use of the numerous online resources that are now available can make finding freelance work significantly easier than it ever was in the past.

One of the ways that many freelancers have started obtaining new jobs is through social networking. And one of the most popular sites for doing that on is LinkedIn. That’s because LinkedIn is a professionally credible site which allows freelancers to highlight their skills and meet others who can make use of those skills. Almost every type of business needs a writer and/or web designer. That’s especially true now that companies are regularly hiring web news writers and bloggers to maintain their online presence. LinkedIn allows freelancers to connect to new industries and fields and offer these kinds of services.

To successfully networking on LinkedIn, freelancers should create a professional profile which emphasizes their writing strengths. Use the “current positions” location on the profile to note that you are a freelancer. Use this same field or “past positions” to show off some of the more lucrative jobs that you have had. Don’t forget to include a link to your professional website and note somewhere that samples can be seen on that link (which is hopefully something that you’ve already set up). Creating a strong online presence on the site and amongst your other sites will assist greatly with networking for freelance jobs.

Freelancers who regularly receive work through their LinkedIn connections are the ones that put themselves out there and say that they’re always seeking new opportunities and freelance projects. This is where the networking comes in. Target a few key fields that you want to work in and begin contacting people on LinkedIn through those fields. For example, if you are interested in doing press kit writing for musicians, you should be targeting musicians and publicity companies on the site. You can do this by using the search functions that LinkedIn makes available for this purpose. Invite these people to link to you on the site. When they see from your profile that you are interested in them for this reason, they’ll let you know right away if they have a need for your services. And even if they don’t have an immediate need, you’ll have made an impression in their minds so that they’ll think of you for the next freelance job they might require.

Finally, make sure to stay in regular contact with your LinkedIn connections. This is how freelancers get regular and ongoing work. Consider creating a monthly newsletter about your job and asking your LinkedIn connections if it’s okay to add them to your mailing list. Also make use of the message system on the site to send an update to your network of contacts about the work that you’re doing and the fact that you’re available for jobs. Freelancing is a great opportunity to do what you want to do for a living. But it means that you have to get out there and let others who can help you know that you’re available for hire!

LinkedIn is considered to be one of the best social networking sites for professionals in nearly all industries. It draws none of its attention from teenagers and young college students (except for those who are industrious and entrepreneurial) as so many of the other social networking sites do. This has lent it a kind of credibility among professionals that other social networking sites don’t share. For this reason, LinkedIn is one of the best sites to use for trying to obtain a new career or a job promotion through online networking.

How to Successfully Find a Job and Network on LinkedIn:



The first thing you’ll need to do is go to the site and set up a profile on linkedin

Fill out your profile completely. Treat the fill-in-the-blanks spaces as though this is a resume that you are submitting to your dream job. Edit and revise until you have a profile that you would be proud to hand is an application. Add a photograph because people on social networking sites want to see who you are; make sure it’s a professional photograph, of course.


Link yourself to existing professional contacts through the LinkedIn site.

LinkedIn allows you to search your email address books to find people who are already on the site and to invite others to join. The best way to develop your network is to start with those people that you already know. Even if you aren’t open with co-workers about the fact that you are seeking a new job, you can connect with them on the site in a limited, professional manner.


Begin making contacts with people on the site that you don’t already know.

You want to network with people who are in fields and positions that are of interest to you. If you’re seeking a career in publishing, for example, you will want to find people in the editing and publishing fields and connect with them online. When you contact strangers, you can be honest about your intentions. You don’t have to say that you’re writing because you’re looking for a job. After all, subtlety is good sometimes. But you can feel free to say that you are hoping to use LinkedIn for professional networking opportunities and that you believe that you and the other person could benefit each other in this way. Always share what it is that you bring to the table.

Regularly check the site and respond to all messages that are sent to you.

Many headhunters and hiring executives are starting to look through LinkedIn for employees. Someone just might contact you about a job before you’ve even gotten active on the job search yourself. If your profile reflects your talents and skills, there’s a good chance that you’ll get hired as a result of being on the site.

LinkedIn is just one of the social networking sites that is available for you to use in a professional manner. However, it is the one that is currently on the top of lists for employers seeking to hire someone. That makes it the one to spend the most time on if you’re serious about using social networking to get a new job.

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