How to be visible in a dense jungle. That's the problem of every new freelancer in any field - writing, coding, designing, etc.
The problem of visibility starts with the gatekeepers a- e.g. online job boards, marketplaces, etc. Here's how:
1. On joining an online job board/marketplace (Elance tc.), the new freelancer comes across the formidable task of shining against experienced freelancers armed with verified profiles and client reviews.
2. Then there are the 'premium' members who pay extra money to get preferred listing, no matter how their reviews and work is. 'Premium' membership idea is the worst.
3. New freelancers also have to sit through a battery of tests on these sites, to get good scores which they can now show on their profiles. Hurray!
4. Next, and maybe worst of all, not knowing if the client they just got is a scammy client looking for work samples or trial basis etc. Every job board/marketplace has its 'client from hell' story.
5. And if the client is not scammy, getting payment on time is another huge problem.
Welcome to the exciting world of freelancing.