A colleague was coming to the end of a work contract, and started to get antsy. So I put out feelers to a couple of people. Now, whenever an opportunity comes up, I get an e-mail or a phone call, wondering if my colleague is available. Not really. Now I need to find someone else who’s available, so next time people call I can suggest someone.
That’s how term work and consulting work flows. You let people know you’re available, and you use your network of contacts to spread that message as far as they can. There’s a similar network of people who are trying to find the right resources for their projects. And the networks overlap.
It’s great if your contacts can spread the word about your area of specialty. But don’t expect a lot of the opportunities to apply to your preferred area of work. The opportunities come as they come, and proving you can do one kind of work may lead to your preferred work.
Turning down opportunities because they don’t perfectly fit your plans may be right for you if you’re actively pursuing a narrow field that has lots of earnings potential. On the other hand, you could be earning money and building your reputation while you wait for your ideal gig to come around.