Challenge Week 3: Find freelance jobs nobody’s advertising

You’re halfway done with this month's LinkedIn challenge!

• Week 1: You learned to spot opportunity signals.
• Week 2: You crafted mini-case studies to showcase your work. Now it’s time to get proactive.

Challenge 3: Dig for Hidden Jobs

Many freelance jobs are never advertised. They pop up when:

• A company signs a new client
• A team hires a new manager
• A startup announces funding

Instead of waiting for a job post, you can reach out early. But the key is to make your outreach relevant and personal, not cold or spammy.

Here are some made-up examples to show you what this could look like:

Example 1 (Content Writing):

Sarah, a freelance content writer, might see on LinkedIn that a mid-sized marketing agency has just announced a big new client in the wellness space. Since she’s written for wellness brands before, she could reach out to the agency’s content director like this:

“Hi Jane, I see your team just signed on BrightWell Health. Congrats! I’ve written a lot for wellness brands (content, blogs, emails) and know that scaling up with new clients can create a lot of extra content needs. If you ever need a freelance writer to help handle the load, I’d love to chat. Here’s a link to a short project I did for a similar brand: [link].”

Example 2 (Copywriting):

Alex, a freelance copywriter, might see that a local e-commerce startup has just hired its first marketing manager. Knowing they’re likely working on new product launches or email campaigns, Alex could reach out like this:

“Hi Priya, congrats on your new role at SnapThreads! I work with e-commerce brands to boost product launches and email campaigns with conversion-focused copy. If you’re looking to scale your marketing efforts or need freelance backup, happy to share examples or brainstorm.”

Example 3 (Editing):

Maria, a freelance editor, might see that an online magazine is expanding into a new content vertical. She could reach out like this:

“Hi Ben, I see that Healthy Eats is launching a new parenting section. How exciting! I specialize in editing lifestyle and parenting content and would love to support your team as you scale up. Here’s a link to some recent work I’ve edited: [link]. Would you be open to connecting?”

Example 4 (SaaS Writing):

Jamal, a SaaS writer, might see that a software startup has just announced a funding round. He could reach out to the head of marketing like this:

“Hi Rachel, congrats to you and the BrightDesk team on your recent funding! I help SaaS companies translate complex features into user-friendly content (blog posts, help docs, case studies). If you need extra writing support as you grow, I’d love to connect.”

Action: Pick one company or contact you’ve identified and write a warm, relevant outreach message like the examples above. Focus on showing (1) why you’re reaching out now and (2) how you can help.

When you reach out before the crowd, you increase your chances of landing work.. Plus you’re remembered as someone thoughtful, not just another cold pitch.

Next week: We’ll help you strengthen your trust factor by adding social proof, without feeling awkward asking for testimonials.

All the best.

Trudy (and Treasa)

P.S. Ready to land more gigs? Check out the latest paid writing opportunities now at freelancewritersonline.com.

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