Sure, but it depends on what you are applying for. The more niche, the less competition and higher pay. Some people just aren't willing to pay much for anythi

Sure, but it depends on what you are applying for. The more niche, the less competition and higher pay. Some people just aren't willing to pay much for anything, so avoid them. The best way to land jobs is to be the best person for the job. Some buyers are able to cut through the fluff and identify the quality. These buyers aren't nearly as concerned about price. The way to be the best man for the job is to have a strong profile in the area you are bidding for. For example, if you are bidding for Drupal jobs, then be a contributor and /or have some useful add-ons under your belt. Express confidence that you are the right person in your proposal and back that up with your credentials. Speaking of building add-ons, while using this method to build up your profile, consider selling something if it gets a lot of interest. You might make as much from selling add-ons as your target for extra monthly income. In certain jobs you may even outline how you would do the job and what tools you would use. This works great for smaller jobs because it educates buyer on what you will be doing before you even get started. This really sets yourself apart from the generic proposals. There are certain jobs which might look decent but you can clearly see the buyer is going for cheap in an area that lower cost providers should be able to easily handle. If you get this vibe and your rate needs to be higher then move on. Usually these types have a low hourly rate posted. Look for jobs with a fixed cost. You can often beat your target hourly rate if you find something you can do fast. Done right, all that competition won't matter much.