I was laid off from my job a couple of weeks ago. I was with the company for a bit more than 6 months and I thought I was doing my job well (wasn't coding much, was into middle management). It came as a surprise to me and my teammates too. Now, I want to go back to freelancing and work on some SaaS ideas on the side.
Problem is, It now seems impossible to find a project. I tried contacting some older clients but they don't have any work at the moment (or in near future). I posted in Seeking Work/Freelancer thread as well without any success. Tried various remote job portals and slack channels. No success there either. Had 1 enquiry and I lowered my hourly rates to less than half (from $100/hr to $40/hr) and still I couldn't get the project. I've got 12 years of experience writing code and I think what I asked was quite fair. Now I'm getting desperate for work and I've no clue what should I do next.
Going full-time is an option but I had a shoulder injury recently and I'm trying to minimize commuting as much as possible. Also, I feel I work better as a contractor and it keeps me happy.
Even better than using a recruiter use a site like Hired.com and vettery.com. These sites are great for matching you with interesting employers.
The best thing about the above options is that it gives you access to a lot employers, much more than you can find by searching on your own.
Note: these recruiters and sites can help you find freelance/contract work as well as regular employment.