Also I'd suggest making work for yourself in the meantime. Freelance or a side projects. Being 'employed' in some form, even if self manufactured, is often more attractive for prospective employers.
I have tried to look through the online freelance marketplaces, but it seems the quality is awful and the pay worse. I know most quality contractors work through connections, but don't know how to open that conversation. I'm not a particularly good salesperson.
It's not about the the pay, more the interview conversation this enables that your working on this, or learning about that for a business type thing while you tell them your looking for something more stable than freelancing.
That's good, serious, keep the terror, keep hungry. But also say honest to yourself, right? If a gig looks hinky pass it by.