Second, always be looking. You are right in observing that 99% of job ads seem totally boring. Partially this can be helped with some filters on job boards, I tend to just filter out "Finance" and "Advertising" since I know that I have basically zero interest in those domains. But the chance that you'll find a great interesting job where you skillset is even vaguely compatible at the time you need it is pretty low. It's better to keep looking well before you need to.
Third, if you meet someone in your field who's working at a place that seems interesting, ask if they're hiring. Even if not, there's a chance that next time they are, the person will remember you. Or perhaps in their next company...
Finally, cultivating a broader skillset rather than a highly specialised one can make this easier, since many interesting companies are probably not doing the exact same everyone else is, so they might need someone who seems more adaptable.
Good luck!