To be brutally honest though, you probably shouldn't get into freelancing until you have the connections and clout to make a living from it.

Sounds like a chicken-and-egg problem to me. How about designers who are still at school and trying to get some part-time work?

Sorry, I probably should have said full-time freelancing. Part-time freelancing is a good way to build up your client base.

A nice portfolio site is usually enough to generate connections, if not clients.