As your quest for orchestra, band, and other large ensemble gigs continues, taking a lesson or two from the principal player of your instrument can be smart move. There are the obvious benefits of getting some pointers on your tone, technique, and interpretation but there is also the networking aspect. The principal player in a section may have some influence on who gets called for the sub / extra work (or he can put in a good word for you with the personnel manager).
Networking with personnel managers and principal players can be beneficial outside of that particular ensemble. These people sometimes get requests from other musical groups looking to hire for events (community theatre companies, churches, etc...). The first orchestra gig that I played after moving to the Dallas area paved the way for the personnel manager to set me up for a run of a musical theatre production.
If you do not play a "standard orchestral instrument," (but you have good reading skills and chops) consider contacting orchestras and bands to get on their list of "specialty instruments."
Examples include:
Keyboardists playing electronic keys, synth, organ, or celeste
Guitarists (perhaps doubling on banjo and / or mandolin)
Electric Bassists
I can think of one pit orchestra job in my career that included a harmonica player and another one with an accordionist.
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