Learn as many musical styles as possible. Though your strength may be focused on rock and roll or heavy metal music, for example, you must also study other styles, such as jazz, country, bluegrass and R&B. The more versatile you are, the better your chances of getting hired by musicians in different genres.
Study classic guitarists in different musical genres. Doing so can help improve your own skills. Watching concert films and performance footage of legendary guitarists can provide you with tricks and methods that you can incorporate into your own style.
Learn to read other kinds of music. This can give you a competitive advantage because producers may be more willing to hire a session guitarist who can not only read guitar chord charts but sheet music for other instruments, such as the piano, as well. Your goal is to develop musical versatility in all aspects of your training.
Record a demo that demonstrates your guitar playing abilities. While you don't need an elaborate, high-tech studio for the recording -- though you can rent one if it's affordable -- you do need to ensure that the sound quality is clear. Remember to play a variety of musical styles, including uptempo licks and slow jams, when recording your demo.
Target recording studios in your community and send them your demos. You can find a list of recording studios on sites such as Media Web Source, Music Nomad and 1212.com.
Offer free guitar sessions to producers in order to help you develop relationships in the music industry. Playing in a studio in front of a producer who can hear your talent in a live session is the best way to gain credibility and to demonstrate your skills. And by playing for free, you build goodwill with producers. Producers will also gain confidence in your ability to get the job done, making it easier for them to hire you for a paid gig.