Have you ever gotten a job on Elance?

Answer 1

If so, what do you do to get the job?

Have exemplary and demonstrable experience and be cheap. The problem with the second of those is you might have to be too cheap. Elance is worldwide and you'll notice if you post a project that a lot of bids are seriously cheap for western markets.

I've tried to compete but the time it takes to process projects and the wage I'd get from it means I'd be better off trying to get regular work.

So possible but not necessarily worth it. It depends on how much you like being paid.