What are some creative ways to say I am looking for a job without sounding desperate?

If possible engage them in a conversation first. Find a problem they are having at their company or organization and offer a solution. If that person thinks the solution is viable it might get you to the next step.

Stand at the doorway with a placard saying you are

HUNGRY!

a little desperation is good in today's job market. it shows a potential employer that you're willing to work.

Using phrases like "Seeking a challenge" "Looking for a career path" ''Wanting to develop my skill set" "Looking to develop my potential" are all good. Just pick the one that fits best. Refering to further training or education you could link with a particular job is also good.
But itried is correct. A maturely worded request for employment is the best place to start.

The easiest answer is to look for a job while you already have a "good" job. I admit this is an absurd response, however, as it implies you already have what you are looking for. People have gone as far as fabricating a job with some employer they know. I do not recommend this as it is dishonest. Some have even gone as far as paying employers to give them a paycheck (for the W-2). I do not recommend this either.

As an employer, I have seen people get very creative in an effort to appear as though they already have a job. They do not want to appear "desperate". Mostly I experienced candidates that claimed to be "self-employed" which is more difficult to verify. Either way, I never did understand this; I never regarded anyone as desperate for looking for a job while unemployed.

There seems to be some theory that all of the "good" people are employed already and therefore unemployed people are less worthy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Corporations rarely hire/fire/layoff on the basis of merit or ability. Even small businesses can operate this way.

The best candidate that I ever hired iinformed me he had just been fired from his job (during the interview). I did not even ask why and it was the best choice I have made to date.

I use whatever I can! I tell them about all my experiences in life and everything I have done also what an asset I would be to them!

just mention how hard it is to find a job in today's horrible economy. you won't sund desperate, it sounds responsible.