🚀 go-pugleaf

Richard Fangnail wrote:
> I had a good job as a tech writer but got laid off in 2001.  Foolishly
> I did very little to find employment until 2005.  I basically took
> classes and lived off savings and my folks.  I went to work as a temp
> in 2005-6 but that has dried up.
> 
> You know the main problem?  When asked for references, I have nothing
> recent.  And on my resume, people always ask why I haven't worked for
> so long.  I should have started working as a temp right away, in 2001.
> 
> What can I do?  I don't know very many people because that's my
> nature.  My tech skills are way behind the times and I can only do so
> much to catch up.  Plus, learning the skills isn't the same as having
> a job using the skills.
> 
> Very depressing - and I have enough money to live but just barely.
> 

You might try doing some volunteer work. Like maybe tech writing for a 
non-profit org a few hours per week. That will get you recent references 
and at a least show that you can still do the work.

If there is anything in the period that you didn't work that could be 
considered "family problems" or "major illness", try building that up 
into what would sound like a legit reason for not working. For instance 
if your mother had some minor cancer that was easily treated, you can 
make it sound like you had to spend months taking care of her.  And 
employers can get real sympathetic about that stuff.