[glenra]

In 2000 I was unemployed for a bit in the Bay Area and wanted to take a short break from techie stuff. Looking for interesting work I browsed the craigslist job boards, specifically the "ETC" and "part time" sections. You never know what you'll find there - I ended up working as an "extra" in the Matrix sequels. beaubonneaucasting needed people to drive in the background on a fake freeway in Alameda while cars were crashing/exploding/chasing each other. Paid about a hundred dollars a day, gave me some great stories and experiences to talk about at parties or in interviews, got me some random followup jobs...and now my Bacon Number is 2 and I have a good start on an entirely separate "performer" resume in addition to my techie one.

Having something recent - anything - on your resume is a big improvement on having nothing; having something "cool" that you enjoy talking about is better still. So I'd try that - think about your hobby interests and cast a really wide net to find things you wouldn't otherwise have considered. And use Craigslist.