[Campion]

If you have marketable job skills there is work to be had.

Have you tried looking for work since September, 2008?

I'm in the market right now. There are very few jobs and very many applicants chasing them.

[Thermalseeker]

I'm not looking. However, I've been contacted several times over the past 12 months by defense and aerospace contractors over in Huntsville, AL who are looking for engineers in a variety of disciplines. Most of it is classified work and you have to be able to pass a piss test and a background check to gain clearance. I've been out of that arena for at least 10 years and I have no idea how these folks got my information.

Have you considered moving, traveling, or going overseas for work? I did a lot of overseas work in the 90's and made a pile of money doing it. There is work out there, but you can't limit yourself to your local area. You might have to move or be willing to travel and it might not be exactly what you want to do, but it would be better than depending on Uncle Sugar. Most people aren't willing to travel or go overseas and, as such, they limit themselves to what is available in their local area. Similarly, far, far too many people in this country fail to develop broad based marketable job skills and rather expect that employers should hire them "just because". You have to make yourself valuable to an employer to gain and keep a job in hard times. If you chose to not develop job skills that are in demand you have no one to blame but yourself. Those limitations are self imposed. I don't want to sound callous, but more often than not the biggest limitation people have to finding work stares at them when they look in a mirror.....