>> What makes you think I'm not doing it?
>
> You've been out of work for how long now?

Strictly speaking, 19 days.

> How many CVs have you sent out?

I've only really started properly keeping track the last week or so. But 
a rough count shows that in the last few weeks, I've sent out roughly 
50+ job applications.

> How many interviews have you given?

So far I've only been invited for 2 interviews. I did get a phone call 
yesterday suggesting that I may or may not be invited for one next week.

>> What can you actually *do* for 8 hours straight, every single day, which
>> will have any meaningful impact on your chances of finding work?
>
> When's the last time you visited the job centre in your area?

Friday. You have to in order to claim JSA. Not sure how visiting a job 
centre is supposed to improve your chances of getting work though...

> Have you
> been in touch with any of your former coworkers and asked them how their
> searches are going?

How would that help? They all live in Coventry, and they're all looking 
for lab work, not IT.

>> How does this work? I don't really understand what "networking" is, or
>> how it's useful. I sort of vaguely see the idea behind it, but that's
>> about it.
>
> "Hey, how are things going in your job search?  I was looking at a few
> things myself and saw this posting that isn't a good fit for me, but I
> thought you might be interested in it." (good for those who were let go
> when you were).

[See above.]

Basically, I don't know anybody in computing. With the exception of 
Jayne - who keeps telling me that I should come work for Network Rail. 
Which sounds like a great idea, except that they don't have any 
computer-related jobs going.

See, that's the thing - knowing somebody doesn't actually get you hired. 
I suppose it might plausibly let you hear about a job you wouldn't 
otherwise hear about... but if you're doing daily Internet searches, 
you're going to find this stuff anyway. (Or it's not advertised, in 
which case you can't apply for it.) Again, it's not like insider 
knowledge actually gets you any nearer to your goal.

> Have you contacted any of the government auditors you worked with in
> reviewing your former employer's compliance?  You did pretty good with
> that, and they may remember that and know of a company that could use
> your skills.

Lab companies are /very/ few and far between - this is exactly the 
problem my dad is currently having. He has 30+ years of experience in 
lab work, but he can't find any labs to apply to. And labs need /lots/ 
of scientists. They only need /one/ IT guy.

> It's not like they'll arrest you for contacting them.  For that matter,
> having prepared audits means you're well-positioned to conduct them as
> well.

I didn't really "prepare" audits. I wrote documentation which we are 
legally required to have. The auditors' job is to come and look at it. 
Writing documentation which you think will fend off auditors is one 
thing. Knowing all the legal scriptures required to properly audit 
someone is another thing entirely.

On top of that, if labs are rare, lab auditors are far, far rarer.

If anything, all we can say is that I have experience of working in a 
tightly controlled environment, that I'm good at writing documentation 
which is appropriate for its intended audience, and that I can explain 
complex concepts to nontechnical people. (Believe me, most lab auditors 
know everything there is to know about freeze-thaw stability testing, 
but know bugger all about computers.)

There are all worthy skills, of course, but it's not like having worked 
in a lab specifically is going to really open doors.

> ISTR you ruled out going to Oxford fairly quickly.

I tried to travel there. It was hell. Just for one day, and it was hell. 
I don't want that every day.

> You ruled out London
> fairly quickly - both based on the assumption that you'd have to go to
> the office every day to work.  That's not a good assumption.

The Oxford company TOLD ME that I would have to come there every day. 
That's not an assumption, that's fact.

Now, I don't mind working for a company based in London (hell, I used to 
work for one based in some place called "Indianapolis" or something). 
But I *do not* want to have to travel to London more than once a month.

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