Vicotnik wrote:Perhaps it's time to stop depending on the system, since it's broken beyond repair. Start to grow some food, get together with other people with the same mindset and get to know a dentist. We live in interesting times.
That's funny you're saying that, I was talking about this with friends not too long ago
Aristide, don't give up !! I'd been unemployed for almost a year and I just got a job a week ago. My resume is probably not as extensive as yours is (only 5 years experience) but I was starting to get quite desperate : only one serious contact every other month, going to interviews and never hearing from the employer again (no matter how many phone calls and emails I sent)...
And then over the course of 2 weeks, I had 2 phone interviews, and a on site interview. A week after that, they made me an offer.
Good luck !!
[EDIT : as for topic discussed here, an unemployed person will just be extra motivated on a new job. As for skills being lost (IT is mentionned in those articles), I think it's mostly bullshit (unless you haven't worked for more than 5 years). IMO, any HR person who thinks that doesn't know what they're talking about. IT skills, even if a little outdated can be made up really fast by the right person with the right general IT skills. A programming language doesn't change that fast, programming techniques barely change, enterprise grade hardware doesn't change that fast either (it's more like companies don't usually upgrade their hardware infrastucture that often, allowing you to catch up on technology), project management techniques barely change... I know it's hard to stay on top of things when not working, but public libraries have a lot of (free) resources to help you stay in the game : professional IT magazines and publications, programming guides, certification study guides... And that's something I would mention during interviews.]