I need an advice

[KIGINTAND]

Hello!
I'm new here. I've been browsing tons of forums for an idea of what to do. I was laid off from my job about 3 month ago. I've been looking for a job since then, but did not even get a single interview. I worked as a web designer for a publishing company for the last 5 years. Looks like www.2-in-2-1.co.uk is an active forum with active members and may be someone has some experience working as a freelance web designer. May be "Christian Marriage" category is not the most appropriate for this question, but I want to try anyways to get some opinions before I go ahead with my life. I'm wondering if it is possible in the current economy to find work for a freelance web designer and make enough to pay for rent and groceries. I was able to find a small project on craigslist and I developed a website for a company. It was a small project and took me only a week to complete. I got paid $800 for 1 week of work which is not bad. Please people give me some ideas. I have 2 kids and my wife is out of work as well. Thank you in advance.

[rppearso]

Web design, and computer science jobs are down quite a bit since the .com bubble popped. Im not sure what your academic credentials are or your experience in computer related work outside of web design but I have a friend I graduated with from the Colorado School of Mines (he graduated in computer science with a minor in electrical engineering and I graduated with a BS in chemical engineering). My friend now works as a computer programmer for a military contractor (he has a security clearance so im not sure the details of what he does, but it is something along the lines of programming all of there propritary hardware to do stuff from tracking supplys and weapons to communications). Depending on what your particular skill sets are there are jobs out there, it is very important to net work and become part of societys in your field (I am part of AIChE, american institute of chemical engineers) and im sure computer programmers have a society as well, keep a pre paid cell phone full of all the people you come in contact with on a professional basis and back it up on an excel spread sheet and keep it on a thumb stick. Also it is critical to keep yourself updated on the latest technology in your industry, buy books (I have my own library and a very wide set of technical specs on my thumb stick I keep with me) get as many (non hooky) licenses and certs as you can (fyi if the cert requries a week long course or even a month its probably not going to add value) you want something that as few people as possible have (ie masters degrees in difficult subjects, PE license, PMP, I listed thoes because thats my familiarity).

Also you may have to move to a different state for employment which would be really sucky if you have a mortgage, if your just renting it will be cake. Also put up your resume on monster and do daily searchs. Sometimes professional licence holders contact information is on record with the state and you can request there contact information and send them letters as a way of networking which is what I did when I was looking for a job under a chemical PE of which there are only 100 in my state and only 50 of them are employed and reside in the state so it is a highly sought after licence and I just got my 4 years and am sitting for my 8 hr exam this october yay.

All of this stuff takes a crap ton of work and time but is worth it in the end, post back if you have any questions.