I've been in your shoes (dang dot-com bust
). Looking for work is not easy, and can be very frustrating.
You've gotten some great advice... forgive me if I repeat some of it.
Network, network, network. Join professional orgs in your field of interest. You never know whom you'll meet. Don't overlook the internet job boards, but don't rely on them exclusively. A good network will serve you much better.
Do some volunteer work, in your field if possible. You never know whom you'll meet in that context. You can also list it on your resume. You don't want gaps in your employment history, and while you can list Target, your job as a sales associate probably isn't going to impress someone who's looking to hire a lawyer/paralegal. BUT, if you can list some law-related volunteer work alongside it, that will be more impressive.
Your state's Department of Labor may have some resources. My state's DoL runs job fairs, resume workshops, etc., most of which are free for job seekers. Of course, their goal is to help unemployed people find jobs so they can stop paying them unemployment insurance... but these programs should still be open to you as an underemployed person, even though you're not collecting UI.
No matter what,
don't give up. It's easy to give up hope when you've sent out a bunch of resumes and the phone still doesn't ring. Keep plugging away.
Good luck!
