I know exactly what you mean by being laid off. I've worked for 14 years in the carpenters union and almost everyone in this trade gets laid off. It doesn't matter how hard you work or how good you are at whatever it is you're working at (from my personal experience) it's not what you know but who you know. The people that work as hard as they can are the ones that get booted out until it's time for them to be called back to catch them up. I've been frustrated by companies keeping the people that don't know what they're doing and the only reason they stay with the companies is because they are related or know the right people. I've always had to find my own work and I never had problems in the past getting work. I ended up losing all of my contacts because I had them stored on my phone. I now have to start all over and it's a completely different world now than what it use to be. Hard work means less than knowing or having the right contacts. I've personally been laid off by doing too much work many times. Get as many contacts as you can whenever you get back to work and you'll always be able to find work. I had to do a lot of traveling and I don't want to have to live like that anymore. I'm stuck too but I won't be held down very long.

Nicolas...Are you referring to the gap of time they may see on your resume or do you state you were laid off ? As others have said, I don't believe being laid off should reflect negatively on you personally.

I don't think a layoff because the company closed or moved reflect negatively on your applications. Its a tough job market for skilled and experienced workers, especially in manufacturing. Keep at it!

Why are you putting that you were laid off on your resume? If your company outsourced your division, that is exactly what you say if and when asked why you are no longer at your last employer's. You don't put it on your resume. People are laid off all the time, it is not a big deal these days. Maybe there is another reason as well that your resume is being overlooked?

Hi Nicholas: I think the problem has less to do with the fact that you've been laid off, and more with the sheer number of applications you've been putting out there. If you've applied to over 100 jobs, you probably aren't tailoring your resume to each individual job - and that makes it much more likely that you're getting passed over. Think quality, not quantity. Focus on making each resume the best possible fit for every job you're applying for. That way, you're much more likely to land the interview - and that puts you one step closer to a new job!

That's a very interesting question Nicolas. I would be interested in hearing what others think about this subject as well. And I am sorry that you are going through this situation.