manpreet Best Answer 3 years ago

I was laid off unexpectedly last Thursday. The company for which I worked was acquired (I didn't even know this was in the works, and it sounds like most others didn't either), and the acquisition immediately reduced the workforce.

I have only been at this job for two years. My last 6 years of experience has been at 4 jobs due to layoffs (and the whole company folded in one instance). The intervals between jobs has taken their toll. I am only just now recovered from a gigantic mortgage debt that was incurred during a previous layoff.

So far my job hunting has been more of the "Panicked Scramble" variety than the "Laser Targeted" variety. I don't feel like I have the time available to spend looking for a good job, I feel like I just need ANY job.

The Question

Any advice on what I can do to make myself more desirable? What I can do to find positions less likely to die after 2 years?

Pros

• I have 10+ years worth of software development experience behind me.
• That experience ranges over web and desktop applications, server applications, services, enterprise projects, and so forth.

Cons

• I am a remote developer.

  The assumption, flawed as it may be in hindsight, was that I would stay with the company for longer. They billed themselves as a company that held on to people, and in the past that seems to have been true.

• I live in Hawaii.

  Hawaii time zone is two hours different (or 3 depending on time of year) from California. Quite a few job listings mention that they want remote developers who are within 2 hours of the company home.