You usually have to know someone to get a job. Forget about the online applications. Contact everyone you know and ask them if they know someone who knows someone. Volunteer at a place where you want a job and work hard.
Quoting: nutmeg There is a lot to this poster said. When I was looking for work I filled out tons of applications, applied online for tons of jobs, looked at the listings every day.
But in the end the two jobs I have now I only got through word of mouth, neither job was ever listed anywhere and I never filled out any application for either one.
I got the one job working for a friend and then heard about the other one through that first job.
Since then I heard about another one the same way but I couldn't physically handle a third shift, even these part time shifts take it out of me, it's hard work cleaning big commercial places but I would recommend cleaning work, there's a lot of good things about it.
So yeah, get out there and talk to everyone, it's hard to have a social life when you are broke and down and out but you have to force yourself.
And always put yourself together and dress nice every day and get out of the house and talk to people. When I was out of work I tried to dress like I was going to an interview every day. You never know who you'll run into.