Just a 47-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH). There has been a huge element of "Why Even Bother Looking for a Job" (in our house) with the hole in dh's resume AND the job market.
That is pretty much the feedback dh got.
I am not depressed just for him. Practically everyone I know is out of work right now. I am taken aback sometimes on the forums with the "People are just lazy there is plenty of work out there." I realize some of it is regional, but I know the unemployment is pretty terrible in the region I live in.
BUT, I had a couple of long-term unemployed stay-home mom type friends who were able to pick up seasonal work over the holidays (jobs my dh was turned down for before the economy went sour) so maybe I was getting a false sense of hope.
The depressing part? Big wig tells dh they had ONE THOUSAND applicants for a receptionist position, recently. I *knew* this I really did, but to hear those numbers on a personal level. It just made me sad for all of our friends and family out of work right now. That is hard to wrap your brain around.
That said, I am still excited for dh. Big Wig did give dh tips on his resume, and suggested dh talk to to one big wig - the one who happened to want to offer dh a job"if they could get the budget." I recognize that some of dh's standoffishness is his sense of this and the economy. IF they are laying off mostly now, etc., is not the time to really be pursuing a job. IT sounds like he probably should talk to this other guy about this position since the one he e-mailed is not really in that department (which I don't know any of this). BUT, I still think it was a good start because he was very friendly and helpful all the same.
The job will probably go to someone in the union, is what he said. & that dh's resume will go straight to the trash with no experience, probably. Since this is a little more specialized, probably won't get 1000 applicants, but will get many.
BUT, my dh still applied, and seemed very "It's not the end of the world" if I Don't get this job. He is simply so passionate about it. So I am still very proud of him, and kind of like, "WHO is this person?" Maybe next week he will slide into depression if they reject him. I don't know! For now, I don't know this person. 
For reference, when he asked the person in a similar position for help getting a job, 5 years ago, they sounded like there were a lot of full-time job opportunities available. Boy how times change, so quickly.
I've felt all along he'd probably have to go to school to get a fresh start on his resume. I mean a couple of thousand dollars at state to turn his film minor into a major - not the $50,000 trade school. But who really wants to make that investment in this economy? If don't have to? Will probably wait for better timing. Re-affirming what we have already been thinking. OF course, the other avenue is getting an *in* by networking. But even that seems to be putting dh back to square one with the "no experience."
I also feel like my plan to get a low skill part-time job in the summer is insane. But I may still try. All you can do is TRY!
As dh said, "We are blessed to not need the job."
Last night I thought, "Someone may need this job to feed their family." Which just adds to the "depressing," but is the truth.
Job Update, Depressing
January 4th, 2012 at 01:29 pm
January 4th, 2012 at 09:27 pm 1325712438
When times get better they often do so subtly at first - like it feels still crappy to the person who has given up, but if you apply and your resume is warm (which if you put the volunteer work on it is), you might get a bite at that hinge point before the media announces good times a comin'...then everybody applies and many get nailed again.
January 4th, 2012 at 09:32 pm 1325712756
January 4th, 2012 at 11:29 pm 1325719742
I also believe it is really about who you know and not what you know. Fingers still crossed!
January 5th, 2012 at 01:00 am 1325725253
It might not hurt for him to take a class or two at the university going towards a film major - even if he doesn't end up going all the way to a degree. He may meet someone who knows someone ...
January 5th, 2012 at 02:12 am 1325729520
@FT - very true. Just reminds me, my dh has met several people who went to the uber expensive/highly regarded film schools. So, I don't quite buy you have to attend *those* schools to network. (I know you didn't say that - but many do!). But, he met many of them on Craigslist when others were looking for film crews. Anyway, he should probably be just working on meeting more people and working on more projects like that. Since his one friend moved to LA and the other one has been pretty flaky. But that is just another whole depressing thing - all the very talented starving artists he knows... At least dh doesn't have a $50,000+ student loan just to be in the same boat.