You might try getting involved in some open source projects, that way you can build a network of people who have worked with you and know what you can do, but w

You might try getting involved in some open source projects, that way you can build a network of people who have worked with you and know what you can do, but who didn't have to take a risk on hiring you, given you track record. I don't know what your skillset consists of, but if you have any experience with mobile development (android, iphone, etc) or think you can pick it up, there's a huge demand for mobile developers, and if you build a few apps on your own and publish them to the app store/market, that gives you something to show people, instead of them only being able to check your past work history by calling up previous bosses. Finally, if you can get stuff done, you might see about working for a startup. They will probably be much more demanding of your time, but they may be willing to give you a chance where a corporate HR person would otherwise rule you out off the cuff. Good luck.