I have 17 years experience of doing a thing. I have been trying for 17 years to get a job doing that thing. I have been told over and over I don't have the experience because it's not "professional".
17 years. How much more experience do I need? What else can I learn after almost 2 decades?
Someone who hires people, please help answer this, why won't anybody give me a chance and hire me so I CAN get this experience I need that somehow is better than doing it for 17 years on my own.
Have you been making money? If not, it’s not considered “professional” experience.
They want references. Proof you can work well with people. Can work within a corporate or military structure.
Although having worked on something for 17 years, why not start your own business doing that thing and pocketing -all- the profit?
What type of work have you been doing during those 17 years?
Hiring managers are probably asking themselves these and many other questions.
@amarand I think I'll just use this as my villain arc and start doing the thing in a destructive way. Then I'll have more experience they can ignore.
I suspect you’re a cog in your current environment. It’s probably too much work to make a position for you that gives you what you want. Seek elsewhere, quietly, and leave once you find what you’re looking for.
Don’t assume your resume is awesome. I assumed - from your initial post - that it was not.
@dr_zooks
Have you had your resume reviewed by a friend? Someone who knows you well?