Good advice, as tough as it may be at times.
I've come to expect that HR folks seem to only consider the "cookie cutter" resumes, which leaves out a jack-of-all-trades CPA like me (no Big 4 or large company experience).
However, I was energized by a recent temp job. I spent 3 weeks bringing a company back into compliance with their sales tax and annual reporting requirements (20 states). The best part was a referral to another company that needed help in cleaning up their books. Although it's not "etched in stone", this contract should take me through July, and maybe into August.
Based on what I've seen the past few weeks, things are looking much better. I've received more calls in the last two weeks than I had received from Nov-May.
I guess the moral to my story is don't turn down a temp job, even if the pay isn't exactly what you want. You never know what contacts you may make. The worst thing that can happen is that you don't draw unemployment for the time that you're working. Or, it turns out to be a lousy place to work, whereupon you know not to apply at that company!
You hit on a very good point. Temp / contract jobs are a great way to get a foot in the door of a company. EVEN if it's not exactly your line of work. If you go to a company that does employ people like you - and for whatever reason that company has overlooked you - go to work there as a floor scrubber if you have to. Opportunities will open once you are there, or someone in that company will get to see your hard work and somehow in conversation you will be pointed in a good direction. Temp jobs are a great way to network.
I should add that a main reason companies don't respond when you apply for work there online, is that they are inundated with unqualified people applying for specific positions. They cannot find your resume through the stack of people who are not qualified. That is why I suggest 1) having a cover letter that speaks, loudly, "I am a NEAR PERFECT match for this _____ position, because, you ask for ____, I have ____." Also, 2) find the hiring managers whom you would typically report to and apply to them directly, because they are the ones who have the need, they are directing the recruiters to find qualified talent, and if qualified talent lands in their lap, those hiring managers will get you plugged into the hiring loop.