When my husband's job was axed, along with 25% of the other jobs at the company, he took a temporary to permanent position at minimum wage, in a nearby town. He had a 45 minute commute each way. This led to him being hired permanently in this entry-level job. He could bid on better jobs. He became a technical writer, then went into engineering, which was what his degree was in. It was a roundabout way to get into the company, but they wouldn't even talk to him through usual channels.