Are there any seasonal jobs available with your city/county? I'd never go back to the private sector but it's difficult to get in with my city. The main route people take is getting a seasonal job in the department and then applying internally for permanent positions in whatever department you want. Right now they're still hiring on an ongoing basis. While the pay sucks, it's a stop-gap that can get you additional certifications while providing a good work/life balance. If you have a local workforce development centre, here run by the county, they know all of the municipal/county hiring managers.