job opportunities

I've been in Lexington area for over a year and I can't buy a job,Ive got 33yrs. in construction and 10 of that has been in DOT,commercial & residential inspection.I've got Nicet,Necept and 10 more certificates which apparently don't mean to much down here in the south.I've posted w/ Mactec and sent resumes to countless engineering firms and I understand that because I don't know anyone here that thats why I'm still looking for work.I live in 8th cabinet dist. and they can't even understand why I haven't been hired,I submitted resume to a well known firm here that does DOT inspections they said they couldn't use me and DOT lab personnel said 2 weeks later that that same company was still hiring for a highway project that I applied for.Can anyone give any possitive advise?