How do you find work without job references?

I have been a stay at home mum for the last 20 years.I can not find a job that does not ask for recent job references. I have to find work real bad as my mariage is over and I have to move out and find a place to live,so in order to do that I need a job.I have no time for doing a course at Tafe or volunteer work as I need to move out of my home real bad.

I know that many employers state that they want three recent references, but simply not having them does not necessarily eliminate you from the applicant pool.

If I were in your position, I would create a resume that discussed the things that you did every day as a stay at home mom. Many of the things that you did for your family are the types of things that employers look for in their employees. It pays to be creative. So, instead of listing "raising children" list something like "managed the day-to-day operations of a household of five members." Instead of "cooking" list something like "planned and prepared meals that were nutritious, diverse, and delicious on a daily basis. "

Other things that you performed as a mom: crisis management, personal relations, first aid, cleaning, teaching and help with the homework, etc. I am sure that you also have learned personal traits like loyalty, reliabilty, self-confidence, self-reliance, and the ability to work with little supervision.

Good luck in your hunt.

maybe you could use professional friends as references?