Since I posted I had an interviewer call while I was writing a post on this forum,I will tell you how it went.
Fine until they asked if I was proficient with word and excel.I told them while I was comfortable,everything was pre loaded in a program and all I had to do was fill in the blanks.So even though comfortable with Word and Excel,my knowledge would be considered pretty standard.
Well,the hiring manager will check all the applications and if you are selected,he will give you a call.I know "NO" when I hear it.If you are McGee from NCIS you get hired.Unless you are a 25 year old computer geek you do not get hired.I have 71 weeks of federal unemployment left.The hiring manager will pay my unemployment with his taxes.

Maybe this is a good time to brush up on some of those skills you are lacking (Excel and Word).

Have you considered doing some studying and becoming more proficient at using those programs?

Always a good idea to better yourself when you have the time.

What type of work are you looking for?

there are books you can pick up that teach you excel and word, and there are classes as well.

Word and Excel are pretty basic programs. I would highly suggest you take an adult education class and get proficient. It sounds like in your line of work you need them.

I think you can even sign up for free classes for unemployed people.

Or do online tutorials

This. These are BASIC office tools, that the vast majority of people who work in any office environment know how to use. Lots of tutorials online. Your best answer would have simply been "yes".

Then you could brush up on anything you didn't know unless they were planning on giving you an over the phone test on either (doubtful).

I also like to use "I may not be an expert at _________, but I am highly proficient at using google and can find what I need in a very short amount of time. copy the best, code the rest.

This^^^^^^^

I eliminate the gel-haired head hunters real real quick by asking did you read the resume I submitted, so you should be able to tell me where I worked the longest...and 99% of them can't. The second elimination question is does this position pay a minimum of X per hour. Again I had stated my minimum hourly rate in my cover letter...nope, they hadn't read it.

I had forgotten how the head hunters\staffing firms worked...hadn't had to deal with them in a long time. Most are just collecting resumes to make their monthly quota and calling a few to say they made some candidate calls.

Oh and yeah, I am very proficient with technology and apps...:)

"they asked if I was proficient with word and excel"

Just what exactly does that mean?

I don't know anywhere close to everything about excel and I have written VBA macros over a thousand lines long that did SQL queries and did calculations and pumped the output to a powerpoint presentation with one click of a button in excel. Does that count as "proficient"?

over qualified

Of course...I am a power Excel user but would have said yes if I only knew how to build a simple spreadsheet...

I would say that's better than proficient.

I would consider someone that knows how to use functions "proficient"

Video Professor series are very good and you can find them at half price books

so true..

I've had 20+ calls about jobs for oracle or java, both of which are mentioned in my resume as having had exposure to(in school and on my own), and these idiots call me about Sr. level positions.

You might be able to collect a paycheck or two before they figure you out.

Bill says"You might be able to collect a paycheck or two before they figure you out."...LOL, not likely. I'm too honest in what I know and what I don't know...:)

frankly at this point if in the next 30 to 45 days I don't find something here in OK that pays half-way decent I'm outta here. Got a good severance package from my last job that will pay for me to move one more time....and I'm not going to waste it...:) Off to Florida where I'll start an internet porn site, scam old people, and fish on the side...think that will work..:)

Oh and I'll get however many weeks of unemployment you can get nowadays...