interior architect experience???

im qualified a year and a half, as an interior architect.
i was wondering does any 1 know how i can get some experience, i did my training in cardiff, and when i came home i was told i needed 2 years experience first to get into an architects office, i was told this by recruiters and architects or its about who i know.
i only had 3 months experince on site and a few months with an architect when i came back to ireland on the summer holidays, which was not enough, i ave tried sending my cv out with samples of my work, but still getting no where and now with the current situation recession, there is no work out there since i dont have the experience, i dont want to give up on a degree i worked hard for does any 1 know how i can get some experience.??