Hang in There

Times are tough. Times are very tough. For those of us who are fortunate to be earning an income, we sometimes forget or don't fully realize how bad it is out there for so many Americans.

For those who are dealing with the severity of losing a job and not yet having one, I am begging you to not lay down. These are times to use to reorganize, and reformulate your career agenda. For many, this task can seem daunting and overwhelming. Create a short list of "To Do" items and take this seemingly overwhelming task one step at a time.

Though there are many things you can do to plan out the next phase of your career, here are a few recommendations:

Get your resume cleaned up, organized and up to date. (Read Update Your Resume and Resume Advice) There is so much free data out there on the Internet on how to create a solid resume. Use this information and create the best resume you can.

Prepare professional job references.
Having them upfront can be very beneficial. (Read Importance of References)

Be positive as a whole.
If you cant do that, then at least be positive in any interviews that you are fortunate enough to land. (Read Be Enthusiastic and Practice Your Pitch)

If you aren't using a recruiter, consider doing so.
(Read Recruiters Make Great Bridges). When using a recruiter, you should use one that actually understands the industry you are seeking to gain employment. These experienced recruiters may already have very helpful information for you as well as have contacts within the industry that can lead to a job placement. (Read How Many Recruiters Do You Need?)

Use online tools that are proven and that will provide you with what you need vs. many services that are useless.
There are so many online services out there that claim to help you with your job seeking and placement when in fact they are in the game of collecting information from you - their member. JTL Services, Inc. created a great online application that can help you with your job search and placement. The tool is free to use and has no motive except to help you. (Read Job Connection Tools That Can Really Work For You)

Though we are not out of the woods yet, we may have passed the height of this recession. Much information out there suggests the job market may take another full year or more to recover, but we may have turned a corner. Either way, hang in there. This is no time to stay negative. If you lost your job, that is awful. Be frustrated, be upset, but be responsible. Do not let it drag you down and then keep you down. Those that plan and stay positive and relentless towards success, will be successful!