I don't know about the rest of you but I think it's high time this economy turned around. If you've been a victim of the downturn and are desperately hunting for a job, you aren't alone. I'm right there with you. Despite a fantastic job history, plenty experience and a strong resume, I'm getting few bites.
It's hard not to feel discouraged but the last thing you want to do is give up hope. Remember that the only people guaranteed to fail are those who give up. Here are a few things you can do to retain your focus and keep plugging away.
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Treat your job hunt as a job. If you are unemployed and investing less than 8 hours of your day in job search then you are doing yourself a disservice. Wake up in the morning, have your coffee and breakfast and then sit down at your computer and begin your hunt. Take frequent breaks, but try to make a full day of your effort.
Use this opportunity to get in touch with old friends and colleagues. Keep it casual but slip your circumstances into the call and graciously accept any offers for help. If your friend gets you an interview, be sure to get back in touch and thank them for the helping hand whether the opportunity pans out or not.
Train yourself. Read everything you can in your industry and update your certifications. If you can't afford to buy training materials, there are these wonderful buildings called libraries full of books. The time you invest in strengthening your skills count towards your 8 hours so make the most of the time.
Get in touch with headhunters and job placement agencies. Hunting for a job is tough, demanding, time consuming work. It will go much easier and much faster if you have a team working on your behalf. Just remember to check up and check in often. You would think headhunters would have a vested interested in getting you employed since their salary depends on it but you'll often find them dragging their heels. This is particularly the case in a buyers market where tons of talent is readily available and there aren't enough jobs to accommodate everybody.
Take the weekends off. As with a paying job, you need to have some downtime to recharge your batteries. If you're investing full time effort in your hunt during the week, take Saturday and Sunday to rest and recharge for the week to come.
Actively seek constructive criticism. If you are turned down, try to find out why. Do not approach this in an adversarial way. The interviewer who just rejected you is a potential source of information to help you improve and prepare for your next interview.
Do not take rejection personally. Remember that the market is saturated with candidates. The fact that you didn't get a job is not a reflection on you personally. For example, you may have decades of experience but no college degree. Despite being better qualified thanks to your experience, employers don't have to cut any corners in this market. Whatever their criteria, there's probably somebody out there who fits every demand. That doesn't make you a bad person or a poor choice. It just means you're facing stiffer competition.
Speaking of college, if you do not have a degree consider enrolling for a class at your local community college. At the very least you can then claim you are working towards a degree which, coupled with your experience, will make you more attractive to employers.
Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can and pat yourself on the back for it every day. The last time we saw a market like this was in the 1930s. If you were 18 years old and working back then, you'd be 98 years old today. With very few exceptions, that means even your parents don't have a frame of reference for how difficult it is to find work in an economy like this. Remind them of that if they give you any grief for your current situation.
Lower your standards. I know it's difficult to accept a big pay cut but some money is better than none. Remember that this environment won't last forever and future employers will remember it clearly enough to cut you a pass for the lull in employment or temporary reduction in pay you accepted to get through it. Hopefully you can get a better job when that time comes.
Remind yourself that things will get better. It's easy to get in a funk and stay there, but this will turn around and you will get back on your feet. The only way you can be sure that won't happen is if you give up.
Stay strong.