Being unemployed seems to have made me someone from whom other unemployed people seek advice. (Go figure.) Here's some of what I've been telling them and trying to follow myself -- with varying degrees of success. Note: The author has no training in career placement or guidance.
This is no time for modesty. Get over reluctance to tell people: "I'm looking for my next job." Finding the right way to convey just what it is you bring to the party is an art, and it takes practice. Start by meeting close friends for a coffee or a root beer. Tell them just how good you are, and how much better you can be. Ask their honest feedback on your strengths and weaknesses, and ask them to introduce you to other people. Move out from your circle of comfort and begin approaching people who could hire you for a job you'd love.
* Harvard Business Review: "The Surprising Secret to Selling Yourself"
Give yourself rest, exercise, time to think. The toughest part of the job hunt is deciding what you want to do. Daydream. Think big.
* Career Seeker's Guide: The perks of exercise for job seekers
Be of good cheer. And don't be afraid. My friend Gil Herman, of Managing Horizons ("Improving Business Results and Quality of Life"), wisely reminded me of this from Who Moved My Cheese?: "What would you do if you weren't afraid?"
* The Onion: "Study: Pretending Everything's Okay Works"
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