It’s easy to avoid the job search. It’s tough to take action, but doing so gives you the opportunity to improve your situation. Set aside the excuses, of which there are many. The best way to job search is to be: 1) patient and 2) relentless. Take Hillary Clinton, for example. Badly months ago, it seems she will soon become Secretary of State because she followed these guidelines.  These days,it’s easy to feel defeated. But there are still jobs, and not just in Washington DC. There are jobs from New York to Los Angeles. From Minneapolis to Miami. You only need one of them. So get started. Polish your resume. Then make a pact with yourself. Take a few small steps. Set realistic goals. Don’t tell yourself to make dozens of networking calls each day. Don’t promise to apply for dozens of positions. But make a commitment to take at least two steps a day toward a new job. Improving the resume is one example. Organize a list of companies that have positions in your field. Create a list of people you should contact. Make a phone call to one of these people and arrange to meet. You don’t have to do all of these things. Start with one. Build the process. Keep track of what you do and the results you get. See if one step can naturally lead you to another. For example, once you have a new resume you should make a point to start sending it out. There will be rejections and frustration. When it happens be relentless and take at least one step in the right direction.

You will find another job.

There is too much job loss shock these days. But I encourage you to be constructive about it from the very start. That’s the best approach to avoid some of the most difficult consequences. It’s normal to feel: fear of the unknown, financial fear, stress, anxiety, and uncertainty.
Keep in mind that most of us have faced a layoff of one kind or another that you are not alone. The best thing you can do is to act. Don’t look back. Take action to find a new job. Do something right away and set up a plan to keep busy with a job search.
If you worry about your age, don’t waste your time. You are, in fact, getting better. Good cheer is contagious. Employers pick it up from you in interviews. It also changes the tone of the experience and spurs your motivation, so you make that extra effort effortlessly. It helps you see apparent failures as the achievements they are, while gaining a clear eye on areas for improvement.

How do you stay grounded during tought times? Offer your thoughts to help others cope. Anyone contributing a coping trick gets a free copy of my e-book, Upshift Now: The Guide to Winning a Higher Position.

More than 3 million Americans in the automobile industry or related industries are worrying about job security these days. These workers should be spared having to write resumes because the allowing the U.S. auto industry to collapse would be an economic disaster for all of us. Better to save these jobs now. Another bailout is unappealing for its cost; and U.S. car makers have undoubtedly been stubborn and stupid and uncompetitive and this must change. But consider the alternative price to pay of having millions of workers join the ranks of the unemployed. Incoming President-elect Obama tried to convince President Bush off this during their visit, but it’s not clear that Bush is willing to concede the point. President Bush has helped resume writers over the last several years by increasing the jobless rate. Trust me,  however, I’m not thanking him. Taking our economy closer to the brink is in no one’s interest.

I sense that the election of Barack Obama would likely help the U.S. economy, even before inauguration. Obama’s economic stimulus plan could give people hope even before it’s passed. There’s a strong psychological element to the economy. Some companies are just looking for something to believe in so that they can list jobs they need and want to fill. But consumer psychology has been so depressed that firms have been reluctant to hire. Obama’s election would give them new hope and could provide an economic spark. It’s not likely to be profound, but any turnaround would be helpful at this time.