Overwhelming possibilities exist to help your job search

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Well, here you are ... among the unemployed.  What now?

Many people, myself included, find themselves evaluating seemingly countless choices. Should I stay in the same job in the same industry? Or maybe consider a different industry? Possibly even do a different job altogether? And then there are other options - go back to school or go it alone as a freelancer/contractor. Where should you start?

First, you should know you are not alone. Here are the most up-to-date unemployment stats from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Texas Workforce Commission:

• In the U.S., 14.7 million were unemployed (9.5%) at the end of June 2009
• As of May 2009, the Texas unemployment rate was 7.1% (up 2.4% since May 2008)
• And consistent with the overall rate in Texas, the DFW area was reporting in at 7.1% (or about 226,300 people)

There is a bright side to this, I promise. Just picture this, there are more than 200,000 people in metropolitan DFW who are experiencing similar challenges to ours. By connecting with some of these people, you will begin to accept your situation, develop a plan, and expand your network. Those are all vital steps to your survival over the coming months. (Read this article from the Dallas Morning News, http://tinyurl.com/DallasNetworking). You may be surprised at the positive affect other people's experiences, contacts, and backgrounds may have on your planning, and what you may be able to offer for others. Either way, the companionship with other professionals who wholly understand your situation can be both comforting and uplifting.

For a compehensive list of these events, here are some resources:

• CareerDFW.org - http://www.careerdfw.org (Also a great resource for all things "unemployment")
• Squidoo - http://www.squidoo.com/dfwnetwork
• Or find a professional society that caters to your specialty; it is just as important to network with professionals who are still employed as well. (Try this directory http://tinyurl.com/DallasOrgsDirectory)

Second, develop a plan of action... for your finances/income, for your job/career search, and for your "time off". (Although you will probably find that unemployment can be even busier than being employed.)

Here's some advice based on my experiences thus far... stay positive, stay busy and stay on target with a plan of action. Celebrate the small accomplishments (as inexpensively as possible), and keep following my blog.  I'll be posting more for you on how to develop a plan, network better, job-search better and stay in touch. 

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I am looking for fellow job seekers to interview.  If you are willing to share your perspective or have any suggestions/requests for articles, please contact me at shawthorne@cebridge.net