1. Keep A Routine

Don’t get into the bad habits of waking up late, sleeping in the afternoons, or procrastinating around the house. Get up at your normal time, eat properly, and get some exercise (walking is free!).

2. Volunteer

You can do this at a church, hospital, homeless shelter, or non-profit organization. Volunteering will open your eyes to people who are less off than you and give you a sense of contribution and gratitude. There is no greater reward than helping people who are less fortunate than us.

3. Stay Up To Date With What’s Happening In Your Industry

Don’t let yourself fall behind just because you’re not working. The best approach is to learn more about your particular industry. This way you will be ahead of your competition when it comes time to interview.

4. Explore Potential New Careers

It’s never too late to try to learn a foreign language or a new piece of computer software. I remember working with a senior archaeologist with 10 years of experience who came to me wanting a change in his life direction. After six months of learning Spanish and then traveling through Spain for another six months, the senior archaeologist is now a junior English/Spanish translator!

5. Positive Thinking

Do not focus on the negatives—you need to be able to bounce back. Concentrate on the skills and knowledge you have. Sitting around saying “what if” all the time is only going to further depress you.

6. Support Group

You may feel as though you’re the only person in your situation without a job, but guess what—you’re not. Reach out to people for support. There are many groups that provide excellent assistance in the areas of resume writing, interviewing, and job hunting (including Work It Daily!). Aside from the secular groups, there are also many faith groups ready to offer you a supporting hand. Don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help. Let people help you change your life.

7. Avoid Negative People

Negative thinking is of no value to you. You need to be around positive people and people who can have a positive impact on your life.

8. Network

Maintain contacts and stay in touch with people. Make sure you network with positive people! Again, avoid negativity. Negative thinking does nothing to help your situation.

9. Manage Your Expectations

Not every job you apply for will be a success. Don’t be put off by this. Instead, concentrate on the positives and look at what you achieve each day. For example, you could have applied to three great jobs, connected with two people who are great resources, or found a course or book that will help improve your skills.

And last but not least...

10. Don’t Give Up!

If you focus on conducting a proactive job search, not only will you find great jobs, great jobs will find YOU!

We know how difficult it can be to stay positive in your job search, especially if you've been looking for a job for a while. The good news is we can help.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.