6. If you're job-hunting during a difficult economic period, be open and flexible in accepting offers while getting the most out of your present position. If you accept a less than desirable position, then make the most of your decision by looking for and creating opportunities to make significant contributions to your employer while strengthening and building marketable skills. Welcome any opportunities for additional training. Take additional classes. But don't abandon your dream job because of a difficult economic period. Use the interim time period to prepare for future opportunities that will appear when things get better.

7. You will experience several recessions and recovery periods throughout your work life. As long as you are part of the work force, you will experience business cycles. You can't control the economic cycles but you can make choices during the good times so that you will be minimally impacted if you lose your source of income.

· Manage and invest your money to have funds to cover your necessities for several months.

· Regularly invest in upgrading your skills by taking classes to remain competent and relevant in your field.

· Develop personal contacts outside your company or organization.

· Expand income sources through interests that may generate additional income

Finally, if a tough job search has led you to consider graduate school, remember that graduate school should only be an option because you are clear about your future career goals and the position(s) you are seeking requires a graduate degree. Besides, the job search in graduate school has to begin during the first semester of your graduate education.

The search for a job provides many lessons for personal and professional growth. You'll become more confident in talking to strangers, more at ease in talking about your background and more familiar with the people and employers in your occupational community. All these skills will prove useful in your new position and in future job searches.

The above is an excerpt from The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need: How to Find and Get the Job or Internship of Your Dreams, which is available for sale for $19.85 in our bookstore or $27.00 at Amazon.com but for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. This hot new book contains job search secrets of the most experienced, most knowledgeable and most respected career experts. Learn career planning, job hunting tools and tactics, interviewing, cover letter and resume writing (lots of samples!), networking, and how to find an internship. Written by 149 career experts. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter.

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