The economic recession is still going strong, depending upon which side of the political aisle you’re on. British Petroleum’s fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico has many struggling to make a living, while seeing their way of life virtually destroyed. There are many people out of a job right now.

If you are among the 14 plus million Americans hunting a job, here are a few things to help you keep your self respect while pounding the pavement or visiting job hunting websites at home.

Speaking from a male perspective, after the initial shock of being without work has faded enough for you to concentrate on the future; here are some things to keep in mind when job hunting.

Being unemployed is not the end of the world! You may have had a dream job, but that is gone now. Think of the past only as it applies to what you’re trying to do now. Find something to do that pays you until something better comes along, but find employment somewhere!

It is much easier to get a job when you already have one, so find something that tells a prospective employer that you’re not someone who sits on their hands until something good comes along. Make yourself employable and an asset to whoever hires you.

Clean yourself up! So what if you don’t have to go to work when you wake up in the morning. Take a shower, shave, and get a haircut even if you don’t need one. A clean body really helps bolster the spirit. Make use of whatever advantage you have to get you where you need to be.

Activity! Much has been written about setting goals, reaching them and becoming successful. Fact is, most people have never set goals and probably don’t intend to ever do so. It would be a waste of time and effort for those folks to attempt something they’ve never been able to accomplish when things were good, much less when they are bad.

Fumbling around in the dark with no set destination is not always bad if you do it enough times. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. That is not always true if you are trying to get yourself in front of as many employment opportunities as possible. It does however help to have a plan of attack.

When hunting a job, there is no substitute for sending or delivering many resumes’. If you are desperate, something will come along soon. There is no such thing as a bad job when it’s honest work. It may not be the one you want at the time, but something is better than nothing.

Don’t rule out part time jobs. Having some free time during the day will give you the opportunity to pursue a full time job. Employers are hiring more and more part timers to fill vacant slots because health insurance is generally provided to only full time employees.

These are hard times for companies as well as individuals. Employers are not in business to provide benefits to personnel, but most would if it was economically feasible. Employee turn over is not as high if they have a good benefit package. Unfortunately that is not always permissible. Profits must come first so the company can stay in business.

Forget the past. There’s nothing you can do about it anyway. Learn from your successes as well as your mistakes and take the attitude of a winner to your next interview. There is always a silver lining if your eyes are open wide enough to find it.

Author Bio: Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, gardening, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at: http://www.homeandgardenbob.com http://www.redfishbob.com