Speaking from experience, I have been through a period of unemployment twice during this economic downturn. I can tell you that it’s a very tough time and it’s easy to give up. Don’t! I just found a job and that means you can too.

I’ve read articles where people have given up on their job search. But now is the wrong time to stop looking.

Companies are getting their budgets for the year and have to spend it before they lose it. That means they are hiring! There are more job openings now – in the beginning of the year, so take advantage of it.

How to get a job in this economy:

1. Stay positive. If you have a bad attitute, you’ll never find a job. You have to change the way you think and talk to yourself. Instead of telling yourself, “I’ll never find a job,” change it to something positive. Tell yourself, “I will find a job that I’ll enjoy.” Repeat it to yourself several times in a row, several times a day… until you start believing it and your attitude changes.

2. Be productive. If you’re unemployed, find a way to keep using your skills. Either volunteer, start a blog, or take this time to build a portfolio. Do something related to what you want to do in your next job. I started this blog and continued my food blog, to keep practicing my online marketing skills. It was instrumental in helping me find a job.

Besides looking for jobs, you need to keep busy. It will show that you’re productive to potential employers. When an employer asks what you have been doing since your last job, what will you say?

3. Write down your goal. What kind of job do you want to do with your unique skillset? What kind of job would make you happy? Be specific and realistic. Write it down. For some reason, writing goals down helps you achieve them. It’s like making a firm commitment to achieve your goals.

4. Only apply for jobs you qualify for. This is a strategy for not wasting time. Don’t apply for jobs that you’re not 99% qualified for. Before the economy slumped, you could apply for and get jobs that you were 80% qualified for. But now the rules have changed. If you apply for jobs you’re not qualified for, you won’t hear back from anyone.

Do you remember hearing stories of people who applied for hundreds of jobs and never got a call back? You don’t want to be one of them. It’s not about quantity, but quality.

Nowadays, there’s stiff competition for every job. Employers are only going to pick the best of the best. You will have to demonstrate that you can do 100% of the job, during the interview process. Employers will interview 10 people and only pick one.

5. Customize your resume for each job posting. When you apply for a job, make sure your resume reflects the skills listed in the job posting. If the job posting asks for 3 years of experience, be sure that your resume reflects that.

BTW: If your spouse or significant other has been looking for a job for some time with no success, don’t push them too hard. They are probably pushing themselves hard enough. You may end up pushing them over the edge!

It’s a tough job market and no one can control the job market. Instead, be encouraging and supportive. And send them this article. =)

*This article was featured in Money Hacks Carnival #105, hosted by Jason of LiveRealNow.net.