Finding a Job in 2012

Unemployment is a huge problem right now, and not to mention one of the most stressful and frustrating situations to ever find yourself in. Below I have outlined a few of the resources that I found to be valuable during my time in the "unemployment line":

• The first thing that you should always do is apply for Unemployment, I know a lot of people who assumed that they weren't eligible, only to find out that they actually were once they applied. The easiest way to start a claim is online.
• Get registered for Job Seeker Services. I know I focus a lot on programs and things that are available in Sunnyvale, it's because not only am I a current resident, but even when I lived elsewhere in the Bay Area I would make my way out to Sunnyvale to take advantage of the great programs that they have available. One of the programs is the Job Seeker Center . It's located at 505 W. Olive (by the library) and the programs that they have are awesome. They can help you resolve issues with the Unemployment Office, they have classes on interviewing and other skills, they have a bunch of computers available to make a resume and search for jobs online, and you can meet with a job search counselor who will review your resume, assess your goals and help you determine a plan of attack in finding a great job that makes you happy.
• Get registered with a temp agency... Actually, let me just be completely honest, don't register with a temp agency, register with Kelly Services. When I was unemployed I literally spent hours registering with every staffing agency that I could find online and in the Yellow Pages that I kept in the passenger seat of my car. And out of all of the companies I registered with, Kelly was the only one that provided me with steady work, which ultimately ended up resulting in the full time job that I currently have. You can start by emailing your resume to: 1421@kellyservices.com , once you've sent it to them give them a call and set up a time to go in and register. Their phone number is: (408) 392-9369. (All of the contact info that I provided is for the San Jose location, since that is the office that helped me out so much.)
• Look into other free programs available. For instance Goodwill has some great programs available, and CalWORKs has a great program that helps get people back to work.
• Find out if you're eligible for CalWORKs. CalWORKs is a state program for people with children. They provide childcare resources, job seeker services, and will help you with college. To find out if you are eligible, you will need to meet with a worker at the Social Services office. Generally if you call and set up an appointment it can take at least a month before you are seen. Your best bet is to arrive at the office by 7:30 one morning and ask to get on the waiting list, you could be seen that day. The best Social Services office, in my opinion, is the one in Mountain View (100 Moffett Blvd.) the staff is friendly, I've never seen a line out the door, and they just seem to have it together. You can also reach them by phone at: (650) 988-6100
• If you are considering applying for college and think that you might be eligible for financial aid, you can find out by filling out and submitting the FAFSA

I know there are things that I'm forgetting, and I will continue to add them as I remember, but the bottom line is just stay busy! Don't let yourself get into a funk because it's going to set you back. The best advice that I read about getting employed was from someone who said that "being unemployed needs to become your new job, you need to spend eight hours a day working on it, the same way you did at your previous job. You need to keep the same 8:00-5:00 hours, dress to impress, and just always be on the lookout for a potential opportunity."

If anyone has anything else to add, please don't hesitate to share!