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different tools. They may even be tools you’ve not used before.

Try something new! Attending a Professional Association meeting as a guest is a wonderful way to get your job search rejuvenated. You’ll have an opportunity to meet others in your career field and make some new networking contacts. You will probably find out about “hidden” jobs that you won’t hear about elsewhere. Some associations even have a designated person to pass on job leads and forward resumes to employers for you. A good place to start to find an appropriate Professional Association is the website for the American Society of Association Executives. (ASEA) You can search their database of associations by keyword and location to find one nearest you. Your local public library will usually have a copy of the Directory of Associations, too.

Get involved! Once you find an association you would like to join, don’t just be a meeting-attending member. Join break-out groups or special interest groups, volunteer for special projects and inquire about Board of Director positions. The qualifications for being on a Board of Directors are usually nothing more than a keen interest and an active participation in the group. I once found myself voted onto the Board of Directors after only four months in the association without ever even expressing an interest in being on the Board. The group had seen how I jumped in with both feet and got involved, volunteered for things others didn’t want to do and just made myself be seen and heard.

Attend a workshop! Sometimes local authors will offer free or low-cost workshops for the community on either job-search topics or topics of interest to your profession. Check with your local library, community college, bookstores, and your community newspaper. If you community has a freebie employment paper, (most metropolitan areas have one) check out the calendar section.

Check out your state employment office! Your state employment office offers a wide variety of services including free workshops, resume creation assistance and one-on-one counseling. If you are a veteran each state office has specialized services for vets and may offer disabled veterans programs. Job fairs are also sponsored on a regular basis by the state employment office. If you filed for unemployment insurance, you should have been notified of all the services you can use, but if you applied online or via the telephone you may not have gotten all the information you need. You can find the location of your closest office in the blue State government pages of your phone book.

Call your Community College! Most local community colleges offer classes in career development, and job search skills. If you are unclear about your career direction you can take interest inventories, career assessments and other tools to help you define what direction you are going in. You should check with the staff to see what services you could utilize even if you are not a student at the college.

Private practice career counselors can help! A private practice career counselor can provide guidance, knowledge of employment trends and an objective viewpoint. They can also offer you a professionally prepared resume. Most counselors are qualified to administer skills and values identification, career assessments and interest inventories. If you feel that your weak point is your interviewing skills, spend an hour or two with a counselor practicing. For those going through a career transition a counselor can assist you with research and possibly referrals to employers in your field. Concerned about how to negotiate the best possible salary and benefits? Ask the counselor to teach you negotiating skills. The money you spend on a private practice career counselor will be money well spent if, in the end, you find yourself with a good job and maybe even a jump in salary!

If you do at least three of these wall-breaking activities you will find your inertia has been replaced by a re-energized attitude.

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