of work.  Show an excellent work ethic. propose useful ideas . and attend board meetings, fun-raisers and other events.  Nonprofit organizations often have powerful executives on their boards. You might impress these executives enough to earn a job offer from their companies . . or you might wind up with a salaried job at the nonprofit itself.

 Example:  A financial industry executive out of a job volunteered with a major homeless organization.  When the organization learned of his availability and impressive resume, they were thrilled to offer him a job.

 Do mention your unemployment to others at the nonprofit.  If they don't know you need work, they are far less likely to offer you work.

 Volunteering also is a great way for those who have lost their jobs to continue to feel useful and productive.  Without this, unemployment can lead to depression and reduced confidence, a negative mindset that makes it more difficult to impress potential employers.

 

 Reposition yourself - literally.  Move to an area with low unemployment, and you won't have to battle this tight job market.  The US Department of Labor provides regional unemployment rates each month on its Web site (www.bls.gov/web/laummtrk.htm).

 Examples:  The national US unemployment rate reached 6.1% in September, but the unemployment rate in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was just 2.6%.  Other areas where unemployment was less than half the national average include Bismarck, North Dakota . . . Morgantown, West Virginia . . . Rapid City, South Dakota . . . and Logan, Utah.  The Oklahoma City and Washington, DC, regions had the lowest unemployment rates among large metro areas.  El Centro, California, on the other hand, had an unemployment rate of 24.7%.

 Relocating is a drastic step that makes sense only if you will enjoy living in this new region . . and you can sell or rent out your current home.

 Email me and let me help get you back to work professionalproblemsolver.com