As the holidays descend upon our familys and loved one, those of us without employment, or those who are underemployed yet motivated into a job change, feel the pang of the failed job search more keenly than at other months of the year. Sometimes, if our job search has been more intense or focused or spread over a long enough time-frame, we can begin to question our personal value, especially if we've had a few job interviews that went well but then went away, or we had little or no significant response to our resume or mail or telephone outreach to prospective employers. Disappontment can mount.

The blues can set in, and if we're not careful, we can descend into an actual depression, whereby all efforts to obtain meanful employment seem empty, fruitless and a waste of time. Of course, it's not true, your organized job search efforts are of value, just as your skills and talent are of value too. It's an illusion of failure that we sometimes foster by concentrating on negative results; when, in reality, our concentration should be on the promise of our value to the right employer, not our results to-date.

There are some activities that job seekers can perform to help side-step the negative, descending cycle that leads to job search blues. For example, review the outline organization of your job search. Double check your resume. Does it convey what you want to present about yourself? Renew your understanding of the type of employers you seek. Check your list of employer prospects. Did you miss any? Can you improve on that list? Can you access additional library or internet resources that can improve your industry list? Are there other related or allied industries that you can consider that may open your job search to new employer avenues? What ways can you improve your outreach to prospective employers? Can you increase employer contacts by three or four or even ten new contacts weekly? By focusing yourself on the details of your job search outline and activity organization, you likely won't have time to think about what isn't going right, regardless of the time of year.

Holidays are often seasoned with high stress family interactions, celebratory expectations, demanding personal schedules that conflict with job search duties, and increasing financial pressures. But behind all the fan-fare and decorations and the distress they sometimes foster, there is a place of quiet determination and solid knowledge that there is a good employment match out there for each of us -- really -- maybe still just out of reach, but nonetheless just ahead and slowly coming into focus. Sometimes we have to put out an extra effort to find our next comfortable career home. Strive to be patient and remind yourself of your value to that new employer, and the confidence that employer will bestow upon you when you finally meet together will make the effort worthwhile. It will happen, if you stay focused and organized. Count on it. So when your emotions begin to tell you that your job search is getting tough, that's your reminder that you are closing in on your goal.

BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR JOB SEARCH