Job seekers generally fall into three categories -- those who are beginning their careers, those who are switching careers, and those who are back in the job market after losing their jobs.

The first category, new high school or college graduates, often have built-in support systems for finding a job: on-campus job postings, job leads from friends and family, and campus job fairs. Students may also research jobs and post resumes on the internet while attending their final classes at school.

The second category, those who are switching careers, often gain their new job skills by taking online degree classes while still working. Many employers pay for these classes with liberal tuition reimbursement programs. And in larger companies, the employee might begin the new career in a different department of the same company. Or he or she may be recruited by one of the many “headhunters” handling recruitment for other companies.

What about the third category which is the person who has lost a job? In this potentially stressful and emotionally draining situation, the traumatic impact of events surrounding the job loss can sometimes be offset by a generous compensation package, individual job placement assistance, and additional resources made available to improve job skills. Some companies even hire Outplacement Agencies to assist their recently displaced employees.

In the case of unexpected unemployment, one can literally sink or swim based upon attitude. But it is important to move forward by keeping a positive attitude, making constructive employment-seeking choices, and taking advantage of available resources. State employee development departments, private recruiters, internet job banks, governmental and county agencies, and daily newspapers are all resources that can be tapped when searching for that perfect employment situation. Also, this may be the best time to make a career change; and there are thousands of interesting and stimulating career fields that have flexible programs of study, including online schools. Before you know it, you can discover a satisfactory fit in a fulfilling new job or career.