According to Daily Finance, fewer  jobs than expected were lost in August. Even though reports show that over 151,000 jobs were lost as temporary census positions, manufacturing, and state and local governments shed positions, it was reported that companies added a total of 67,000 new jobs in August with an additional 17,000 temporary positions.

Unemployment is still extremely high (9.6% in August) with a large number of discouraged individuals who aren’t currently looking for work and who are not even counted in these figures.

Whether you are currently looking for a job or have temporarily stopped looking, Alison Doyle offers some great job search tips on her About.com – Job Searching site for you to consider.

If you are currently unemployed or seeking a new job because you’re miserable going to work each day, here are some suggestions I often give my clients:

1. Create a 30 second elevator speech to introduce yourself to everyone you meet
2. Begin networking with family, friends, acquaintances, and alumni from your college
3. Join social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to connect with old colleagues or to meet new professionals in the field
4. Join social networking groups to meet like minded individuals
5. Check out members of  your local Chamber of Commerce
6. Review the Classified Ads in your local newspaper
7. Prospect with companies you’d be interested in working for
8. Visit job boards and online job sites on a daily basis, but don’t make this your only job search strategy

By changing what you’re currently doing and engaging in some new and different strategies, you may find yourself getting a more responses from employers from all of those resumes you’re sending out.

If you are a new college graduate, try using these six tips for a successful job search:

1. Keep Motivated & Maintain a Positive Approach in Your Job Search

Being proactive in your job search requires a conscious effort in maintaining a positive attitude especially after you’ve just received several “personal” rejections.  

2. Focus on Your Goals yet Remain Flexible in Your Job Search

Establishing and developing strategies in reaching your individual career goals will help you achieve success in the job search process. 

3. Create Targeted Resume & Cover Letters

With the fierce competition in today’s job market, it is crucial to develop a resume and cover letter that stands out above the rest.

4. Increase Your Professional Network

Learning how to network early in your career can be beneficial no matter where you are in the career process.

5. Prospecting for Jobs

Checking out company websites, researching employers with potential jobs in your field, and networking are all excellent ways to uncover unadvertised jobs.

6. Become an Entrepreneur

Do you have advanced knowledge in a particular area (math, English, foreign languages) or possess a special skill (playing an instrument, art, martial arts computer programming) that you could use to tutor others? 

Best of luck in your job search!

Although initiating company lay-offs are one of the first things a company does during a recession, alternatives to company lay-offs are usually a much better course of action and ultimately the best thing for both the company and its employees. For example, restructuring within a company is more beneficial to the overall long-term health of an organization rather than immediately focusing on making decreases in employee retention and compensation that is usually used as a quick cost saving measure.

Job-hunt.org offers a number of tips to prepare employees for a company lay-off. They also offer some important do’s and don’ts to be accomplished immediately when you are actually being laid off. One of the key things to do is to remain active and not let yourself slump into inaction due to depression, fear, and a growing sense of hopelessness.

Being laid off from a job can often be seen as a blessing in disguise. It can be an opportunity to check out career options, especially if you look back and realize that you were not happy in your previous job.  Discovering your personal interests, values, and personality traits can lead you to finding a more satisfying and rewarding career.

Doing a thorough self-assessment, reviewing career options, researching available careers, and deciding on a course of action can be very positive steps to take for those who have found themselves recently laid off or those who anticipate that a job loss may be imminent.