When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

If you are looking for a job right now and haven't got any luck, you might end up in a depressing state. You might ask yourself, "Am I good enough?" You might ponder "What should I do?"

Be a man. Show your perseverance. When the tough gets tougher, you have to keep pushing forward. Challenge yourself everyday to see how good you really can be. This mentality will help you achieve the goals you desire. What you have encountered is nothing compared to what your parents have gone through in their lives. Talk to them for inspirations and encouragement.

From my perspectives, the following are some pointers that might be of interest:

1. You need all the help you can get. Get out of your cocoon and contact ANYONE who can help you: your friends, your friends' friends, business contacts, alumni, classmates, headhunters, current and former colleagues, university professors, professional associations, neighbors, people who drink coffee next to you at Star Bucks, your running mate while jogging, complete strangers at seminars or job fairs, or other people who might help you out. Remember to build your professional network when the time gets better. You never know when the layoff ax is dropping next time. Act as if there is no tomorrow.

2. Still no luck? Then take a good look at yourself and ask an expert to pinpoint the weakness in your resume or your presentation. In time like this, you need an eyeball-grabbing resume that pops up among hundreds if not thousands of other resumes. Think hard and find anything under the sun that makes you marketable within two pages of space. You can't speak perfect English? No problem.  Recite what you want the interviewer to hear hundreds of times everyday! You can't answer tough questions from the interviewer? No problem. Google them or ask Laotu and his lieutenants for hints. You don't know what is the best career for you? Now it is time for you to decide! It's your life. Live it to the fullest extent.

3. If you need some break from the sinking feeling of the job hunt, then watch a movie called "The Pursuit of Happyness". I can't say enough good words about this movie: fortitude, family values, fights against adversity, firm belief in yourself, focus on your career goals, fulfilling your dream! The bottom line is that: if you want something really bad, go get it (legally)! Read a book if you frequent bookstores or libraries. Or listen to your favorite music. Or play a pickup game to get you tougher! Or watch the ants in the garden who tirelessly work the whole day.

4. Life is a roller coaster ride for most of us. You might hit a rock bottom right now. The good thing is that from now on, you are on a climbing curve. Just hang in there, work hard, pray to God if you believe in him, and you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. What is gratifying is that after two more years when you look back at what happened at the end of 2008, you can proudly proclaim that you are one of the toughest!

One muggle