Here are some useful tips:
- Go to bed early and wake up early so it will be easer to transition when you actually do have a job
- Set up a schedule for a whole work day for applying to jobs, with preset hours for working on your CV and letter, looking for vacant positions, going to companies directly, and don't forget to take a break every other hour or so
- Have different sets of letters and CV's and keep track of which ones that actually get more responses from employers, and try to make them better each time
- Ask employers why they didn't hire you, and make an effort to better that particular "fault" or whatever reason it might have been
- Cut yourself some slack, if you've been unemployed for a long time, it won't be easy going back to working - setting up impossible goals will just demotivate you and therefore be counter productive
- Don't just do nothing all day. As many pointed out, volunteering or learning new skills is the best way fill the time. Exercise is a close second. Chances are, you meet new people, learn new skills, and look better (which sadly also increases your chances of being hired).
- Apply for jobs like it's a full time job. Make sure you have multiple resumes.
- Have a routine and a to do list. Don't spend this time watching TV and playing video games. It's a waste of time.
- Have a positive attitude. I'd hire someone with a positive attitude over someone who is not but technically more qualified.
- Anyone with a brain can tell you this: Save Your Money. Buy essentials first, such as food, gas, medicine, etc. Find the cheaper stores in town, and get "store brand" to save even more. Make sure that you can buy the stuff you need first, before you consider getting the stuff you want. Sure, that new video game that just came out looks awesome, but you could probably get loads of stuff at the grocery store for what it costs.
- Don't let your Grooming Habits slide. Get a nice haircut, and if you're a man, keep facial hair either VERY neatly trimmed or go clean shaven until after you're hired. Don't skip showers - walk into an interview smelling like a sewer, and your resume's in the shredder the second you're out the door.
- Drop your resume/CV off at a Temp Agency. Rarely, if ever, will full-time work result from this, but it'll get you out of the house and working, which does wonders for your self-esteem. Earn a little extra cash, and of course there's the old saying, "Easier to get a job when you've got one."
- Consider Volunteer Work. Sure, you may not be making any money out of it, but it's a way of padding the resume. This too gets you outside, lifting your spirits a bit. Is there an election coming up? Offer your time to the candidates, handing out fliers and/or scrutineering.
- Beware of Job Scams. "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is." You see a job posting, or you get an offer boasting ridiculous payouts for little work? Awesome, but Google the company first and do your research. If that company and "scam/fraud" appear too close to one another in multiple results, you may want to refuse. If they want you to drop a significant chunk of change before you even start, nu-uh. If it's legit, but a "commission only" job, you'd better be really good at pitching sales.
- For "Just Having Fun" activities, look around for stuff that's low-priced, if not free. Hit GroupOn for some good coupon deals. Shit, check the Classified Ads in your local paper. You might be surprised how you can have more fun for less money (and I'm not talking about cheap escorts or fortune tellers).
