With all the doom and gloom constantly proclaimed about the state of the Union, especially our faltering economy, it may be difficult to remain in good spirits, especially if you are among the many who have been hit hardest by this recession--whether it\'s through a slash in salary or complete unemployment.

Before this downturn in your fortunes, you may have thought that unemployment primarily strikes non-professionals, or those who just do not work hard enough to shine in their field. But now you are thinking to yourself, \"I just don\'t understand. I was the best one in that office. The boss mentioned I might be up for a promotion... how could this happen to me? And now what do I do?\"

The latter is the bigger question. What is the next step? Well, naturally you will want to put your feelers out into the job market--circulate your resume, call up your connections, and so forth.

But here is another tip: don\'t be afraid to hop on with a fledgling company or business. It may seem counterintuitive to do so, as so many big names are permanently closing their doors, but remember that many of the great American success stories emerged out of the Great Depression.

Besides, a new company will certainly value your wisdom and experience, and those who are there from the early days have greater opportunities for advancement down the road.

Now, it will probably be difficult to bounce back immediately after being laid off. It is highly unlikely that you will magically uncover your dream job, be hired, and live happily ever after. You will have to sweat a little bit. You may even have to crack your nest egg over the pan to feed your hungry family. This may paint a grim picture, but it is reality.

However, you should know that you don\'t have to do it all by yourself. There are employment agencies which can help match you with great companies which are in need of your specialized skills.

That\'s right--I said \"specialized.\" You may have previously been under the impression that employment agencies only provided temporary, mindless work like answering phones in an office or sorting files for an insurance company. But the truth is that an employment agency can be of great assistance to IT Specialists, accountants, sales representatives, and countless other professionals.

If, perhaps, you do not have a highly specialized skill set, they can help to connect you with temporary work, which in a few fortune cases may become permanent. In any case, an employment agency can be an extra resource to be utilized on the path to getting back on your feet.