Being unemployed is certainly a setback to your career but it isnt something you cant handle successfully.

I've been laid off twice in my career so I know the feeling of getting the rug pulled out from underneath you when you become unemployed.

Being unemployed becomes a problem when you start lying about why you became unemployed and start inventing stories that you hope will cover up the truth.

Here are some tips to handle the issue of being unemployed.

1. Dont lie about why you left your last job.

When you lie about why you left your last job, it inevitably gets discovered and can lead to big problems down the line. If you were fired from your last job but tell a potential employer that you resigned and they find out about it, it could either ruin your chances to get the job or if you have already been hired, could result in you getting fired for lying.

2. Dont forget that you no longer work for the company.

Ive lost count of how many people have sent me resumes that appear to show that they are still working at a company only to admit during further questioning that they actually left the company several months earlier. If you no longer work for a company, do not make it look like you are still with them by conveniently forgetting to include the end date of your employment with that company in your resume. Why would you lie about something that can (and will be) easily confirmed?

3. Ensure you know how you will discuss the issue of why you are unemployed.

When you are in an interview, most interviewers will ask why you are unemployed. In most cases they simply want an explanation to ensure that there is a legitimate reason but you can make a mountain out of a molehill if you dont have a reasonable answer to the question. The best way to answer the question of why you are unemployed is to keep your answer factual and brief. Dont ramble on and make it sound like you are feeding them a line.

4. Ensure your references know why you are unemployed.

Ive had situations where I was doing a reference check for a person I was helping find a new job and when I asked the reference to confirm why the person had left their last job (a fairly standard reference question, by the way) they contradicted the reason Id been given. If the job searcher had told me they left their last job because they were downsized but then the reference tells me they think its because the job searcher didnt get along with their boss, something is not right. Whatever the reason you left your last job, ensure your references know the reason so they dont put their foot in your mouth and ruin your chances for a job when discussing why you are unemployed.

Dont look at being unemployed as being a time to sit at home feeling sorry for yourself, either!

If you are unemployed, use the time to not only look for a new job but to evaluate what youd really to do next in your career.

Do things that you didnt have time to do while you were working:

• spend time with your family and kids
• take a short vacation
• take a training course.

Being unemployed is certainly not the end of the world but you just need to remain positive and keep busy to get yourself back in the working world again as quickly as youd like.