6. Start Looking for a New Job
And for that, you need a strategy, says Bradley Richardson, an executive recruiter with Kaye/Bassman. That means shying away from plastering every job search website with your resume, and instead, figuring out exactly what you want your next step to be.

Maybe this is an opportunity to change jobs completely, or maybe you still love the career you were in. In either case, you want to update your résumé. As a general rule, you don't need to list jobs from more than ten years ago, says Lita Epstein, author of Surviving a Layoff: A Week-by-Week Guide to Getting Your Life Back Together.

If you've held the same job for the last decade, that's fine, just be sure to note your advancements, titles and accomplishments. And if you work in a field that values youth, it's a good idea to de-age your resume a bit by removing your graduation date and making sure the language is up to date.

Having an online presence, like a (professional) Facebook or LinkedIn page, is helpful as well.

7. Use Your Resources
Networking is key to getting back in the workforce, and belonging to professional organizations or clubs that pertain to your industry is the first part of that battle. Often these groups will have jobs listed on their websites that you won't find on the standard job boards.

But the other half of this picture is your friends and former co-workers. "Split your network of friends into two different groups. One is a group of people who can be there for emotional support, and the other is for networking and finding a new job. You really need to separate those," says Epstein.

In other words, you don't want to whine to the people who might be able to help you find work. Once you've pinpointed that group, start asking picking their brains and their contacts.

8. Find Ways to Make Money in the Interim

This is a rough economy to find a job, and realistically, it could take a few months or longer. So you want to start thinking about other ways to bring in some money.

The possibilities, really, are only limited by your creativity. I know people who make a living selling things eBay for people who are too busy to do it themselves, or hosting in-home parties for companies like The Pampered Chef.

If you're knowledgeable in a particular area—maybe you're a certified financial planner, or a healthcare expert—you might consider signing up to work for LivePerson.com, a website that matches experts with people who have questions.

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