Among the many fears faced when looking for a job is how to best sell oneself to a potential employer. If you’ve been out of work for any period of time, for any reason, this fear can be exacerbated.

By and large, though, gone are the days of shame or embarrassment for having been out of work; that particular challenge has been lessened if not lifted from the employers’ end. The challenge has been replaced, though, with working to justify what you have been doing with that time. Getting stuck in a negative mindset about being out of work will assuredly slow down the job search process which requires a positive momentum to be successful. Roy Cohen’s article, “Unemployed for a While? 6 Tips to Speed up Your Job Search” offers a great list of tips to consider when preparing to apply for jobs after being out of work:

Be positive about and during the search. Focusing on the negative and/or the discouraging aspects of your current status can and will come across to those you meet. Deal with your (understandable) frustrations privately so as to make your interactions, particularly your first impression, positive.

Maintain focus. Be very clear about what kind of job you want, and be able to clearly communicate it. As well, understand what is required of you to obtain it. From there, be open to having more than one target in mind, but don’t have so many that your own pursuit becomes confusing to yourself or others.

Develop a specific plan for your search. Goals are reached when measurable steps are in place. Therefore, make sure all of your efforts, from the research to the writing of a thank you note, is in direct support of your goal.

Be able to articulate what you did with time you weren’t employed in a positive way. Whatever you did to keep up your skills, further your scholarly or professional education or otherwise accomplish during your period of unemployment should be communicated in terms of how it is a benefit to your candidacy. Connect those dots for your interviewer.

Volunteer in or out of your industry. Ideally, do so within your industry so as to gain experience, perspectives and visibility. Volunteering outside of your industry still provides opportunity for accomplishments, experiences and, potentially, networking exposure.

Seek and accept support. Whether from a career coach or from others who are also job searching and want to share resources and information, this human connection cannot be understated. Be open to outside advice as it could be the objective observation you need to move a piece of your search forward.

This list of tips is not only relevant to those seeking a job and needing to think in retrospect about that time out of work was spent; it also gives direction about what you can do immediately if you find yourself unemployed in the future. Being unemployed is always unnerving, but there are productive things to do with that time that will later help bridge the gap and demonstrate how you added value to your own candidacy during that window between jobs.

Cohen, Roy. “Unemployed for a While? 6 Tips to Speed up Your Job Search.” TheStreet.com. TheStreet. 2016. Web. (13 Jan. 2016)

Nancy Stoker is a Senior Client Services Representative and Research Associate with ExecSearches.com.