Since you lost your job you’ve been bombarded by advice from TV pundits, your friends, your mom and even certain newspaper columnists, but so far, what have you done with all these wise words? By the looks of it, you’ve gone to the beach and sat on the couch watching daytime TV and pretty much gone through the motions of emailing your résumé, but that’s about it. Am I right or am I right?

Well snap out of it!

It’s time to get serious, people, because that blackout you experienced a few weeks back could be a permanent thing in your life if you don’t find a job. You needed a fresh start on your career anyway, and you hated your boss. So, in the beginning losing your paying gig was a good thing. But time has gone by quickly and you’re still sans job.

What to do…what to do?

Well, you could start by reading a book by the experts. People who have gone before you and figured out the most inventive ways to find a new career or start a business in this crazy economy. The best books out there have been written by former headhunters, CEO’s and regular folks just like you. They’ve looked at the job market in professional ways as well as from the gut, and they’ve taken the time to write it down for the millions of people out of work. These books were written to help others, not for the author to get rich. Trust me on that one.

So here are a few books you can purchase or check out from your local library to get you moving in the right direction – towards a job.

The Gift of Job Loss; A Practical Guide to Realizing the Most Rewarding Time of Your Life by Michael Froehls, Ph.D.

Froehls, a former successful global executive helps you get back in the groove of things after you figure out what the hell you are really meant to do. He convinces the panicked job-seeker not to jump into the first job that comes along and lays a blueprint for mapping out a new career. The Gift of Job Loss is an inspirational, yet practical career guide. An unconventional book about how to cope with job loss by using your time strategically instead of going right into job search. The advice is practical and solid. Read it.

The ReExamined Life: What is Possible After Job Loss? By Bill Van Steenis with Greg Smith

This book is a call to action. The message is don’t become a victim. Make a plan and stick to it no matter how crappy the guys on the news are telling you it is out there. The author has 20 years of experience as a headhunter. He’s hard-hitting and doesn’t hold back. You want a new job? You have to be tougher than the other guy!

Green Jobs: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Employment By A. Bronwyn Llewellyn, James P Hendrix, and K.C. Golden.

This book was written by some really smart people with a lot of initials after their names. Green Jobs – keep an open mind here – they are real and here to stay. Going green isn’t

only about recycling; it’s about finding a new career and helping the planet at the same time. Don’t believe in Global Warming? Doesn’t matter as long as you believe in finding a meaningful career that earns you a paycheck. This book helps you figure out how you can take your old job and, with a little bit of re-education, turn your skills green.

Thank You for Firing Me: How to Catch the Next Wave of Success After You Lose Your Job By Kitty Martini and Candice Reed

This book was written by two regular people; a stand-up comic and a journalist. The pages are filled with advice from these two writers who lost a multitude of jobs – until they discovered what they were meant to do. Recover, reconnect, and reposition yourself after job loss. Discover exciting opportunity in growing fields, and read true stories from people who turned job loss into a success. This is an inspiring book. In fact, I was very inspired while I wrote it. Read it and take notes!