You’re probably tired of hearing such platitudes and clichés like when the going gets tough, the tough get going, or when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. But in truth, these phrases enjoy staying power because they are based on making the best out of a bad situation and grounded in a simple principle: Optimism.

These are good philosophies to adopt in general, and are particularly sound for the unemployed. So, how can you make the best use of your time without full employment? If you have been spending 6 – 8 hours a day on job search efforts for the last few months, it may be time to administer the “3 Re’s:” Reassess, reinforce and rethink.  

There is no better way to make lemonade in a down economy than by reinforcing your skillset. Enhancing and re-framing your employable skills with valid credentials is a win-win. You engage actively in learning a few new skills while reinforcing those you already have, and prospective employers get to thin out the herd with ease when they see desired credentials listed on your resume.

Certification is the most efficient way to get the added credentials you need in order to give your resume and calling cards that extra boost. Now is the best time to get a professional certification because you can accomplish the goal online, and because it is the beginning of a new year. If you subscribe to the New Year’s Resolutions tradition, this is a perfect opportunity to replace one or two of your standard promises with a career-enhancing goal.

Professional certification companies operate online, and while some require on-site examination, many allow you to certify your knowledge by testing over the web. Study modules are downloaded after payment, and you can learn at your own pace from the comforts of home.

Brainbench is a leading and affordable certification and skills training company with over 600 skills assessment and training modules for certification. Registration is free, and the site offers many free assessment tests for which you can receive a certificate at a nominal $5 fee.

Another surefire way to discover certifying organizations in your field or desired skillset is to Google some skills keywords. For example, typing customer service certification into a Google search bar results in over 49 million links; but you already know that the best sites are on the first few pages.

You’ll find the premier certifying organization for customer service professionals -the National Retail Federation Foundation -on the first or second page of your Google search results, with a link to their website that offers all the information you will need to get certified.  

There is a certificate for just about any skillset, occupation, specialty, or job title under the sun. Before you jump in feet first though, you may want to get a professional assessment of your current resume efforts. While there are many resume “graders” online, opt for the human touch by making an appointment with a resume expert at your local JobConnect or resume writer’s office.

Next up, rethinking your career objectives and possibly rebuilding your skills altogether. Until then, focus on keeping your best foot forward and as always, good luck!