Recession - a dreaded but unavoidable economic condition that no one wants to be part of. Just like what goes up must come down, an economic boom must necessarily be followed by an economic downturn or recession, which is what we are currently experiencing.

A few years back in 2003 when Singapore was struck by the SARS virus, our shaky economy, still reeling from the dot-com burst and post-911 events, went into an immediate tail-spin. As a result, unemployment rates soared to unprecedented levels.

During that time, I was unemployed for a total of eight consecutive months before I found a suitable part-time job and eventually I decided to return to school for higher education.

Having never directly gone through a recession before this, it was by far the darkest and loneliest eight-month period of my life. It was a harrowing experience but at the same time brought out a new whole side of me that I have never seen before. It completely changed my perspective of life from then on.

The causes of a recession can vary and is beyond the scope of this article. However, for those who are presently experiencing economic difficulties such as retrenchment, I have a few practical tips that I have personally used to help you along.

• First, remind yourself daily to stay positive. You need to understand no matter how severe a storm is it will pass one day. The storm must recede, die down and pass. Accept that you are temporarily unemployed full-time and remain optimistic that things will change.
  
  Tell yourself you can’t possibly starve in Singapore if you are willing to keep an open mind and pick up new skills.
  
  
• Second, start an exercise regime if you have not got one or maintain your present regime if you are an active person. If nothing else, exercising has been proven to produce happy hormones in your body. In addition, it keeps you looking fresh and youthful.
  
  Many people I know personally have a high resistance to exercising. But look, it doesn’t harm your chances a bit during a job interview if you look bright and chirpy rather than tired and worrisome, does it?
  
  
• Third, proactively review your resume and cover letters. We are fortunate that many useful books are available for loan in our public libraries. You should be able to find many books professionally-written for job seekers.
  
  Of course, you can also conduct your research using the Internet. Many colleges and universities post regular content on their websites to assist their graduates in landing their first jobs. When I was unemployed, I revised my resume conscientiously in accordance to recommended best practices and boosted my confidence along the way.
  
  
• Fourth, cut your personal expenditure. It is frightening enough not knowing when your next pay check will come. Hence, you need to quickly learn how to spend your cash reserves wisely.
  
  But don’t take things to the extreme and start ill-treating yourself. Back then, I remembered walking a few bus stops just to save ten cents on additional bus fares if I had not done that. Now looking back, I felt I was too harsh on myself because a lot of time was wasted that could be put to better use.
  
  You know, the ironic thing about a recession is many retail shops will start slashing prices, so look out for interesting discounts and smart buys, and learn to stretch your dollar.
  
  In the same line of thought, you need to cut down on your job expectations, especially your wage demands. Be flexible and recognize that the highest priority is to get yourself gainfully employed. It restores your dignity greatly and can be a stepping stone to better things.
  
  
• Fifth, go through as many job advertisements that have caught your eye as possible. Then scrutinize the job requirements carefully. The world has turned increasingly globalized and competitive. As such, some skills that employers want now might not have been sufficiently covered during your schooling years.
  
  Then pick out the academic areas you lack in and do something to rectify the issue. For example, go sign up for short training courses to prove that you are committed to reversing your fortunes. You can proudly bring this out during an interview and jack up your chances of securing a job. For myself, I went for various computer courses and attained my driving license on my first attempt within four short months. If I can achieve this much, why not you?
  
  
• Sixth, put aside your ego and communicate openly with your family, relatives and friends. In our Asian culture, we tend to bottle up and shy away from potentially face-losing situations. As a result, you may start to avoid people like what I did in 2003.
  
  Please understand that you are just part of an unfortunate turn of events. It is not a life and death situation that you are facing. It is not how you fall down that is important but how you respond and manage to get back on your feet. Also, it is through difficulties that you see who your true allies are. They will constantly provide encouragement and never abandon you no matter what happens.
  
  
• Last but not least, do not be too hard on yourself. You need to recognize that life is full of speed bumps. As they always say, expect the unexpected. Once you can overcome these obstacles, I can almost guarantee that your views on life will change and you will begin to live a more fulfilling life. Therefore even during difficult times, give yourself an occasional treat to keep your spirits up and going. For instance, go watch a movie or eat at your favourite (hopefully not too expensive) restaurant.

In conclusion, what I would like to say is if you find yourself unemployed in a recession, try to live a life that is as normal as possible. At the same time, look out for opportunities to improve and prove yourself. As the great scientist Albert Einstein put it, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Indeed, if there is no difficulty in the first place, then no opportunity will sprout as a result.

Today, five years on, I have managed to overcome my personal nightmare. It was one of those life-defining moments that we all come across from time to time. Always be flexible and adaptable to situations, for during a storm only the tall rigid trees will fall but never the shorter lallang grass, which is supple and flexible.