CLOSE THE UNEMPLOYMENT GAP: Unemployment is rising as businesses and the public sector try to cut costs. It's a tough job market — and for those who have been out of work for half a year or longer, it can be even rougher.

"If somebody wasn't doing anything for over six months, that's a trigger in my mind," said Brandi Britton, who's been reviewing resumes and managing hiring for nearly nine years. She is the vice-president for the staffing company OfficeTeam, a unit of Robert Half International Inc.

To keep your resume competitive, Britton said, emphasise your skills over your job situation. She recommends altering your resume to a "functional" format, listing your skills and accomplishments first, and then jobs and dates of employment as bullet points under, say, meeting sales goals.

In an interview, address the gap in employment honestly.

"People need to be prepared to answer the question as to why they left," Britton said. "They need to speak confidently about it but not necessarily labor on for a long period of time."

And while you're on the hunt for a new position, stay busy. Take a class to brush up on software skills or a foreign language that will build your resume. Volunteer work also can be beneficial: Lending your talents to a non-profit will not only keep you working but also help you network, Britton said.

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DON'T FORGET THE PERSONALISED THANK-YOUS: Last year, nearly 38 percent of wealthy givers stopped donating money to an organisation they had supported in the past. It wasn't because of a dwindling stock portfolio, though.

A survey found that nearly 58 percent said they no longer felt personally connected to the organisation, while about 51 percent said they decided to donate elsewhere. About 42 percent blamed too-frequent requests for money.