With the unemployment rate now topping 8 percent and some 5.5 million Americans out of work, it’s likely that you know someone who’s been affected by the shrinking job market. In fact, a poll released last month by the Associated Press and GfK found that seven out of every 10 Americans have a friend or relative who’s recently lost a job because of the economy.

Although you probably can’t offer a job to every out-of-work person you know, what you can do is offer your skills, your resources, and your moral support to help your unemployed loved ones cope with the stress of being out of a job and help them get back in the working game.

1. Help them sign up for unemployment benefits.
   One of the most useful things you can do for friends who have recently lost their job is help them start collecting an unemployment check. If you can guide them through the process of applying for unemployment benefits, especially if you’ve been through the experience before yourself, you may be able to help them feel a little less overwhelmed by everything they’re facing.
2. Create a job-hunt tool kit.
   Give them a nice folder or notebook cover that they can take into interviews, along with a pocket notebook that they can use for brainstorming job ideas, jotting down interview answers, or keeping networking and contact information. For something a little more personal, include a gift card for a coffee shop or bookstore, or a subway or bus pass to get them to their interviews.
3. Offer a social networking tutorial.
   Help them set up a networking profile on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Naymz. Teach them how to create their own blog or website so that they can put up their portfolio, showcase their skills, and start promoting themselves online.
4. Donate your workspace.
   Your work or home office has all the tools your out-of-work friends and family need to search for a job — free Internet access, a computer, a printer, a fax machine, maybe even a scanner or copier, and a quiet, private space at your personal desk where they can focus on their job hunt.
5. Give them a break from the job search.
   Let them know that it’s impossible and, frankly, ineffective to spend the entire day looking for a job. Offer to treat them to lunch or coffee to get them out of the house. If they’re uncomfortable accepting a free meal, you can at least advise them to take time each day to do something they wouldn’t be able to do if they were at work — go for a walk outside, see a movie, or just take a nap.

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