The good news for job seekers is that the unemployment rate – at least as published by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, is gradually trending down.

According to the January 2012 Employment Situation Report, the official unemployment rate now stands at 8.5 percent – the lowest it’s been in two years. Nominal job gains were realized in warehousing, transportation, retail trade, manufacturing, health care and mining.

The unemployment rate for adult men fell to 8 percent, and 7.9 percent for women. Blacks, however, are experiencing nearly twice the unemployment rate as whites, at 15.8 percent compared to 7.5 percent.

The bad news is that the declining topline unemployment figure doesn’t quite tell the whole story.

According to the BLS, there was no real decline in the number of people who were “marginally attached to the labor force” over the past year.

Perhaps more disturbingly, unemployment during this economic downturn has been alarmingly persistent. More than 5 million people report having been unemployed for 27 weeks or more. That’s 42.5 percent of the people who are listed as unemployed.

That number is almost certainly low – there remain nearly 1 million “discouraged workers,” not counted in the unemployment figures, who have dropped out of the work force because they don’t believe there are any jobs out there they can realistically compete for.

A gap in a resume for that long hurts – especially for information technology workers who need to keep up with changes in technology and trends. A gap of six months or more between engagements on a resume means atrophying skills and aging contacts. Rightly or wrongly, it also makes some hiring managers wince… what is wrong with this person that the application and resume isn’t mentioning?” they may ask themselves.

By itself, it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. But it is something you’ll need to deal with as you go through your job hunt. Some ideas:

Use a functional resume. The functional resume format inverts the traditional chronological resume, and instead moves the most relevant work experience to the top, and organizes information by skill sets instead of by job titles. This may help you deemphasize any gaps in your resume.

Further your education. “I took some time to obtain this masters’ degree” sounds a lot better than “I’ve sent out 100 resumes and you were my first callback in six months.” Degree or certificate programs, continuing education, licensing and other coursework is tax deductible, as long as those programs don’t qualify you for a new profession. If you’re a technology person, getting a new credential in networking may be tax deductible; taking flying lessons may not be.

Improve your foreign language skills. Can’t afford grad school? This can pay big dividends in a variety of ways, and costs a lot less than graduate school. “I took the time to get very intense about studying Spanish / English / Chinese / German / anything else can really take the sting out of an uncomfortable resume gap, depending on the circumstances.

Read trade journals. If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, it’s extra important to be able to show prospective employers that you’ve been keeping pace with developments in your industry. Subscriptions to trade journals are tax deductible, even if you’re unemployed, as long as the expense relates to your current profession and not to a new one. If you can’t afford a subscription, stay in close touch with colleagues and get their issues, or go to your local library. Your librarian may be able to help you get periodicals your library doesn’t carry.

Sign on with an agency. A good employment agency or temp agency can be of tremendous value in helping you avoid long gaps in your resume. Even temporary work can help you gain valuable skills and contacts for the future. If you find yourself unemployed, an employment agency specializing in your field should be your first stop. To sign up with Vitaver & Associates, click here.

Stay active in your profession. Unemployed? Now is a great time to step up in your professional and community organizations. Become a leader. You’ve got some time now. Attend meetings, and volunteer at key events. Each one will put you in contact with people in your industry, who can see your organizational and leadership skills first hand. Again, dues for professional organizations are tax deductible, as long as they relate to your current profession and not to a new one.

The bottom line: Don’t let those gaps just happen. Take ownership of your time, and be proactive with your career and professional development. The jobs will come to those who treat their job hunts like a job.

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