Since the start of this recession at the end of 2007, some 7 million people have lost their jobs. And although unemployment rates appear to be lessening, it's certainly still rough out there.

One of the problems, of course, is that there is a large demand for a very limited number of jobs. The competition is stiff, and if you've limited yourself to applying to only a certain kind of position, in only one specific field, you're going to have a tougher time getting back to work. So this week, let's talk about taking those blinders off. Experts say that the people who are rising to the top of the resume pile are those who take risks, who are open-minded about different opportunities and who use a lay-off as an opportunity to do a little soul-searching. Here's how you can be the same:

-- Expand your horizons. Not surprisingly, a lay-off has a tendency to send people into panic mode. Immediately, a million questions come up, not the least of which is how you're going to support your family. And that's perfectly normal. But once you've calmed down a bit, take some time to really think about whether this is an opportunity in disguise. "This is a chance to brainstorm ideas and think outside the box. Tap into your childhood dreams, your passions and your heart," says Hallie Crawford, a certified career coach in Atlanta, Ga. What is your ideal job? Spend some time jotting down answers to this question, however feasible they may be. You can weed through them later, but if you're honest with yourself, you may end up with a few career moves on your list that are entirely within reach.

-- Be realistic. It's possible that a little brainstorming revealed that you love the field you're in. Maybe your ideal job truly is the one you had before you were pink-slipped, or the one you envisioned when you enrolled in grad school. That's perfectly fine, but it's still in your best interest to be realistic and do a little browsing. The wider a net you are willing to cast, the more chances you have to land a position. Does that mean you should blindly blast your resume to every job board posting? No. But it does mean that you should be open to different ways of reaching your ultimate goal. "There are a lot of kids coming out of business school, and Wall Street isn't hiring. If that's you, don't ask yourself 'What's a job that's going to make me rich?' but 'What's a job that's going to get me started in this field?'" says Alan Webber, founder of Fast Company magazine and author of the new book "Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business Without Losing Your Self."

-- Polish your skills. This period of downtime may be your only opportunity to take classes to further your education or to learn a new set of skills that will set you apart. "Check out your peers in the industry. Do they have skills or expertise that you don't? If so, figure out what you need to do to stay competitive," says Crawford. That might mean brushing up on new technology -- social networking and viral marketing strategies have already swept the business world, and they're going to become increasingly important in the next few years -- or learning a new language so you're an asset to one of the many companies that have offices overseas. This, by the way, is something you should be doing whether you've been laid off or not. Keeping your skills sharp is one of the best ways to avoid being the next person on the chopping block.

-- Re-brand yourself. Or, as Webber says, "If you want to see with fresh eyes, reframe the picture." Say you have ten years' experience in public relations, but on the side, you've been doing small graphic design work for friends -- designing Web sites or maybe business cards or party invitations here and there. Sometimes it's hard to recognize how our hobbies can contribute to our day jobs -- or our search for a day job -- but in many cases, there is a tie-in. "A lot of this comes naturally if you follow your own interests.

Instead of living inside the box of a narrow job description, let your interests expand that box so you're bringing in things that get you excited as an individual," he explains. When you're interviewing for jobs in PR, the fact that you have experience in graphic design may very well set you apart from the other applicants. And while you're applying for those PR jobs, why not send a few resumes to graphic design companies, or start selling your designs ! as a side business? Even a small second stream of income can sustain you during a prolonged search for your next "day job."

-- Keep a sense of humor. We all know that times are hard now. But being miserable won't help in your day-to-day life, and it certainly won't help in your interviews. Potential employers don't want to hire someone who is down on himself or filled with anxiety -- they want someone who is upbeat, happy and optimistic. Obviously stress is unavoidable in these kinds of situations, but employ just enough so you're motivated to keep moving forward, but not so much that you appear fatigued.