Checking in on the 'New Jobless'

Anthony Singh jokes that he doesn't know how to play the guitar. But given the parlous state of his industry -- banking, where he specialized in strategic planning -- he might want to learn. Singh was laid off from Lehman Brothers in January 2008, long before the bank collapsed, but hasn't had much luck finding anything since. "Recruiters tell me they've never seen a market this tough," he says. "They say we're actually going through a depression, not a recession."

Singh stays upbeat, spending several hours a day networking and trying to set up meetings with people employed in his field rather than e-mailing random job sites. He's also rearranged his apartment and bought a new ficus plant. At least that gives him the chance to look at real green shoots -- rather than wait for metaphorical ones.

NEXT: Cory Clapsaddle: A new trek to work