Holiday Gifts for the Unemployed

A Visit to the Resume Doctor

We all know we need to update our resumes to land a new employer, yet so few of us know the best way to go about it. Compounding the problem, many of us are too embarrassed to ask for a hand. That's where a professional resume writer comes in.

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To find one for an out-of-work friend, check the Professional Association of Resume Writers or the National Resume Writers' Association. As always, check references and beware of scams. Resume writers, who are often career coaches too, don't come cheap. You'll be lucky to find one who charges as little as $200 to $300 for a CV makeover. If this is out of your league, buy your friend the book "Resume Magic" instead, which retails for less than $20.

The Ability to Leave the House

You know that friend who swore she'd never get an iPhone or a BlackBerry and now desperately wishes she could afford one (and its accompanying service contract) so she'd have a better way to check e-mail while out pounding the pavement?

Peek, the sleek e-mail device that Time magazine called the "top gadget of 2008," might be the perfect interim solution. Although it looks like a BlackBerry, all the Peek does is e-mail.

Consequently, the device costs only $100, and the monthly service for unlimited e-mail access is just $20, with no contract required. Just be sure to clear this purchase with recipients first. Much like puppies, new gadgets that require monthly fees are something you don't want to spring on an unsuspecting, cash-poor pal.