Do contract work or side projects

Consider taking contract or temporary work in your industry. Hiring managers like to see that you’re staying busy and keeping your skills fresh. Taking these jobs makes you more desirable to prospective employers (someone else was impressed by you enough to hire you, so they feel more comfortable doing the same).

You can still search for a permanent post while you take on project or temporary work, and it allows for you to have some flexibility. And, with income coming in, it may take the pressure off from feeling like you need to jump at the first permanent job offer to come along.