I have a job until April (thank heavens for contract work).

Check your resume, see what skills you do have. Make yourself presentable, if you can afford it.
Dress one level above your target job.

You can probably 'fake' being confident, slightly outgoing, at least for the interview (if you get that far). It just seems to me that companies have 'learned' all the recession moves, and instead of doing slowly controlled layoffs, they just automatically go into pauper mode and shovel everyone they can out the door. But that's me, I'm the resident motormouth (at least online). Sometimes I think I'm on the wrong planet...;)

I wish I'd said that.. The Staircase Wit

anahl nathrak uth vas betude doth yel dyenvey..;)