What tends to hold most people back when they are unemployed is they start doubting themselves and their worth to potential employers. The longer you're unemployed, the more your confidence starts to waiver, hurting your ability to negotiate. However, there are some simple things you can do to help build your self-confidence:

• Know Yourself.

Make a list of all your prior accomplishments, both professionally and personally. The skills and experience you bring to potential employers do not change just because you're unemployed.

• Educate Yourself.

Learn everything you can about the negotiating process. Read books, attend a seminar or take a class. The more you know about the process, the more comfortable you will be in asking for more money. Knowing the market value for the skills and experience you have will also help you negotiate with confidence. That requires doing your research before you start.

• Shop Around.

Continue to actively pursue your job search even after you seriously begin talking to a company. One of the biggest mistakes people make when negotiating for a job is that once they think they are going to get a job offer with a company they like, they stop talking to other potential employers. Having another offer will greatly enhance your ability to negotiate compensation, forcing a potential employer to give you the best possible offer. It will also increase your confidence, enabling you to negotiate more forcefully. Even if you don't actually have another offer, continuing to talk with lots of prospective employers will reassure you that if this offer is not good enough, another one will be forthcoming shortly.

It is useful to let a prospective employer know you are contacting other companies, as long as you make it clear that the employer you're talking to is your first choice. Employers like the fact that other companies are interested but want to hire someone who really wants to work for them. Your employment status becomes irrelevant.

• Project Confidence.

Finally, even during those moments when you are not feeling confident, project confidence. Dr. Patricia Farrell, calls one technique "self talk." Before you go into an interview, tell yourself -- out loud -- why you deserve to get what you are seeking (Do this in the privacy of your own home, but do it). If you believe it, so will the person you are interviewing with. Then wait until you have convinced a prospective employer that you are the best candidate for the job before discussing compensation. The best time to talk about money is when a company is about to make you an offer.

Be enthusiastic about the job, confident about the abilities you bring to it, knowledgeable about your market value and firm in seeking a fair compensation package. Doing these simple things will enable you to negotiate the best possible package -- even when you are unemployed.