Cognitive behavioral skills can help land job.

• Position: YOUR LIFE - Brief article

Unemployed people are more likely to land a job if they used skills commonly taught as part of cognitive therapy for depression, a study at Ohio State University, Columbus, has found. These skills include identifying negative thoughts and countering them with more-positive responses and planning enjoyable activities to improve mood.

"Our study shows that cognitive behavioral (CB) skills not only predict changes in depression symptoms, but real-life functioning," notes study coauthor Daniel Strunk, associate professor of psychology. "Searching for a job is difficult in any circumstance, but it may be even more difficult for people who are depressed."

Many of the skills taught by cognitive behavioral therapy involve rethinking one's negative automatic thoughts, which are...