Many of the students currently enrolled in learning management system programs recently faced the sudden reality of the hypothetical question: If you were to suddenly lose your job, what would you do?

The possibility of being laid off or not finding work to begin with continues to plague people all over the map, and especially in North America and Europe. The IMF’s World Economic Outlook report for October identifies that East Asian and South Asian economies are leading the way out of recession, leading many job-seekers to pursue employment abroad.

Although you shouldn’t have to travel all the way to Asia to find a job, it is wise to take a look at which cities are hiring. A report shared on TechCrunch’s website identifies the best and worst cities in the U.S. to seek employment. Washington, D.C. was cited as the best, with a 6:1 ratio of job postings to the unemployed. Next came Jacksonville, Florida with 3:1, Baltimore with 1:1, Salt Lake City, New York, Sane Jose, Hartford, Oklahoma City, Austin, and Boston (with 1:3) as the best cities to take a shot at searching for job.

The worst ten cities to seek employment were as follows. The best of the worst, Buffalo, New York, kicked off the list with a job posting:unemployed ratio of 1:3, but worse still were Orlando, Sacramento, Rochester, Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, Riverside, Miami, and finally, Detroit–with a crushing 1:18. One job posting for every 18 unemployed people.

But packing your suitcases and seeking greener pastures in the U.S. or abroad isn’t the one and only solution. Practice deep breathing and play your cards right, and you will find that even in a city like Detroit, you do have a chance. After all, someone needs to get lucky with that one job posting for every 18 unemployed.

What cards do you have to play? The cards I’m referring to are internet tools. Learn how to use them, and make them your lucky cards. With the internet–and I’m not just referring to learning management systems and online education, though we’ll come to that in a minute–all is possible.

First, use your personal contacts to get an in. Take advantage of social networks like LinkedIn. And not only LinkedIn.

Brad and Debra Schepp, authors of How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Other Social Networks cite the importance of branching out from only LinkedIn and taking advantage of other networks. Even though Facebook, for example, is designed mainly for keeping up with amigos, it also features many business-related groups.

“If you’re looking for a job,” the Schepps’s write, “group discussion boards are probably where you will want to spend much of your time. Searching out and joining groups can give you the inside track on job openings, inform you of upcoming professional meetings and conferences, and introduce you to people who can share what it’s really like to work for a particular employer–all highly useful stuff.”

And the other cards? You guessed it: Head back to school. Whether it’s enrollment in a technical or community college, an online certification program, or learning management system training, furthering your skills is likely to help you gain employment in a field you’re interested in. Take advantage of online personal development courses hosted on learning management systems and/or offered by a technical, vocational, or community college near you to gain the skills and certification you need at a pace that’s right for you.

This is your time to beat the odds and face the challenges presented by a cut-throat job market. Even in such an inhospitable environment, play your cards right, and you will find that success is possible and not as difficult as you believed. For thousands of unemployed Americans, online networking and online education are the best cards in the deck.

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Coggno.com offers premier e-learning education.