Most senior managers have to job hunt 10.1 months these days, a recent survey finds. So if you’ve been unemployed half a year, it can seem like an eternity when you’re on pins and needles, but chin up, advises Anne Fisher in her April 13 Ask Annie column. Have you been out of work for six months or longer? What are you doing to cope? How long can someone be unemployed in this market without it being seen as a black mark against their candidacy? Can changing resume styles really help cover an employment gap?

If the people you ask employers to contact as recommendations are anything but easy to reach, and highly enthusiastic, you could lose out on an offer, writes Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her April 7 Ask Annie column. Do you have good references? Has a reference ever surprised you by saying something negative? Ever said anything not-so-nice when asked for a reference? What’s the worst reference you’ve heard or gotten?

A White House report called “The Job Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan” (a.k.a. the stimulus package) forecasts 50,000 new IT jobs by the end of 2010, writes Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her March 27 Ask Annie column. That’s thanks in large part to incentives to digitize health records, she writes.

How do you think the tech job market is doing now? Is the economic stimulus plan likely to create – or preserve – jobs in your field?

Entire industries are shrinking fast, putting larger numbers of qualified candidates in competition for fewer openings.  So it’s not surprising that legions of the laid-off are thinking creatively about where to go next. Just one small problem: Most people are really bad at explaining why an employer should hire them when they have no experience in the field they’re trying to enter, writes Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her March 19 column.

Readers, what do you say? Are you trying to change careers and, if so, have you managed to get to the interview stage? What has – or hasn’t – worked for you? If you’re a hiring manager, what advice would you give candidates with unrelated backgrounds? Any tips for job seekers who want to get into a new field?

It’s a sign of the times. Employers who hesitate to add costly permanent jobs are increasingly looking for short-term talent – and plenty of highly qualified people are looking for work to tide them over until hiring picks up again, writes Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her March 16 Ask Annie column. Does the idea of working at a series of interim jobs appeal to you? Why or why not? If you’ve ever done, or are doing, temporary work, how does it differ (for better and worse) from a permanent position? Any tips for those who are considering it?

As genetic testing proliferates, a new federal law prohibits employers from asking for genetic information about you, or from using it to deny you coverage, writes Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her March 5 Ask Annie column. Are you worried about losing your health insurance if you lose your job? If you’ve already lost group coverage because of a layoff, have you been able to find an affordable replacement? Are you more likely to get genetic testing if you know the results wouldn’t hurt your insurability? Are you worried an employer wouldn’t hire you based on genetic test results?

It happens every time the economy hits the skids: Huge numbers of MBA wannabes line up to go back to the classroom. Are you considering going back to school, either to switch careers or ride out the recession? If you’re an MBA student or graduate, what do you think was most helpful in getting you admitted? Did going to B-school pay off for you?

If networking drives you nuts and you tend to think a while before you respond to interviewers’ questions, you may find a job search especially difficult, writes Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her Feb. 12 Ask Annie column. But introverts have certain advantages, too — like a tendency to think before you speak — that you can use to improve your odds, she writes. Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? Do you agree that job hunting is easier for extroverts? If you’re introverted, have you got any tips on what worked for you in your last job hunt? Would you rather work for an introvert or an extrovert?

If you’ve just left your boss’s office with the dire news that your position is being eliminated, stay as calm as possible, at least outwardly, advises Anne Fisher in her January 27 Ask Annie column. Doing so could help you negotiate a bigger severance package, she writes.

If you’ve been laid off, what kind of severance did you get? Did you feel it was fair? Did you try to negotiate the terms? What did you want, and did you get it? Any suggestions for others who want to pursue a better deal in a layoff?

When stepping into a new, challenging leadership position, spend your first 30 days listening, and studying the company and the challenges it faces, says Fortune’s Anne Fisher in her Jan. 20 Ask Annie column. Have you ever had to step into a new job and correct a disastrous situation? What worked (or didn’t) for you? Your bosses? How have you coped with low morale among coworkers? How can you keep both employees and higher-ups happy?