What is unemployment?
There are a few different definitions of "unemployment," but when you're listening to the news and they discuss the unemployment rate, they're talking about the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) definition. By that definition, unemployment means that you don't have a job, but you have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks, and are currently available for work.
"Actively" is the keyword here. That means you've been filling out job applications, having job interviews, or contacting employment agencies to try to find a placement that will match your skills. Unlike what many people believe, "unemployment" is not merely a measure of who is collecting unemployment benefits, and is instead determined using a series of surveys and other information gathering each week.