I see many posts where people ask for jobs and tell they are jobless for the past 6 months/1 year/2 years, etc. It does not matter how many months or years you are jobless. But it does matter what you did during that time.
Based on my experience, it takes around 3-6 months to create your personal brand. Many people do not focus on creating their personal brand because they do not want to invest their time in building it. They instead want to look for a job and apply.
Set a timetable when you are unemployed. Apply for a job in one of the time slots and invest other time in building your personal brand.
An IT professional can build their personal brand by creating personal projects and showcasing them online to share their knowledge. Blogging is the best way to create your online presence and personal brand.
So, take time for yourself during the job hunt. Invest in your skills and create your personal brand.