>>214229371
State i'm in, you have to apply for 2 jobs per week/month (can't remember which) that can be reasonably expected to be hiring in order to get unemployment. Obviously how much they actually check you on that is another story, but that is the official requirement.
Also have to apply for it right after losing your job funnily enough. If you try to live off your savings then apply later, you're shit out of luck.