I think furry beavers can be funny. And fiddling beavers are a howl.

Same for a fairy with a beer belly and a broken magic wand.

But being out of work ain’t funny.

That’s why every Super Bowl I find myself conflicted over the inevitable comedic career commercials by the big search companies, Monster and CareerBuilder.

I know everyone is trying to be witty in order to get the attention of the hordes of football fans and nonfans who will tune in this Sunday, but does it actually bum job seekers out? And sometimes these ads seem a bit condescending, no?

Monster has a fiddling beaver this year, fiddling a happy, country tune.

Personally, I think it would have been funnier if he was fiddling the Great Depression classic “Brother Can You Spare a Dime.” But that’s just me.

And CareerBuilder has the job fairy:

Where do they come up with this stuff?

“We chose a beaver because it is an animal that personifies being industrious and eager,” said Matthew Henson, a spokesman for Monster.

OK, so both these commercials are cute, but don’t let the cuteness cloud your judgment. These sites, and job boards in general, have pretty dismal job-landing success rates. Based on what I’ve heard from readers and statistics I’ve seen, you have less than a 5 percent chance of finding a gig, and in some cases that figure is barely 1 percent. Some recruiting experts say bypass these sites altogether, but I think you should use every tool available.

That said, the top way to find a job is by networking. Yeah, yeah. You’ve heard me and many others say this over and over again. I know you’re tired of hearing it, but it is all about getting off the couch.

Except for Super Bowl Sunday. You can sit on the couch but try to sit on a friend’s or neighbor’s couch instead, or invite some buddies over. That’s networking too, even if you have a beer in your hand.

It a perfect time to put on your eager beaver hat and hit up a friend or neighbor for a networking or job lead in the community. Just wait until after the beaver stops fiddling. No one’s going to listen to you when the furry varmint is playing.