Laid off? Make your job search a business plan

Step 1: Take stock of your life and skills

It's important to ask yourself some important questions before embarking on the next phase of your career, Stewart advises. Some key questions to ask yourself include:

• Do I need to work full time?
• Do I want to do the same kind of work?
• Is it time for me to think about a new career or to leverage the investment I made in this one?
• How else might my skills be applied in this industry or others?
• What is my income requirement and what is my risk tolerance?
• What motivates me most about my work and where else can those motivations be satisfied?
• What skills do I have that are of most value in the marketplace and how do I best package them?

(istockphoto)
Step 1: Take stock of your life and skills It's important to ask yourself some important questions before embarking on the next phase of your career, Stewart advises. Some key questions to ask yourself include: • Do I need to work full time? • Do I want to do the same kind of work? • Is it time for me to think about a new career or to leverage the investment I made in this one? • How else might my skills be applied in this industry or others? • What is my income requirement and what is my risk tolerance? • What motivates me most about my work and where else can those motivations be satisfied? • What skills do I have that are of most value in the marketplace and how do I best package them?