Not to mention, I had worked my way up and spent the last 10 years learning the ins and outs of everything we did. I couldn't seriously be thinking of throwing all of that effort away to start somewhere new, could I? In the end, I did make the leap. And now, looking back, it was the best decision I have made for my career, as I went to a company with a positive growth outlook that is actually serious about investing in an employee's career growth.

Did you notice this guide says prepare, not what to do? That word choice is deliberate, and it is the whole point. When you still have a paycheck, you hold the one advantage nobody scrambling after a layoff has, which is time. You can study the market calmly, see where your skills actually fit, and close your gaps before you ever need to send a single application.