Complete Career Changer's Pack Planning Collection

360 planning questions and 32 expert readings across 8 guides.

Planning Questions

• Write about the moment you found out about the layoff. Where were you? Who told you? What was your first physical reaction - did your chest tighten, did you feel numb, did anger flash through you?
• Document what you've lost beyond the paycheck. List specific things: the coffee routine with a colleague, the pride of introducing yourself with that company name, the rhythm of your morning commute. Which loss surprises you most?
• Reflect on the last 3-6 months at that job. What warning signs did you see or ignore? What signs did you NOT see? What does this tell you about what to watch for next time?
• Think about your identity statement. How have you been introducing yourself at parties or family gatherings? Write down what you've been saying, then write what you'll say now. What feels different or scary about that shift?
• List 5 times in your career when something felt uncertain or scary, and how it turned out. What pattern do you notice about your resilience? What did you learn about yourself that you're forgetting right now?
• Write about what you were tolerating at that job. The annoying parts, the energy drains, the Sunday night dread. Now that you have distance, what are you secretly relieved to leave behind?
• Document your work identity crisis. Complete this sentence 10 different ways: "Without my job title, I am..." What comes up? Which completions feel true versus scary?
• Reflect on the story you're telling yourself about why this happened. Write it as a narrative. Now write it from your best friend's perspective. What changes? What bias are you applying to yourself?
• Think about your professional confidence before and after the layoff. On a scale of 1-10, where were you before? Where are you now? Write about 3 accomplishments that should anchor you at your old number - why aren't they?
• List the people whose opinions you're worried about (parents, former colleagues, friends in successful careers). For each person, write what you imagine they're thinking. Now write what they're probably actually thinking. Notice the difference?
• Write about the exact moment you first noticed something was wrong. What were you doing? What physical sensation or thought made you stop and think "this isn't normal"?
• Document 5 specific times in the past 3 months when you felt completely drained. For each: What day/time was it? What had you just finished? How long did it take to recover?
• Think back to a time (6+ months ago) when you felt energized by your work. Describe a specific day. What did you do? How did you feel at the end of it? What's different now?
• List every symptom you're experiencing right now - physical, emotional, cognitive. For each, note when it started and how often it happens. What patterns emerge?
• Reflect on your Sunday nights over the past month. What specific thoughts or physical sensations come up? When did this pattern start - was there a triggering event?
• Write about 3 times in the past year when you said "yes" to work but everything in you wanted to say "no". What stopped you from declining? What happened afterward?
• Document how your relationships have changed in the past 6 months. Who have you seen less? What invitations have you declined? What do these patterns tell you?
• Think about the activities that used to bring you joy outside of work. When was the last time you did each one? What's been getting in the way?
• Describe your energy levels throughout a typical week. Which days/times are worst? Which are slightly better? What happens during the better moments?
• Write about a recent time you snapped at someone or felt disproportionately irritated by something small. What was really bothering you underneath?
• Write about 3 specific moments in the past year when you felt energized at work. What were you doing? Who were you with? What made those moments different from your typical day?
• Document the last time you dreaded going to work. What specific task, person, or situation triggered it? When did this pattern start?
• Reflect on the last 5 times you said "I wish I could..." about work. Write down each statement and when you said it. What pattern emerges?
• Think about your Sunday nights over the past 3 months. What specific feeling comes up about Monday? Rate each Sunday 1-10 for dread vs excitement.
• List 5 projects or tasks from your career where you lost track of time. For each: What year? What were you creating? Why did time disappear?
• Write about a time you felt proud of your work in the past 2 years. What specifically made you proud? Who did you tell first? Why that person?
• Document what you complained about at work in the past month. Write down 5-10 specific complaints. Which ones are about the job vs the field itself?
• Reflect on conversations where you said "I'm thinking about a career change." Who did you tell? What did saying it out loud feel like?
• Think back to when you first chose your current career path. What did you believe about it then? What would you tell that version of yourself now?
• Write about 3 people whose careers you envy. For each: What specifically do you envy? Their day-to-day, status, income, or something else?
• Write about the last time you were excited to go to work. What specific project or interaction made that day different? When did you last feel that way?
• List the last 5 jobs or roles you seriously considered (even if you didn't apply). For each, note: What attracted you? What made you hesitate? What pattern do you see?
• Think about the worst job you've had. What specifically made it bad - the work itself, the people, the environment, the expectations? Which of those factors would be dealbreakers now?
• Reflect on moments in the past 6 months when you felt genuinely proud of your work. What were you doing? Who noticed? What does this tell you about what you need in your next role?
• Document 3 times in your career when you were learning fast and felt challenged in a good way. What conditions made that possible? What was different about those environments?
• Write about your job search history. How did you find your last 2-3 jobs? What worked? What was frustrating? What would you do differently this time?
• Think about Sunday evenings. When you imagine starting a new job, what specific worry or anxiety comes up? Where does that fear come from - past experience or assumption?
• List the feedback or compliments you've received in the past year. What themes emerge? What do others see in you that you might undervalue?
• Reflect on the last time you turned down a job offer or opportunity. What made you say no? Was it the right call? What does that reveal about your priorities?
• Write about 3 people in your network whose careers you admire. What specifically do you admire - their role, company, work-life balance, impact? What's different about their paths versus yours?
• Write about 3 specific moments in the past year when someone came to you for advice or looked to you for direction. What was happening? What did they need from you? What felt natural vs. uncomfortable?
• Think about a time you had to deliver critical feedback to a peer. What did you do well? What would you do differently now? What does this reveal about your leadership instincts?
• Document the last 5 times you stayed late or worked weekends in your current role. For each: Was it because of your workload or helping others? What pattern emerges about how you spend your energy?
• List 3 leaders you've worked with who you respected. For each, write one specific behavior or decision that earned your respect. What do these examples tell you about the leader you want to be?
• Reflect on a project where you were responsible for outcomes but not in charge. How did you influence without authority? What worked? What frustrated you?
• Think about your current role: What will you genuinely miss doing yourself? What tasks are you secretly relieved to delegate? Be honest about what gives you energy.
• Write about a time you saw a leader fail or lose their team's trust. What specifically went wrong? What did you learn about what NOT to do?
• Document your typical week: How many hours do you spend in heads-down work vs. meetings vs. helping others? How will this need to change in a leadership role?
• Think about conflict: Describe your gut reaction when two people come to you with opposing views. Do you avoid, jump to fix, or lean in? When has this served you well or poorly?
• Reflect on your relationship with being liked. Write about a time you chose being respected over being liked. How did it feel? What was the outcome?

Expert Readings

• The Psychology of Salary Negotiation: Why Most Advice Fails

  Conventional wisdom says "know your worth" and "be confident." That's incomplete. Here are the 4 cognitive biases sabotaging your negotiation—and how to fix them.

• After the Ask: Your 30-60-90 Day Action Plan

  The conversation isn't the end—it's the beginning. Here's what to do after you ask, whether they said yes, no, or maybe, to maximize your outcome.

• Handling the Top 5 Manager Objections (And What They Really Mean)

  "We don't have budget" doesn't mean no. "That's a big jump" isn't a rejection. Here's the decoder ring for what managers actually mean—and how to respond.

• The 5-Minute Conversation Worth $15,000: What to Say

  Most people fumble the actual ask with "I think I deserve..." or "I was hoping..." Here's the exact 5-minute script that turns preparation into results.

• Timing Your Ask: The Performance-Budget-Relationship Matrix

  Asking at the wrong time kills 40% of raise requests that should succeed. Here's the decision matrix that tells you exactly when to ask—and when to wait.

• Building Your Case: The Evidence Portfolio Framework

  Walking in with "I work hard" gets you nowhere. Here's the 4-category evidence system that turns vague contributions into a $12K raise.

• Protecting Your Mental Health During Unemployment

  Job loss triggers the same grief response as death or divorce. Here's the psychological framework and daily structure that prevents the spiral.

• Using a Layoff as a Career Pivot Point

  Most people waste this opportunity trying to get their old job back. Here's how to turn forced unemployment into strategic career repositioning.

• Job Search Intensity: Sprint vs Marathon Strategy

  Applying to 50 jobs/day burns you out and tanks your response rate. Here's the intensity framework that gets 5x better results.

• LinkedIn After Layoff: The Open-to-Work Signal Debate

  Half of recruiters say the green banner helps, half say it hurts. Here's the data on what actually works and the two-profile strategy experts use.

• The Layoff Networking Paradox: Why Hiding Makes It Worse

  The people who tell everyone immediately get jobs 2x faster than those who hide it. Here's the psychology of layoff networking and what to actually say.

• Financial Runway Calculator: How Long You Actually Have

  Most people overestimate their runway by 40-60% because they forget about taxes, healthcare, and "invisible" expenses. Here's the real math.

• The Career Change Timeline: Your Month-by-Month Roadmap

  Most people ask: "How long does a career change take?" The answer: 9-18 months from decision to new job. Here's what happens in each phase—and how to compress the timeline without cutting corners.

• The 90-Day Reality Check: Signs You're on the Right Track (or Not)

  You've been in your new role for 3 months. How do you know if this career change is actually working? Here are the specific signals that separate successful transitions from expensive mistakes.

• Getting Past the Resume Screen When You're a Career Changer

  Your resume gets rejected in 6 seconds. Not because you're unqualified—because you formatted it like you're staying in your old field. Here's the resume structure that actually gets career changers interviews.

• The Career Switcher's Narrative: What to Say (and What Not to Say)

  Most career changers apologize for their background. The ones who get hired tell a story that makes their transition seem inevitable. Here's the exact narrative framework that works.

• The Minimum Viable Skillset: What You Actually Need to Learn

  Most career changers try to learn everything before applying. That takes 2 years and you still won't be ready. Here's how to identify the 2-4 skills that actually get you hired—and skip the rest.

• The Real Cost of Career Change: A 24-Month Financial Model

  Most people budget for a pay cut. They forget about the $8,000 in hidden costs, the 18-month timeline to get back to their old salary, and the opportunity cost that doubles the real price tag.

• The Professional Exit: How to Resign Without Burning Bridges

  Your resignation affects your reputation for years. Here's the exact process for leaving gracefully—from timing to transition to staying connected.

• Evaluating Offers: The Total Compensation Calculator Recruiters Use

  Comparing $160K at a startup vs $140K at Google isn't simple. Here's how to calculate the true value of base, equity, benefits, and growth.

• The Negotiation Call: What to Say When They Ask Your Expected Salary

  The first person to say a number loses. Here's the exact script for handling salary questions at every stage—from screening to final offer.

• Salary Research That Actually Works: The $30K Mistake Most People Make

  Walking into negotiations without data costs you an average of $30K. Here's how to research your true market value using the same sources recruiters use.

• The Interview Prep Formula: 3 Hours That Beat 3 Weeks of Practice

  Most people over-prepare for interviews in the wrong ways. Here's the high-efficiency prep method that works for technical, behavioral, and case interviews.

• The Target List Method: How to Identify Your Next 20 Companies

  Applying randomly to 100 companies gets worse results than strategically targeting 20. Here's how to build a target list that actually leads to offers.

Available Guides

• Asking for a Raise

  Build your case and negotiate compensation confidently

• Career Change

  Transition to a new career field with confidence

• Job Search Strategy

  Land your next role with effective search tactics

• New Leadership Role

  Step into management with confidence

• Recovering from Burnout

  Heal from burnout and prevent relapse

• Recovering from Layoff

  Navigate unemployment and bounce back stronger

• Remote Work Success

  Thrive while working from home

• Workplace Conflict

  Resolve conflicts professionally and protect your peace