Ever have your manager sit down with you one afternoon and lay you off with out warning?  Sounds like a nightmare right?  Although there are positive signs of a recovering economy there are still stories of good people being let go because of a company downsizing or company closing.  Nobody likes looking for a new job especially when you're not in control of this decision.  If this happens to you you will need to put the same type of focus into finding a new job as if it's your full time job.  Here are some quick tips to help you achieve your new goal of finding your next job opportunity.

• Take some time to reflect.  Losing your job and searching for a new one can be very stressful.  You can make the process of job searching easier by having a clear understanding of what you want in your next job.
• Signal the APB. Once you know what you want to do spread the word to everyone you know about your new job search.  Update Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook and any other forms of communication you use.  Contact recruiters that have helped you in the past.  If you don't know any good recruiters ask your friends for referrals to recruiters they've had good experiences with.
• Prepare to interview.  Believe it or not, great skills alone sometimes won't land you your next job.  Interviewing is a skill all to itself.  Read up on interview advice.  There are plenty of blogs online that can help prepare you to ace even the toughest interview questions.  Search the archives of our blog and this alone will help you do better interviews (shameless plug but true).
• Practice your craft.  You need to stay current with your skills.  Remember that anything on your resume is fair game in an interview.  Read up on current events in your industry.  Take courses or read training books to refresh your memory.  You don't want to be caught off guard in an interview just because you haven't done something in 6 months.  "I'm a little rusty" is never a good answer to a question about a skill you have listed on your resume.
• Know your facts.  Research every company and hiring manager you are interviewing with.  Go to the companies website, use Google and Linkedin and make sure you understand what the company does.  Read reviews about their products and services.  Educate yourself on the background of every person you are scheduled to meet. 
• Be Organized.  Keep a running log of each job and company you have applied to.  Include the people you've met, notes about what was asked in the interviews as well as questions you may have if there is a follow up interview.  Take your notes and rank the pro's and con's of each opportunity to include the role, culture, hiring manager, overall strengths and weaknesses of the company as well as future growth in the role and skills you may acquire that would make you marketable in the future.  Sometimes job offers can come quick and you may need to make a decision fast.  If you are organized you will be prepared to make important decisions at any time.
• Go on interviews.  Sounds silly but some people turn down interviews because the job isn't exactly what they think they are looking for.  If the job is remotely close and you are just starting your interview process I would suggest taking the interview.  Most people are not great at interviews and if it's been a while since your last job search you're probably going to need some practice.  It's also good for you to know what types of jobs are out there and more interviews will build your confidence.  And you never know; that job that sounded ok over the phone could actually turn into your dream job.
• Follow thru on every company you interview with.  Start with a follow up thank you email to the person that interviewed you.  Don't bother with writing a thank you letter and throwing it in the mail.  The process of filling a job can happen so quick now it may not get to the hiring manager in time.  Also send any documentation they asked for quickly.  If they want references or examples of your work make sure you respond ideally within 24 hours.  Same applies to any online tests or applications they request you to fill out.  Responding a few days to a week later will be perceived by the hiring manager as a lack of interest or your inability to follow directions or deliver on tasks in a timely manner.

Remember that being out of work doesn't mean you don't have work to do.  If you put in the necessary work to prepare yourself you will perform better in interviews and leave a lasting impression in hiring manager's minds.  Apply these tips to multiple job opportunities and there is a very good chance you will get multiple offers and be back in control of your future.