# NextChapter

> NextChapter is the leading job transition platform. Every Member gets a free Market Reality Assessment (a plain-language read on how the market sees their background), a weekly Search Sprint action plan, and an AI career coach. Revenue comes from employers, recruiters, outplacement buyers, workforce agencies and non-profits, and from optional coaching and resume plans. Free to join. Free for Members, always.

## For job seekers

- [Home](https://launchyournextchapter.com/): overview of the Market Reality Assessment, the weekly Search Sprint system, and how the platform works end to end.
- [FAQ](https://launchyournextchapter.com/faq): plans (free for Members), privacy, how the Market Reality Assessment works, and how employer matching works.
- [Entry-level jobs by role](https://launchyournextchapter.com/jobs/entry-level): a page for each starting white-collar role (sales development representative, business development representative, account executive, customer success, accounting, HR, IT help desk, data analyst and ~90 more): what the job is, a typical day, the skills, openings counted from employers' own career sites (including how many say no experience is required), pay where listed, a résumé skills check and where the job leads, plus role-by-city pages. Plain-text list of every role: https://launchyournextchapter.com/jobs/entry-level/llms.txt.
- [AI job check](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/ai-job-check): type a job title to see how much of the work AI already does (Anthropic Economic Index), related jobs that pay more or are less exposed, and skills to build. A page for each occupation.
- [AI job check prompts](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/ai-job-check/prompts): twelve copy-and-paste prompts for an AI assistant that point it at the numbers on NextChapter pages and ask it to cite them.
- [AI Jobs Index](https://launchyournextchapter.com/data/ai-jobs-index): monthly data on AI exposure by occupation (Anthropic Economic Index), live openings and the pay premium for AI skills, with a CSV and a citation line.
- [Résumé bullet rewriter](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/resume-bullet-rewriter) and [interview answer coach](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/interview-answer-coach): free AI tools that rewrite résumé bullets and coach an interview answer, keeping only the facts the person gives.
- [Career coach](https://launchyournextchapter.com/coaching): Victoria, the free AI career coach, and an optional human executive and professional career coach on top — mock interviews, resume review, negotiation support. Plans are on [Plans](https://launchyournextchapter.com/pricing).

## For organizations

- [For Organizations](https://launchyournextchapter.com/for-organizations): one card for each portal: higher education, workforce, hiring, employees, outplacement, recruiters and coaches, each with its page and log in.
- [Top employers](https://launchyournextchapter.com/top-employers): which employers have the most open entry-level jobs, the most jobs that need no experience, the highest share of AI-skill jobs, and the biggest hirers in each function. Counted daily from verified open jobs; staffing and search firms excluded.
- [Employers](https://launchyournextchapter.com/employers): the three employer sections by employee lifecycle: Hiring for future employees, Employees for current ones, Outplacement for departing ones.
- [Hiring](https://launchyournextchapter.com/talent): post a role and see candidates who chose to be seen, with an evidence brief for each.
- [Employees](https://launchyournextchapter.com/employees): retention, and learning and development, reported as counts by team, never by person.
- [Outplacement](https://launchyournextchapter.com/outplacement): seats for departing employees, reporting in counts for HR and a compliance record for each seat. Set up by contract.
- [Higher education](https://launchyournextchapter.com/higher-education): a workspace for career services and alumni relations; a free workspace is created when staff claim the institution's page with a work email at its domain.
- [College pages](https://launchyournextchapter.com/higher-education/llms.txt): a page for each college, listed by state: enrollment, degrees by field, graduation, earnings and net price, the job market in its county, and the nearby workforce board and American Job Centers.
- [Government & Workforce](https://launchyournextchapter.com/government-workforce): a workspace for workforce boards, economic development organizations and chambers, with live counts from our own data.
- [Nonprofits & community organizations](https://launchyournextchapter.com/nonprofits): the same free workspace after a verified claim; research partnerships are set up one at a time.
- [Recruiters](https://launchyournextchapter.com/recruiters): search candidates who chose to be found and submit them in your firm's logo.
- [Search firms](https://launchyournextchapter.com/search-firms): search firms, recruiting firms and staffing companies with open searches: a page for each with the roles it is recruiting for, specialties, places, posted pay and how long its searches stay open.
- [Coaches](https://launchyournextchapter.com/coaches): invite clients with a code, a pre-session brief and session notes.

## For AI assistants and developers

- [MCP server](https://launchyournextchapter.com/mcp): a free, read-only Model Context Protocol server at https://launchyournextchapter.com/api/mcp. Tools: search current professional job openings with AI exposure, level, pay and the employer's layoff record, and a direct apply link (search_jobs), score a résumé out of 100 with the fix for each check (score_resume), look up recent layoff notices by employer or state (recent_layoff_notices), unemployment insurance basics by state (unemployment_benefits_by_state), verified relocation, retraining, health-coverage and tax programs for laid-off professionals by state (laid_off_benefits_and_programs), AI exposure for a job title (ai_exposure_for_job_title), and career guides on layoffs, severance, unemployment, resumes and networking (find_career_guide). Each answer carries its source and an as-of date. The same layoff notices are a free JSON API at https://launchyournextchapter.com/api/public/layoffs, described at https://launchyournextchapter.com/api/public/openapi.json.

## Research and data

- [Employer pages](https://launchyournextchapter.com/employers): one page per employer at /employers/<name>: open professional roles from its career site, what it hires for, posted pay against the market, where it hires. Updated daily; employers can claim their page.

- [AI courses by level and profession](https://launchyournextchapter.com/ai-courses): free and paid AI courses and certifications for finance, legal, HR, marketing, sales and more, sorted beginner to advanced, with a short level finder.
- [AI skills in job postings](https://launchyournextchapter.com/ai-skills): which functions ask for AI skills, the advertised pay premium raw and like for like, and independent research by seniority. Updated weekly.
- [Pay data](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data): advertised pay on live U.S. professional postings by industry, function, level, employer size and hiring volume, and the skills linked to higher pay, with the raw and like-for-like gap (function, level and industry matched), sample sizes and the method. A page for each industry, function and skill; downloads at https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data/data.csv and https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data/skills.csv. Rebuilt daily.
- [AI training](https://launchyournextchapter.com/ai-training): for colleges, workforce boards and employers, a measured AI-skill gap and the short courses that close it.
- [NextChapter White Collar Employment Report](https://launchyournextchapter.com/reports): a monthly, independent read on the U.S. white-collar labor market — layoffs, long-term unemployment, AI attribution and the safety net, with methods and data files published.
- [White-Collar Long-Search Index](https://launchyournextchapter.com/reports/white-collar-index): monthly long-term unemployment among U.S. managers and professionals, 2019 = 100, from Census CPS microdata; history downloadable as CSV.
- [Latest edition: September 2026](https://launchyournextchapter.com/reports/white-collar-employment-report-september-2026): The economy added 612,000 jobs in the first nine months of 2026 and there is about one opening per unemployed person, while long searches among managers and professionals were about a third more common than a year earlier. The monthly read on how people are working, being hired and changing jobs, with what public programs and technology are adding.
- [Layoff tracker](https://launchyournextchapter.com/layoffs): WARN notices filed with state labor agencies, this year's totals, coverage notes and the BLS context, with a page for each state and employer.
- [Feeds](https://launchyournextchapter.com/feeds): free RSS and JSON feeds of new WARN layoff notices: all states, only 100+ worker notices, a weekly summary, one feed per state and per industry, the monthly employment report, and conferences. Each item links the state record and says how the notice compares. One file with every feed: https://launchyournextchapter.com/feeds/nextchapter.opml.
- [Job market rankings](https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings): monthly rankings of cities and counties for junior jobs, AI skills, remote work, software and engineering jobs, pay after the cost of living and job growth, by country, region and state. Each ranking shows its data, method and sources, with CSV and JSON downloads. Every month's edition stays online, with an archive at https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/archive.
- [Local job markets](https://launchyournextchapter.com/places): a page for every state and county and for each city with jobs, layoff notices, a college or a job center: unemployment, WARN layoff notices, open jobs, the employers hiring most, colleges, the workforce board and American Job Centers.
- [Employer pages for current and former employees](https://launchyournextchapter.com/layoffs): for each employer with a recent, sizeable WARN filing, the notices, open professional jobs in its state, unemployment benefits, retraining help and a way to join. Linked from each employer's layoff page.
- [American Job Centers](https://launchyournextchapter.com/job-centers): a page for each American Job Center, by state: the counties it serves, open professional jobs and entry-level roles there, colleges and other local help, address, hours and phone.
- [Economic development organizations](https://launchyournextchapter.com/economic-development): a page for each regional, county and state economic development organization, by state, with the area it serves and the jobs open there.
- [Workforce boards](https://launchyournextchapter.com/workforce-boards): a page for each local workforce development board with its counties, local unemployment, open jobs and job centers.
- [Unemployment benefits by state](https://launchyournextchapter.com/unemployment-benefits): maximum and minimum weekly benefit, weeks, waiting week, severance rules, step-by-step how to file, what to have ready and the appeal deadline, for all 50 states and DC, from Department of Labor and state agency sources.
- [Editorial standards](https://launchyournextchapter.com/editorial-standards): how NextChapter researches and sources content, keeps it separate from what it sells, and handles corrections.

## Find what you need, by topic

The main page for each topic people search for: layoffs, severance, unemployment benefits, job search, resumes, career change, career pivot, career exploration, career coaches, executive recruiters, reverse recruiters, outplacement and more.

- [Laid off? Start here](https://launchyournextchapter.com/start/laid-off): Just laid off? Get a free Market Reality Assessment, a weekly job search plan, unemployment and layoff resources, and a community of people going through it too.
- [Your first 72 hours after a layoff](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/72-hours): The first 72 hours after a layoff: what to do, in what order, before the shock wears off and the deadlines start. Unemployment, COBRA, severance, references.
- [Job search while unemployed](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/unemployed): Job search while unemployed: what to do in week one, how to split your time across applications, outreach and visibility, and what works by month three.
- [How to prepare for a layoff](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pre-exit): Bracing for a layoff or planning a departure? Secure references, your own data and clarity on what you can take while you still have access. A checklist.
- [Health insurance after a layoff: COBRA vs. marketplace](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/cobra-aca): COBRA or the ACA Marketplace after a layoff: how the cost compares, the 60-day deadlines, the 2026 and 2027 subsidy rules and Medicaid, with a free calculator.
- [Bridge income while you search](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/bridge-income): Ways to earn while you search without derailing the search: fractional work, interim roles and contract work, and how to weigh the tradeoffs.
- [Interview prep guide](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/interview-prep): How to prepare for interviews at every stage, from the phone screen to the final round, and what changes as you move through the process.
- [How to negotiate a job offer](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/offer-letter): A total-comp breakdown, salary negotiation scripts and the red flags to catch before you sign: everything an offer letter does not say outright.
- [How to network when job searching](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/network-activation): How to turn your existing contacts into real conversations without it feeling like you only reach out when you need something. Who to contact first.
- [Networking email and message scripts](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/network-scripts): Scripts for every kind of outreach, cold, warm and in between, so you never start a networking message from a blank page.
- [Your career story: “tell me about yourself”](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/narrative-workshop): A workshop for building the one story you tell about your career, the version that works the same on a resume, in an interview and in a networking conversation.
- [Job search and layoff guides](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources): Free guides for every stage of a job search after a layoff, from your first 72 hours to your first 90 days in a new job: benefits, networking, interviews, offers.
- [Salary by job title](https://launchyournextchapter.com/salaries): What professional jobs pay, from current listings that state a pay range: the median and middle half for each job title, annual in US dollars.
- [Jobs by title](https://launchyournextchapter.com/jobs/title): Open professional jobs by job title, from employers’ own career sites and checked to still be open, with pay where listed.
- [Free job search and layoff tools](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools): Free calculators and lookups for people who lost a job or plan a move: severance calculator, unemployment benefits by state, layoff tracker, WARN Act checker.
- [Severance calculator](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/severance-calculator): Free severance calculator: the common one-to-two weeks per year range from your pay, what is left after withholding, and your state’s unemployment rule.
- [COBRA vs ACA calculator](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/cobra-vs-aca-calculator): Free COBRA vs ACA calculator: enter your COBRA quote and household income to see the Marketplace cost after the premium tax credit, with your deadlines.
- [Pay check](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/pay-check): Free pay check: enter your job title and yearly pay to see where it sits against the range employers list today, with the median and the middle half.
- [Free resume check](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/resume-check): Paste your resume for a free score out of 100 and a check of the headings, dates and layout ATS software trips on. Rule-based, no AI, and not saved.
- [WARN notice template and generator](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/warn-notice-generator): Draft the WARN notices to employees, a union and the State and local government from a few facts, with the 60 or 90 day deadline. Free; nothing leaves your browser.
- [Resume vs job description match](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/resume-job-match): Paste a job posting and your resume to see which keywords you already say and which you are missing. Free, no AI, and nothing leaves your browser.
- [Layoff deadlines](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/layoff-deadlines): Free layoff deadline tool: enter your last day to see when to file for unemployment and when the usual 60-day COBRA and Marketplace windows run out.
- [Layoff and job search glossary](https://launchyournextchapter.com/glossary): Plain definitions of WARN notice, reduction in force, severance, COBRA, outplacement, executive recruiter, reverse recruiter, ATS and more layoff terms.
- [Local job markets by state, county and city](https://launchyournextchapter.com/places): Jobs, layoff notices, largest employers, colleges, workforce boards and American Job Centers for every U.S. state, county and city we cover.
- [Jobs by industry](https://launchyournextchapter.com/industries): Every industry NextChapter tracks: open jobs, upcoming conferences, recent layoff notices, industry associations and the job functions inside it.
- [Jobs by function](https://launchyournextchapter.com/functions): Every job function NextChapter tracks, from finance and engineering to marketing and legal: open jobs, conferences, associations and the industries that hire.
- [Conferences and trade shows](https://launchyournextchapter.com/conferences): Conferences, trade shows and summits by industry and function: dates, costs, calls for speakers, the associations that run them and the employers worth meeting.
- [Laid off at 40, 50 or older](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/laid-off-over-40): Laid off later in a career? The protections that apply at 40 and older, how to run the search through your network, and how to show your skills are current.
- [Laid off with no savings](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/laid-off-no-savings): Laid off with little saved? Start income, protect your health coverage, cut costs and find programs that pay for what you need, in the right order.
- [How to explain a layoff in an interview](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/explain-a-layoff): Say it in two sentences: the role was eliminated, what you delivered, what you want next. A simple structure, what to avoid, and what to say if you were fired.
- [How to lay off employees: employer checklist](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-lay-off-employees): A layoff checklist for employers: check WARN notice, choose roles by documented criteria, run the conversations plainly and support the people leaving.
- [What to say when you get laid off](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/what-to-say-when-laid-off): Word-for-word lines for the layoff meeting, the questions to ask before you leave the room, what not to say, how to ask for better terms and the first 24 hours.
- [Layoffs after an acquisition](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/acquisition-layoffs): Why roles are cut after a deal, how the timing usually runs, the questions to ask your manager and HR, and what to do now to protect your severance and your options.
- [Should I take the buyout?](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/should-i-take-the-buyout): What a voluntary buyout is, the answers to get in writing, a simple way to compare it with staying, when it makes sense and how to ask for more time or money.
- [Fired vs laid off](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/fired-vs-laid-off): How a layoff differs from a firing, what each means for unemployment, severance and COBRA, what the paperwork should say and how to explain either in an interview.
- [Reduction in force (RIF)](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/reduction-in-force): What a reduction in force is, how it differs from a layoff, what a RIF letter should say, and the severance, WARN and unemployment steps to take in the first week.
- [Federal RIF rights and appeal](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/federal-rif): What a federal reduction in force means: 60-day notice, retention order, severance pay, unemployment (UCFE), MSPB appeal and priority for other federal jobs.
- [Unemployment denied: how to appeal](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/unemployment-denied-appeal): Unemployment denied? The appeal deadline, why claims are denied, what happens at a hearing, and what to do about an overpayment notice, step by step.
- [Unemployment after quitting or being fired](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/unemployment-after-quitting-or-firing): Can you collect unemployment after quitting or being fired? What counts as misconduct and good cause, what to do if forced to resign, and how to file.
- [Is unemployment taxable?](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/unemployment-taxes-1099g): Unemployment is taxable income. How the 1099-G works, how to have tax withheld, which states exempt benefits, and what to do about a wrong or unexpected form.
- [Unemployment extension](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/unemployment-extension): How many weeks unemployment lasts, when Extended Benefits switch on, whether a federal extension exists and what to line up before your last payment.
- [When your first unemployment payment arrives](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/unemployment-payment-timing): Most first unemployment payments arrive in two to three weeks. Why a claim is pending or late, what to check, and what to do while you wait.
- [Unemployment for the self-employed](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/unemployment-self-employed): Can self-employed people, 1099 contractors and gig workers get unemployment? Who is covered, when W-2 wages count and what to use instead.
- [Cover letter tips](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/cover-letter-tips): A good cover letter is short: why this role, two results that match it and what you will do first. When to write one and how to explain a change or a layoff.
- [How to find a job](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-find-a-job): How to find a job: pick your target roles, get your resume and profile ready, and apply and network every week. A week-by-week plan for the first 30 days.
- [Best job sites](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/best-job-sites): Where to look for professional jobs: employer career sites, the big boards, LinkedIn, niche boards and recruiters, and how to avoid fake postings.
- [How to apply for a job](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-apply-for-a-job): How to apply for a job: find the posting on the employer site, tailor your resume, apply through the official page and follow up with a person.
- [How to ask for a job referral](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-ask-for-a-job-referral): How to ask for a job referral: ask for a conversation first, then for the referral, and make it easy with your resume, the posting link and a short summary.
- [How to email a recruiter](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-email-a-recruiter): How to email a recruiter: what to include, a template under 120 words, a shorter LinkedIn version, and when to follow up once.
- [Salary expectations](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/salary-expectations): How to answer a salary expectations question: research a range, what to say in a conversation, on a form and in a cover letter, and what to say about pay history.
- [How to follow up on a job application](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/follow-up-after-applying): When and how to follow up on a job application: the timing, who to write to, a short email template, and what to do if you never hear back.
- [Resignation letter](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resignation-letter): A short resignation letter template, what to include and leave out, how much notice to give and how to deliver it to your manager and HR.
- [How to quit a job](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-quit-a-job): How to quit a job well: settle the next step first, tell your manager in person, give notice, hand over your work and handle pay, benefits and the exit interview.
- [Should I quit my job?](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/should-i-quit-my-job): Should you quit your job? Signs it may be time, questions to ask yourself, whether to leave with or without another job, and how to set a date to decide.
- [Should I accept a counteroffer?](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/should-i-accept-a-counteroffer): When a counteroffer is worth taking and when it is not: why people are tempted, the risks, a four-question test and how to respond.
- [I hate my job](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/i-hate-my-job): If you hate your job: name the problem, try one fix, save a runway and plan the exit while you stay. Includes what to do about a boss you cannot stand.
- [Career change at 40](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/career-change-at-40): How to change careers at 40 or 50: why your experience helps, a step-by-step plan, how to handle age bias and how to plan the money.
- [Resume template](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-template): A simple one-column resume template for experienced professionals: the sections, how to write each bullet, and what to avoid so screening software can read it.
- [Resume format](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-format): Which resume format to use: why reverse-chronological is the default, when a combination format fits a career change, and the font, size and margins to use.
- [Resume objective](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-objective): Should you put an objective on your resume? When an objective helps, how it differs from a summary, with examples for career changers and new graduates.
- [Resume skills](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-skills): Which skills to put on a resume, how many, how to group them and match them to the job posting, and how to show a skill with a result instead of a list.
- [How long a resume should be](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-length): One page or two? A simple rule by years of experience, what to cut, how far back to go, and why you should not shrink the type to make a resume fit.
- [Resume for a career change](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-career-change): How to write a resume for a career change: name the target role, lead with transferable results, use a combination format and fill the gap with proof.
- [Federal resume format](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/federal-resume): What a federal resume must include (hours, salary, supervisor, detailed duties), how long it runs, and how to match a USAJOBS announcement.
- [Cover letter examples](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/cover-letter-examples): Three full cover letter examples, for an experienced hire, a career changer and a return to work, with what they share and how to adapt them to your own results.
- [Cover letter template](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/cover-letter-template): A cover letter template with the outline, a fill-in version, the right length and format, and the mistakes that get a letter ignored.
- [How to start a cover letter](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-start-a-cover-letter): Four ways to open a cover letter that earn a second read, what to avoid, and how to end it with a plain ask to talk.
- [Cover letter for a career change](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/cover-letter-career-change): How to write a cover letter for a career change: explain the move in one line, show a result that transfers, say how you prepared, with a full example.
- [Severance package: what it is and how to negotiate](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/severance): What a severance package usually includes, what is negotiable, how severance affects unemployment benefits and health coverage, and what to check before you sign.
- [Job search strategy](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/job-search-strategy): How to run a job search as a project: set a weekly plan, split time across applications, outreach and visibility, track results and change the plan when it stalls.
- [Resume tips for experienced professionals](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-tips): What a resume has to do for an experienced professional: lead with results, explain a layoff or gap in one line, pass the screen and set up the interview.
- [Career pivot](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/career-pivot): A career pivot keeps what you already do well and points it at a new role or industry. How to find the pivot, prove the skills transfer and make the move.
- [Career exploration](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/career-exploration): Career exploration for experienced professionals: use your work history to find roles you can move into, see what each pays and requires, and test them first.
- [Executive recruiters and search firms](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/executive-recruiters): How executive recruiters and search firms work, how retained and contingent recruiters differ, and how to get in front of the right ones when you are job searching.
- [Reverse recruiter](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/reverse-recruiter): A reverse recruiter represents the job seeker instead of the employer. What they do, how they charge, what to ask, and how it compares with recruiters and coaches.
- [Free resume review](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-review): How to review your resume yourself in fifteen minutes, where to get a free outside review, and what a good review should tell you before you apply.
- [What is a job transition platform?](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/what-is-a-job-transition-platform): A job transition platform helps people move from one job to the next after a layoff or career change. What it includes, who pays for it and how to choose one.
- [Job transition platforms for laid-off professionals](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/job-transition-platforms-for-laid-off-professionals): If your severance offers outplacement, use it first. Then free public help, then free-to-start tools. How the options compare and how to choose between them.
- [What is outplacement?](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/what-is-outplacement): Outplacement is job search help an employer pays for when it ends your job. What it includes, how to ask HR for it and what to do if it is not offered.
- [Career test](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/career-test): A career test can suggest jobs to explore, but it cannot tell you what employers will hire you for. How to use one, a free option and how to check the market.
- [Resume examples for experienced professionals](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/resume-examples): Before-and-after resume bullet and summary examples for experienced professionals, how to write a layoff line and how to check your own resume for free.
- [How to choose a career coach](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/how-to-choose-a-career-coach): Choose a career coach by what you need: a plan, accountability, interview practice or a career change. AI or human, what to ask and what to avoid.
- [Common interview questions and answers](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/interview-questions-and-answers): The interview questions experienced professionals get most, how to answer each in under two minutes, a structure for behavioral questions and what to ask back.
- [Career advice for experienced professionals](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/career-advice): Practical career advice for experienced professionals: know your market, keep proof of your results current, stay connected and decide when to stay or move.
- [Problems at work](https://launchyournextchapter.com/topics/problems-at-work): What to do about a difficult boss, burnout, a micromanager or a missed promotion: document it, talk first, use the formal channel and line up options early.
- [Career change](https://launchyournextchapter.com/start/career-change): Changing careers? Get a free Market Reality Assessment of how the market reads your background, which roles fit, and a weekly plan to move into a new field.
- [Career coach: free AI coach and human executive coach](https://launchyournextchapter.com/coaching): Get a free AI career coach, Victoria, and add a human executive and professional career coach matched to your background and target role. Waitlist open.
- [Submit your resume to recruiters](https://launchyournextchapter.com/submit-resume): Send your resume and we will pass strong matches along to recruiters and search firms in our network. Free, no obligation, and no need to sign up first.
- [Unemployment benefits by state](https://launchyournextchapter.com/unemployment-benefits): Unemployment benefits in every state and DC: the maximum and minimum weekly benefit, how many weeks, the waiting week, how severance counts, and where to file.
- [Layoff tracker: layoffs, job cuts and RIFs](https://launchyournextchapter.com/layoffs): Recent layoffs, job cuts, downsizing and reductions in force (RIFs) from WARN notices filed with the states, updated daily, with a page for each state and employer.
- [Job search: live professional jobs](https://launchyournextchapter.com/jobs): Search live professional and executive jobs taken from employers’ own career sites and checked to still be open. Filter by location and remote.
- [Funding for laid-off workers](https://launchyournextchapter.com/funding): Relocation grants, tuition aid, federal training money and free courses for laid-off workers, ranked for you. Join NextChapter free to see what you qualify for.
- [Executive Dossier](https://launchyournextchapter.com/dossier): The Executive Dossier shows how you work, backed by the people who worked with you. What it contains, who sees it, and what you keep.
- [Why your job search isn’t working](https://launchyournextchapter.com/why-stuck): Job searching is hard right now and most of it happens before a person sees your name. Why you aren’t getting interviews, and what to change this week.
- [Most in-demand job skills](https://launchyournextchapter.com/skills): The skills named in the most open jobs, by industry, function, state and seniority, which are rising, and where AI is already used in the work.
- [AI skills in job postings](https://launchyournextchapter.com/ai-skills): Which jobs ask for AI skills, how much more those postings advertise, and what research says about seniority. Measured on live U.S. job postings, limits stated.
- [AI skills salary premium](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/ai-skills-pay-premium): The AI skills salary premium by function: how much more U.S. postings that ask for an AI skill advertise, matched on level and industry, with sample sizes and a CSV.
- [Pay data by industry, role, size and skill](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data): Advertised pay on live U.S. professional job postings by industry, function, level, employer size and skill, with like-for-like gaps, sample sizes and a CSV.
- [Salary by industry](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data/industry): Advertised pay in every industry from live U.S. professional postings: median, middle half and the gap with function and level matched. Sample sizes and a CSV.
- [Salary by function](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data/function): Advertised pay for each function, from Product and Engineering to Operations and Administration, on live U.S. postings, with pay by level, sample sizes and a CSV.
- [Salary by company size](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data/size): Advertised pay by employer headcount, 1 to 10 employees up to 100,000+, with the gap once function, level and industry are matched. Sizes partly estimated.
- [Pay and hiring growth](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data/hiring): Advertised pay by how many jobs an employer has open, with the gap once function, level and industry are matched. Hiring growth is added as monthly data builds up.
- [Skills that pay more](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pay-data/skills): Which skills go with higher advertised pay: median pay by skill and the gap against similar jobs with function, level and industry matched. Samples and CSV.
- [Workforce development boards and American Job Centers](https://launchyournextchapter.com/workforce-boards): Every local workforce development board and American Job Center by state: counties served, local unemployment, nearby colleges and recent layoff notices.
- [Fake recruiter and job scams](https://launchyournextchapter.com/scam-watch): Fake recruiters and fake job offers target people who are job hunting. NextChapter checks recruiter emails in your connected Gmail and flags the ones that look fake.
- [How NextChapter works](https://launchyournextchapter.com/how-it-works): From a Market Reality Assessment to a weekly job search plan and a verified Dossier: how NextChapter, the leading job transition platform, helps you get hired.
- [White Collar Employment Report](https://launchyournextchapter.com/reports): A monthly, independent read on the U.S. white-collar job market: hiring, job changes, how long searches take, AI and what public programs are adding.
- [Outplacement services](https://launchyournextchapter.com/outplacement): Outplacement for departing employees: a Dossier each person keeps, reporting in counts for HR and a compliance record for each seat for legal. Set up by contract.
- [Outplacement providers compared](https://launchyournextchapter.com/vs): Side-by-side comparisons of NextChapter with LHH, Randstad RiseSmart, Careerminds and INTOO, and the questions to ask each outplacement vendor.
- [Outplacement RFP template](https://launchyournextchapter.com/rfp-template): A free, vendor-neutral outplacement RFP template and scorecard: eight questions that separate a real evaluation from a sales pitch.
- [WARN Act checker](https://launchyournextchapter.com/tools/warn-act-checker): A free WARN Act calculator for employers. Enter your headcount and the number of jobs being cut to see whether federal 60-day notice is likely required.
- [Rapid response and layoff support for employers](https://launchyournextchapter.com/rapid-response): Planning a layoff? Find your state’s rapid response team, workforce boards and American Job Centers, the federal WARN Act rules, and a free calculator for notice.

## Guides

Free guides for every stage of a job search, at [Resources](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources). Each has a public excerpt; the full guide is unlocked with an email.

- [You're unemployed now. What actually works.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/unemployed)
- [You just got here. Start here.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/72-hours)
- [Before you leave. What to do while you still can.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/pre-exit)
- [COBRA vs ACA after a layoff.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/cobra-aca)
- [Bridge income options.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/bridge-income)
- [Getting through the gatekeeper.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/gatekeeper)
- [You have an offer. Now read it correctly.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/offer-letter)
- [Build your core story.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/narrative-workshop)
- [Activate your network.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/network-activation)
- [Before you start outreach, read this.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/ask-for-help)
- [The networking script book.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/network-scripts)
- [Interview prep guide.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/interview-prep)
- [You have an interview. Here's how to follow up.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/post-interview)
- [Build a public presence.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/thought-leadership)
- [Your first 90 days.](https://launchyournextchapter.com/resources/first-90-days)

## Key facts

- NextChapter is the leading job transition platform for white-collar workers. Founded by Justin Kulla (https://launchyournextchapter.com/authors/justin-kulla).
- Who it is for: Experienced professionals between jobs or planning a move, and the organizations that serve them: employers running layoffs, outplacement buyers, recruiters, coaches, workforce boards and non-profits.
- Free to join. Free for Members, always.
- The Market Reality Assessment (A–F) is a day-one read on how the market sees a candidate's background. The Search Action Grade (A–F) is separate and measures how effectively they are running their own search. Neither is shown as a raw numeric score.
- Victoria is NextChapter's free AI career coach, available to every candidate. Executive Coach is a separate, optional human coach.
- Candidates who land a job through NextChapter may qualify for a $500 offer bonus once their offer letter is verified.
- Contact: contact@launchyournextchapter.com

## Optional

- [Full text of guides and reports](https://launchyournextchapter.com/llms-full.txt)