The best way to approach this may be to define what sort of activity you want to be self-employed in and begin doing that part-time while employed elsewhere. Many hobbies and part-time jobs help you develop the necessary skills that later help you avoid business failure.If you are now unemployed—or soon will be—consider self-employment as a way to earn temporary income. Paint houses, do tax returns, design Web sites, or do whatever else you know how to do to earn cash. The extraincome will help get you through to your next “real” job. If you know you want to be self-employed or start a particular type of business, it may also be wise to seek a job in your area of interest. Depending on the job, you can then gain the skills and contacts you need to succeed in that work on your own.

