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The job market is unpredictable enough without the current economic crisis. And while 92% of the United States may be employed, the other almost 8% of the country has to seek out new places to work. For many people who have been laid off, they are leaving high powered positions in which they have spent most of their working life. This leads to the need for a career change, right at the time when many people were expecting to finally settle into their career stride. But perhaps this is a good time for transition. After all, a new career might be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Take Stock of Your Resources

When you first hear that your current job is no more, it's time to dust off the old resume and start looking at what it says. Chances are good that you haven't even looked at your resume in years, so you need to make some updates. What skills have you gained at your current job? What have you accomplished since taking on this current career path? What can you highlight in terms of the experience you've gained? Right now, you need to figure out what skills you have which will make you a good employee to hire, even in today's market. You probably have far more to offer than the other prospective employees out there, so you're already starting off on a positive foot. But you need to learn how to toot your own horn right now, to figure out what sets you apart from the rest. Make a list of all the things you've learned, all the positions you've held, etc.

List Your Dream Jobs

Being forced into a career change might allow you to begin to live some of the dreams you haven't had time to achieve. Why not make a list of all the different jobs you've wanted to hold in your life and then see if perhaps you can begin to craft a new career direction? Perhaps you can start your own business now or work with another fellow unemployed worker to create a startup company. Or maybe you just want to head back to a very simple job for a while, just to see what it's like to not have your high stress position. Just working at your local coffee shop might be a welcome relief (with pay and benefits) to the years you've spent at your past employer.

Learn a New Skill

Since you're probably in a better position financially than many of the unemployed workers right now, you may want to use your resources to learn some new skills. This can help you not only beef up your resume, but also it will help you network with others in a similar position to your own. And don't be afraid to try something that’s completely out of your skill set. You never know what you're good at until you try. Changing your career may not have been your idea, but it can become an opportunity to grow and to learn more about yourself. From this point on, you are the on in control of your future, so what are you going to do about it?