I’ve been lucky — I worked at a failed business and lost my job on 1 day’s notice.  That was nearly 3 years ago.

The reality of modern employment is that we should all be prepared for job changes.  Here are 5 things I’ve learned to help you respond to unanticipated job changes.

photo credit: markhillary

Learn New Skills

Are you a developer that’s never touched an iPhone or a systems administrator that avoids Linux?  It pays to toy with alternative technologies in your free time.  At the very least, you’ll be able to speak more knowledgeably about their strengths and weaknesses at interviews.  And you’ll have a few more bullets for your resume.

Reconnect With Old Associates And Friends

LinkedIn and Facebook are great for this, but it’s also worthwhile to take a more traditional approach.  Meet old co-workers for drinks.  Have lunch with an old boss.  Hell, consider planning a vacation around this type of social networking.  Have a buddy in New York who loves his job?  Check it out.  Learn what he likes.  Can you recreate his luck where you live?  Consider relocating.

Start a Side Project

I started ProlongedInsult.com before my old employer folded.  And while the site never took off, it helped me find my current last job.  Side project can be very valuable career stepping stones because they allow you to gain experience doing what you like before trying to convince somebody to pay you to do it.  Dream of working in a brewery?  Start home-brewing beer.  Want to write the next best-seller?  Start chapter one today.

Keep Your Head Down … Or Up

If things are rocky at you current job, this can be a tough call.  Sometimes, sticking your neck out just isn’t worth it.  Maybe it’s better to lay low and suck it up for a few months to see how things pan out.  When fingers start pointing around looking for somebody to blame, you probably want to lay low.

Other times, taking a risk may lead to more career fulfillment.  Have an idea to cut costs?  Share it.  Smart businesses will reward those that contribute to success.  When it comes time to tighten the business’s belt, the valuable employees should receive incentives to stay on board.

Evaluate Your Bills

When uncertainty grows, consider your bills.  Should you renew your iPhone contract for another 2 years?  Should you spring for a new car at the end of your lease?  Do you really need HBO?  Take the time to find out where your money goes each month and evaluate what’s necessary and what’s not.  When I lost my company-provided phone, I switched to pre-paid.  Little changes can lead to significant savings.

How about you — have you gone through a career change?  What did you learn?