There's trouble. Out of work happens to the best of us. The pink slip. The replacement. The downsizing. The firing. The layoff.

Someday, somehow, without any fault on your part, you may find yourself out of work. Studies show that we will be in a job search an average of 7 times over our lifetime. . . whether we like it or not.

There's a secret that can keep you from panicking when you get the ax. In fact, this secret will work for you even when you voluntarily decide to change jobs. It turns a sudden job search into a winner. It's called an "emergency preparedness plan!"

Take the time right now to anticipate being out of work and put a basic job search plan of action in place. Here are 6 steps to get you on track right away.

1. Get over it! Sure it stinks. But stop feeling sorry for yourself because you're wasting the energy you need to get a new job.

2. Stop daydreaming. There's no such thing as the perfect job. And it's certainly not going to drop in your lap because you find excuses to stay home and suffer.

3. Review your finances and budget. Figure out how long you can remain unemployed. This is not the time to try to make yourself feel better by buying a new car or going on an expensive vacation.

4. Apply for unemployment immediately. Don't feel ashamed to reach out for money you've earned. Remember, you've been paying into it for years. And when you no longer have a cash flow from your job, every little bit of income helps.

5. Identify your transferable skills. Over the course of your work history you've acquired a lot more than specific job-related skills. You've picked up capabilities and assets that can be transferred into any job. You may be surprised that you're eligible for many more opportunities than you imagined.

6. Identify organizations of interest to you. And, specifically, identify the decision-maker within the organization that you might be reporting to.

Armed with this research, you can begin to implement a job search strategy aimed at getting you in front of those decision-makers. Fortunately, there are many exciting new 21st Century job search strategies that you can implement immediately.

For example, recruiting career partners who can do most of the leg work for you. When you do it right, these useful friends and associates can help you get in front of your next boss in a matter of days. All without dedicating undue time to writing a resume, posting it online, contacting agencies and recruiters or answering want ads.

When you're out of work, it's time to put your energy to work where you can get up to speed as quickly as possible!