With the unemployment rate hitting a new 25-year high Friday, many workers and layoff victims in the worst-suffering industries are looking for safer sectors.

    Industries including autos, financial services and retailing have been hit especially hard during the recession, shedding tens of thousands of jobs. Even as the overall job market shows signs of stabilization, companies in some of the worst-hit sectors may recover more slowly, and job-seekers may be better off looking at new industries.

    But making that change can be tough. We asked career coaches and human resource experts how to navigate into a new sector.

    Redeploy your current skills.

    Look for growth industries or less hard-hit ones where you can put your current skills to use. If you're an accountant at General Motors, for instance, look for companies in other industries that need accountants. 'People often don't want to leave their industries, because they're comfortable there, even when they're miserable,' says Trudi Schutz, a Connecticut-based career coach. She suggests job-hunters look for 'careers that use those same skills they love, but in a new way.' She worked with a former car salesman, for instance, who found work within the last six months as a pharmaceutical salesman.

    Which industries to target? Consider employers in healthcare or 'green' technology, which are both experiencing growth, said David Lewin, a management professor at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. Education and government are also stronger than most.

    But, be willing to learn new skills in new locations.

    Adaptable people who are willing to retrain themselves and relocate will be the most attractive to potential employers, says Max Shapiro, chief executive officer of PeopleConnect, a California-based staffing company.

    'Companies want people who can multi-task,' he says.

    Ms. Schutz suggests going back to school or earning certifications to bolster a resume. 'The more senior someone is, the more likely it is that he or she will have to repackage the skills that they already have,' she says.

    Build a network outside your industry.

    Many job seekers have been recruited their entire professional lives, and don't know how to successfully nab a job on their own. Go beyond your usual professional network, says Paula Marks, a career coach and executive recruiter.

    Ms. Schutz suggests making a list of your closest contacts, people who 'you can trust to brainstorm your wildest ideas.' Then, keep talking with people in your network, and asking for them to put you in touch with others. 'Chances are, someone will lead you to someone else who will lead you to someone else,' she says. 'I have a very high success rate when people just talk to every single person they know about opportunities.'

    Utilize social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, and join professional organizations, particularly those that don't define focus on just one industry. Consider religious groups too, says Dee Soder, founder of CEO Perspective Group, an executive coaching firm.

    Research other industries in newspapers and online to become familiar with the lingo as you network. 'I tell my clients to spend some time reading articles and learning buzz words and slang for different companies,' Ms. Soder says.

    随着美国5月31日公布的失业率创出了25年来的新高，在受打击最为严重的行业中，许多工人和裁员的受害者都在寻找更安全的行业。

    在这轮衰退中，汽车、金融服务和零售等行业受到的冲击尤为严重，它们裁减了成千上万的工作岗位。即使总体就业市场出现了稳定的迹象，但受打击最为严重的行业中的那些企业也可能复苏的更为缓慢，求职者最好还是考虑一下新的行业。

    但要做出这样的转变并不容易。我们就如何进入新的行业询问了职业顾问和人力资源专家。

    重新调整你目前的技能。

    寻找能够利用你目前技能的增长型行业或受打击不太严重的行业。比如，如果你是通用汽车（General Motors）的会计，就可以寻找其它行业中需要会计的公司。康涅狄格州职业顾问舒茨（Trudi Schutz）说，即使在不如意的时候，人们通常也不想离开他们的行业，因为他们已经对那个行业习惯了。她建议求职者以新的方式寻找能够使用他们所热爱的相同技能的职位。比如，她曾遇到过一位汽车销售，后来他在过去六个月内找到了一份医药销售代表的工作。

    应将目光锁定哪些行业呢？加州大学洛杉矶分校安德森商学院管理学教授列文（David Lewin）说，可以考虑一下医疗卫生和"绿色"技术中的雇主，这是两个正在经历增长的行业。教育和政府部门的表现也强于大多数行业。

    但是，要有在新的位置学习新技能的意愿。

    加州职业介绍公司PeopleConnect的首席执行长夏皮罗（Max Shapiro）说，对潜在的雇主而言，愿意充电和接受新岗位的人适应性更强，也最受企业的青睐。

    他说，企业对多面手求贤若渴。

    舒茨建议重返学校或考取一些证书充实简历。她说，一个人的资历越老，他或她就可能越需要重新包装一下已经拥有的技能。

    建立你所处行业之外的圈子。

    许多求职者整个职业生涯一直都在上班，不知道要是靠自己该如何成功找到一份工作。职业顾问、人事主管马科斯（Paula Marks）说，跳出你通常的职业圈子。

    舒茨建议，列出关系最密切的人，你可以放心大胆向他们倾诉哪怕是最狂野的想法的人。然后，与你圈子里的人交流，请他们带你接触其他人。她说，很有可能会有人带着你认识其他人，而其他人又能带着你认识别人。当人们只是跟自己认识的所有人谈论机会时，我却有着很高的成功率。

    利用Facebook和LinkedIn等社交网站，加入职业组织，尤其是并不仅限于一个行业的组织。高管人员辅导机构CEO Perspective Group的创始人索德（Dee Soder）说，也可以考虑宗教团体。

    在报刊或网上研究其它行业，在构建圈子时了解一些行话。索德说，我告诉我的客户要花点时间阅读文章，了解不同公司的术语和行话。