Anyone thinking about a change in employment, or who has had one thrust upon them, needs to consider how they would like their working life to proceed. For those who may be uncomfortable saying "I’m unemployed" the hip term du jour is "I'm in a career transition".
You may have heard that "the best time to look for a new job is when you have a job." The wisdom of this is questionable, since looking for a job can be a full-time project on its own. The better, if less euphonious, advice might be "the best time to prepare for a new job is when you have a job". That is, you should always be conscious of what work you'd like to be doing next, and what it would take to get that job. That might be an internal move, or even the same thing you’re doing already … but that doesn't mean there's no work to do. If you look at how someone would get the job you want to have (or keep), you may find that you need more education, certifications, skills, or experience in order to be considered for the role.
Maybe you're looking to catch on as a chicken sexer. A quick bit of internet research tells me that being trained in "vent sexing" (don't ask!) would be a valuable way to make yourself desirable in the poultry industry. If you're serious about a chicken sexer transition* you should look into training options. (Admittedly, I suspect that this particular skill has to be learned "hands on".) Many (less manual) skills can be mastered through on-demand online training.
Maybe you already have the skill but a search of job boards or of linkedin suggests that an official certification is a required qualification. This may or may not be an actual must-have, but having the designation/diploma/whatever may help you to get past the first screen of applicants. This, in turn, may also require training and/or sitting for an exam. Even being able to say you’re doing the groundwork for the certification may be of help in an application or an interview.
It could be that a desirable secondary skill would set you apart from the crowd. Maybe you could build that skill through some volunteer work, or even by asking for a small change in your current job (assuming you’re not euphemism transitioning).
Your career needs ongoing maintenance, just like anything else of value. Don’t wait for it to break down before you invest in it!
In recent years, many larger employers have provided "career transition" services to help ex-employees adapt to their need to find new jobs. This trend may have peaked in 2015, though, as recently some employers have scaled back or eliminated this severance benefit, in an effort to reduce the costs of mass termination events.
* No results found for "chicken sexer transition".
Stimulated by the tangent into sexing? Check out toad sexing, sexing your turtle, and sexing pot plants for more e2 sexing-related wisdoms.