Career Change - Are You Ready For Those First Small Steps?

Now begins the hard questions that you have to explore to make your decision. You need to begin evaluating who you are and what you want in life. Maybe a different job and not a different career is what you really want.

You won't know until you really take a good long look.

Step One - Identify What Suits You

The first step one should take when considering a career change is to make a list of jobs you want to explore. There are free career tests online to help you narrow down the list and decide what you want to focus on. Next you want to research your list.

Take a good long list and research all the jobs on it. Look into all aspects of these potential occupations you can think of.

Get a book from your local library so you can see all the good and potentially bad aspects of the occupations and get a book on career change while you are there. Career change can be scary but worthwhile.

What would bring you more happiness in your life? Are you looking for more money or are you more interested in affecting social change?

Step Two - Sounds Like A Plan

Any career change is going to require you to set some goals and make an action plan. Are you willing to get further education? Try to talk to someone in the occupation you are interested in.

Grill them about the skills needed, how they got started, what they see as the challenges. Any career change requires some flexibility on your part. Are you willing to go all the way and do what it takes to be successful. Do you feel passion when you think of it?

Trying to get an internship is one way to test your career change. Is it all you imagined it would be? Before you go out and get a degree, answer these questions.

Step Three - Tactics In Your Existing Job

If you are currently employed, keeping quiet about your plans may be the best thing for you. That may mean not telling co workers you are close too. You especially don't want anything getting to your boss if you are just testing the waters.

Remember many people before you have made a career change and were happier people for it. Finding a mentor to guide you can offer valuable career change advice.

This opens up a whole new network of people for you to gain experience and may eventually lead to a job.

For most of us the thought of a career change is so scary. But, if we all just stayed right where we are right noe, what more can life offer us? Look inside yourself and take inventory of what you want out of life and it is entirely possible that the fear is the only thing holding you back.

Sometimes it only takes one initial step to overcome fear and to get you up and running.