At the start of the New Year many people find changing their job is at the top of their New Year’s resolutions but often don’t know how to go about it. As scary as it may sound to change careers, see this as an opportunity to take control of where you are in your career at present and determine where you want to be in the short and long term.  It’s worth bearing in mind that people will go through several job changes in their lifetime, so you’re not alone in taking a career leap of faith and plunging yourself into a new career.

To begin with, if you’re not sure as to what direction you want to take, take some time to figure out where you want to head in your career.  What are your interests, passions etc.? If money was no object what would you be doing? What parts of work have you enjoyed in the past?

After assessing yourself, you need to research your desired career.  First, determine the qualifications and skills needed for your desired position in your desired career.  If possible arrange an “information interview” with someone who is working in the job you want.  Buy them a coffee and find out if their job is actually what you think it is and find out how they got to that position.

Next, match your current qualifications and skills to your desired position’s minimum qualifications and skills to see if you are a match for that career.  Last, if you meet minimum qualifications, stop reading this article and start networking and applying; if you don’t meet qualifications assess where you are with your education and experience.  What do you need more of? Do you need money, experience or education to get into your chosen career? If you need money, consider stepping stone careers; if you need education, take classes; if you need experience, volunteer and/or become an intern.  Any or all of these will enhance your chances of getting into your career choice.  Even if you are interested in a field in which you have limited experience, don’t let that stop you.

A job change is a major decision to make in your life, and unfortunately it doesn’t happen overnight.  You will need commitment and motivation to get there so be sure of what you want. Our recommendations will help you weigh your options and find a new career, but selecting the right occupation is only half the work.  If you want to be successful on this new path, it’s crucial that you establish a long-term plan, setting concrete goals for yourself as well as a realistic time frame to achieve them.  Don’t let the challenges ahead blind you to the fact that you’re improving your professional like and embarking on a new career.