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The days of working 40 years with a single company -- taking the gold watch and cashing in -- are long gone. With the demise of that stability comes the burden of uncertainty, but it also brings the freedom to completely change careers whenever you feel like it.
In today's job market no one bats an eye at the vet tech-turned-venture-capitalist or the .NET programmer-turned-legal aide -- the only thing pigeon-holing you into one career is you.
If you've been itching for a change of scene or routine, we've got what you need to get started picking a new career.
=== Find what you love ===
The hardest part of choosing moving to a new career is often figuring out what you might want to do. Start with your current job, even if it's mind-numbingly dull there's probably at least something you like. For example, filing TCP reports might not be the highlight of your current day, but perhaps you enjoy working in an office environment. Make a list of what you like and keep it handy.
Now head to job search site like [http://www.monster.com/ Monster.com] or grab the classified ads if you're the pen and paper type. Start browsing to see what's out there. Don't limit yourself, look at every thing, even if it isn't what you have in mind -- there's a good chance you'll find yourself looking at something you didn't even realize were jobs.
Now you can be a bit more realistic if you like. Check out industry hiring trends if you'd like a better idea of what you're up against in switching to your dream career. Job listing sites like Monster.com often publish anonymized data showing [http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search/company-industry-research/2010-jobs-and-hiring-outlook/article.aspx which careers are growing], which job markets are the toughest, and what employers expect from their prospective hires.
=== Find out what skills you need ===
Found a job that catches your eye? Great. Now it's time to figure out if any of the skills you've already got will help you land a new career or perhaps you'll need to take a few night classes or pass some exams.
For example, a strong background in sales will translate well to a career in real estate, however, there are licensing requirements and other small hurdles you'll need to overcome first.
One of the best ways to figure out what it takes to excel in your new career is to get in touch with someone who already does it. Sticking with the previous example, you might want to call up a few local realtors and see if they have the time to give you some advice.
Find one or two that seem the most helpful and ask if you can follow them around for a day to see what they do and whether or not the job is everything you think it is.
=== Beef up your resume ===
If you're changing careers you won't have any experience, but employers always prefer experience, so how do you land a new career without experience? The answer is perseverance and perhaps a bit of luck.
You may need to land a lower-paying job than you're used to at first, something to get your foot in the door and help you meet people in the field. If even that isn't work consider volunteering your time if that's possible or ask someone else already in the field to write a recommendation for you.
=== Conclusion ===
There's no doubt it's intimidating, but changing a career isn't is hard -- or as scary -- as you might think. Figure out what you really want to do and start working toward it today.
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