The Only Thing to Fear, Is Fear Itself.

There are a few reasons you may be thinking of changing careers:

• Your goals are different than they were when you entered the career.
• The job outlook in your field isn’t great.
• You’re becoming burnt out in your current career field.
• Your job is extremely stressful. Sure, every job is stressful – but if it’s taking a toll on the way you live, it might be time for a change.
• You want a more lucrative career.

One of the biggest challenges in changing careers is the fear that you’re throwing away years of experience. Dig deeper and find out what skills different positions require. In many cases, you’ve developed transferrable skills, both hard and soft; whether it’s mathematics and IT, or problem solving and relationship building. Your engineering background may be perfect for a job in finance or business. The skills you’ve acquired throughout the years extend far beyond titles/majors – so look in unlikely places.

Use your contacts for advice and don’t forget about networking events.
When you’re at an event, don’t be afraid to ask for business cards; people enjoy networking and building relationships.
Changing careers can be a challenging, yet rewarding decision. When you recognize what skills and experience you have versus what you need, and utilize your network of contacts, you are placing yourself in a better position to change careers successfully.