After a number of years in my career, successfully working my way up and through a variety of related positions, I am toying with the idea of making a career change.  How does one go about making a move of this magnitude?

Deb’s Answer: 

Take the time to align your interests and opportunities.

“Toying” is a perfect place to start.  Before settling in to the serious work of lining up opportunities, approach a possible career change with playful curiosity. This is the spirit most conducive to open exploration.

Freely exploring secret dreams and kooky ideas, along with the more obvious career choices, is all part of the initial options-generating phase.  Avoid censorship early on.  There will be plenty of reality-checking built into the process later, as you identify gaps and detail resources needed to make the change.

  Choose a line of inquiry that will reveal career themes in your life.  Questions that will help to unearth buried dreams and memories include: When you were a child/high school student/college student, what did you dream about being when you grew up? What passions—work related or otherwise—have persisted throughout your life? Whose work and life do you most admire? If you could take a course in anything you wanted, what would it be? At what time(s) in your career were you most fulfilled? What’s missing in your current work? Before you die, what three things do you want to do? What place in the whole world do you think would be the most stimulating work environment for you, personally?
Regard your responses to these questions as clues to the patterns of your life and adventures yet to be discovered.

  Find out what’s out there. Understanding the context within which a career change will take place is as important as the frame that encloses a treasured picture.The frame itself contributes significantly to the final effect. Identifying industry and market trends, likewise, will inform decisions around the time and desirability of specific career moves under consideration. Defining existing opportunities and barriers at this juncture will aid in developing your plan for a career change.

  Research and read about the careers you’re considering. The Occupational Outlook Handbook and thousands of other career-specific books and Web sites offer details on job requirements and hiring projections. To corroborate your research findings, get fresh perspectives from people currently employed in your future line of work.

 Compatibility-test your idea.  A career can look appealing on paper and sound interesting over conversation, but you can’t beat firsthand experience as a reality check. There are plenty of ways to get a taste of a career before making the commitment to leave your position.  Volunteering, shadowing and moonlighting provide off-hours opportunities for gaining experience related to your intended career field.  If these are not options for you at this time, consider simulating parts of your intended career by practicing the skills needed (e.g. public speaking at a conference or managing a community project).

If your self-analysis aligns with your market research and simulated experience, it will be time to map out your path to change. Figure out what you have to do to get to where you want to go. Develop strategies and a timeline for making your move, calling on all of the support and resources you have available.

Career change is never a risk-free proposition, but when you invest in a thorough exploration, the rewards of a compatible career are plentiful.