Career shift: getting started
So, you've been a baker all your life but now you want to be a candlestick-maker. Changing jobs is tricky enough, but shifting careers is another matter. Irene Krechowiecka offers expert advice on making the leap
We're all used to the idea that no job is for life and many of us move frequently between employers with relative ease. But changing careers completely is a bigger and much more complex decision - and one a lot of iVillagers are grappling with. As the iVillage Careers expert I've received lots of questions from women of all ages looking for a complete change and wondering where to start.
We've had queries from people who've spent anything from two to twenty years in a job. The biggest hurdle they all face is financial. A complete career change often means retraining and that has financial implications. As well as paying for courses to build up new skills you have to consider lost earnings and the prospect of a lower starting salary in your new profession. It's also difficult to give up the security of being in a job (even one that isn't satisfying) for the unknown.
It would be easy to encourage everyone to go for their dream regardless of cost, but that's not realistic if you need to keep earning. But don't despair. It's not impossible to change career and provide for yourself at the same time, though it may take longer than it would if money were no problem. If you're prepared to think laterally and make some compromises on the way you'll get there.
You can't afford not to make changes once you admit you're working in the wrong place.
Next page: how to get started
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