If you want to change careers, it’s essential to make sure that it is something you really want.

You shouldn’t make this decision lightly.  It can be difficult and quite often you will need to take some initial backward steps in salary due to changes in role levels. But, don’t let fear stop you.  It’s better to be in a role and at a company that you like. If you’re happy at work, not only are you loving your work , the chances of you doing well and succeeding are more likely.

Career changing is more common than you think.  The things to focus on are what do you like doing, the kind of environments that suit you and the type of people that you want to work with. Draw up a list of these.

Start to shortlist roles and companies that fit these areas.  You should also think about what you will be doing day-to-day so you can think about the reality of the role.  This will focus you on the tasks and the skills required to do the role and whether you’ll be any good at this.

Changing careers is more often than not a gradual process rather than having an instant change.  This can mean taking up night courses and studying relevant professional qualifications.  You can also start progressing your chances by getting involved in projects in your current role that will give you relevant experience.  Making the move in this way can also protect your salary as your growing experience can take you to a more senior position.

Also start to network with people in the industry and have conversations with them about their jobs, so you are not only making contacts but you can learn what the positives and negatives of the industry and roles are.  Speaking to informed recruiters can help with this too.  Especially once you have identified some companies that you may want to work for, networking will give you a good understanding of the opportunities that are available to you too at these companies as a career changer.