When you are feeling burned out in your current profession, it may be time to take a look at how to make a career change. Career changes are becoming the norm rather than the exception in today’s society. Many people change careers five or more times throughout their working lives. There are a few things that you need to consider before making a career change.

Do you have the skills necessary?

One of the first things you need to consider is what types of skills are needed to succeed in your new career choice. Before you focus on how to make a career change, you have to first determine if you are prepared to make a career change. First, research the field that you hope to enter, and find out what skills are necessary to gain entry into the field of your choice.

If the career field that you want to enter requires skills other than the ones you have, you may need to pursue additional training before you can actually change careers. There are a number of affordable and convenient options for instructor-led and online training that can help you get the skills you need so that you can move into the field of your choice.

Can you afford to make a career change?

For some people, a career change will represent a boost in pay. For others, changing careers might mean a temporary or permanent decrease in pay. If you have been working in your current occupation for any length of time, you have probably progressed beyond earning an entry-level salary. For example, if you have had a sales position that required you to travel extensively and you are making a career change so that you can be home with your family, you may well find that non-traveling careers are not as lucrative as the one you are giving up.

An important thing to consider before focusing on how to make a career change is whether or not you can afford to make a career change. Depending on what you want to do in your new career, you may find that you have to take a step or two (or more) backwards in salary when you make a career change. Educate yourself about initial earning potential in the new career that interests you, and make sure that your expectations for what you might be able to earn are realistic.