Switching Careers
by Takara Alexis

Look before you leap. For one week, track your activities, observing the ones that make you feel strong and the ones that make you feel weak. At the end of the week, pick two that create in you strong positive emotions. Relive those two moments. Feel again what you loved about the job in the beginning.

If you've looked hard at the activities that strengthen you and know deep in your heart that there's no way for those strengthening feelings to be recreated and no way to shove your job gradually toward creating more and more of them each week, then it's time to act: Make the decision in your mind and plan your exit strategy.

You shouldn't dance around it. Don't second-guess it. Accept it. You know that your job does not and will never call upon the best of you. Nothing can compensate for this. No amount of money. No benefits. No amount of time invested. Nothing.

What magazines do you read? What articles are you attracted to in those magazines? What sort of people do you see yourself hanging around with? Chose two interests or subject areas that always intrigue you and research them. Study the life that you want to live.

You may not be able to dump your job immediately-you need the money, the benefits, etc.-but you can start yourself moving down the right path. Find things you can do that won't take up much time but will begin to give you the knowledge and experience you'll require to move your life toward your strengths.

Switching careers is not simply about moving away from what you do not love anymore; it is about moving toward your passion. Convey that passion in vivid, specific detail by describing your strengths. Write a cover letter that uses phrases such as "I am at my best when" and then goes on to describe a very specific activity that strengthens you, and then write down why you know-KNOW, not think, KNOW-that this strength will assist you with making great contributions in this new role.

And, if you get the interview, be ready with two or three specific examples of this strength in action and how you think it'll help. Practice saying the examples out loud to a friend or a spouse. Use your own certainty to address any uncertainty an interviewer might have.

Usually, the biggest challenge is just admitting that you need to make a change. Fear of the unknown is common, but you might be surprised to see how just stating your intention and then taking action can start to open things up before you.