How can I change careers if I think I'm in the wrong field?

It's never too late to go back to school! If a complete career change is what you're looking for, you can always take online classes on your own time, and get a new degree in something different. If you're not sure if a career change is truly what you want, then take the time to sit and analyze why you chose to go into the field you're in, and why you liked it at the time. When did everything change?

College is a great place to start, if it's returning or going for the first time. In this day and time it is really hard to enter a new career without some college background.

First of all, find out all the information that you can about the field that you want to work in. Evaluate all of the information and make sure it's what you want. Start applying for jobs in this area, or take a course while you work. Don't quit your job until you have secured a new job, unless you can afford to do that.

Be clear of what career you really wish to dedicate your life. Once there is clarity, courage will follow.

Network with people in the career you believe you want to go into. Ask them questions about their day to day activities and determine what the new career is really like. Look at the job outlook in the career field you are interested in. In the United States the Bureau of Labor and Statistics publishes and Occupational Outlook handbook here: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ If you decide that is what you want to do, look into education and certifications required to do the job. Work towards those certifications and educational requirements. Network with others in the field, and college professors to find opportunities. If you know of a company you want to work for approach them and ask for a job in your career field. And most of all, good luck!

Take certs or courses so that you are eligible to try other fields. It is possible to enter a totally different field from where you came from.

Start with an apprenticeship if you can or try getting an entry level job in that field. I know in my school, a maths teacher who taught for ages decided to become a doctor and went back to uni. It's never too late! If you really want to do it, you'll get there. :)

The best first step is to do as much research as possible into other fields you may be interested in. Once you have some possibilities, one of the best things you can do is volunteer in that field. This does a few things - it's a no risk way to dip your toes into another line of work without upending your current career, and it can help build experience should you eventually decide to pursue that career. You may just want to reinvent your current career by changing companies or getting some new responsibilities, and volunteering and doing research into other fields you may be interested in can clarify that. If you decide to work in another field, think about some aspects of a job that are important to you - being your own boss, or having some control over your schedule, or having a certain amount of responsibilities - these can all help clarify what the best next move might be. Once you think you have another career in mind, a fantastic thing to do is to reach out to people who are doing the job you want to do to see what their experience is in that line of work. Most of the time, people are very willing to speak to others who want to know about their work. This can help inform you of not only the positive aspects of the job, but also the negative ones, which are important to consider. In your research, you may have found that you'd need to continue your education - if you do, your volunteer work can come in handy for applications, because you'll have someone to write you a letter of recommendation in your chosen line of work which shows that you have an active interest in the field. The key is to take things one step at a time, and not jump the gun on anything - take your time, be methodical about your research, and ask questions. You want to make an informed decision, not one based on just feeling like you don't like your current job.

Do a LOT of research before changing and check if your next choice is the right one by comparing scenarios. Also think whether you are simply bored with your current work and if you can move into a different area but that is still included in your current field because it might be an easier shift.

First of all, consider what is making you unhappy in the role you currently have. Is it the work, your interest, work colleagues. It could be that another issue is impacting your thoughts, and you are feeling like changing your career is one way to escape what you are experiencing. If you know that changing the job is the right thing to do, then … Write your own job description! Get 10 items down on paper that you would see in your ideal best case job. This can then become your checklist when evaluating other careers you may be considering. Take a look at one of the online job websites, and if you find a job that meets 60% of your list, it's well worth considering.