Have Enough Money to Change Careers - Five Key Steps

At every talk I give, I ask the audience to tell me the reasons why people don't change careers. The most common answer given each time is "lack of money." So many people have such an exaggerated fear about money that they will not even take the time to determine how much they will need to do work they love in the first place!

Does this sound like you? Do you feel stuck where you are, trapped by your own perceptions?

It's time to pull your head out of the sand and get a handle on your finances! There are five things you can do starting right now to financially prepare yourself for a new career.

1. Stop worrying about the future and fix what's broken right now. If you're living beyond your means today but yet you worry that your dream career won't pay you enough, you're missing the mark. It's time to live in the present and make it great. Address any and all outstanding financial issues so that you can move ahead with a clean slate.

2. Keep your day job. Unless you're financially independent or have someone else supporting you, don't quit your job in haste as you change careers. It's a huge financial stress that will only hurt you as you make your transition.

3. Change your attitude about money. How many times have you heard the references "filthy rich", "money doesn't grow on trees", etc. Many of you were taught that money is scarce and wanting more of it is bad. Nonsense! There is abundance all around you, money included. Change your perspective and see that you can love your work AND be financially abundant.

4. Get some help. If the numbers scare you, if you haven't opened a bank statement all year, or if your eyes glaze over every time someone mentions "401k", you need help. There are plenty of professionals out there whose job it is to help people understand their finances so they can make smart decisions.

5. Open a dream savings account. Most people think they need to "wait until the day when they have enough money" before they consider a career change. The truth? That day can only arrive when you start saving for your new career TODAY. Even a dollar a day brings you that much closer to making your career change a reality.

Copyright 2005 Annemarie Segaric

Annemarie Segaric is a respected career change coach, motivational speaker, and the author of the pocket booklet, 107 Tips for Changing Your Career While Still Paying the Bills. Dread Monday mornings? Visit Annemarie's website and download your free career change toolkit today.


More Resources

Job Interviews -- What Your Pre-Interview Research Should Cover
When you go in for a job interview, you're not just a candidate seeking a job. You're a potential problem solver and contributor.
Effective Resumes
A resume is normally the first contact point between an employer and a job seeker. It serves the purpose of providing a summary of why a candidate is suitable for a job (cover-letter) and his relevant qualifications/experience.
Applying for a Job in Another Country? International Resumes
Is an International Resume still a Resume? This is a very common question among those looking for work overseas for the first time. When you contact companies about applying for a job with them you will not often be asked for a resume, you will be asked to send along your CV.
Recruiters for MSN or Data Miners?
Is Kenexa recruiting for Microsoft or just mining for data?I had a chilling experience the other day. A man from Kenexa called me, ostensibly to recruit me for a job in New York as a Search Marketing Analyst for Microsoft's new MSN search engine.
Tackling Your Unemployment Creatively
Are you unemployed or been laid off? You are not alone if that is any comfort to you. Worldwide millions of people are in the same predicament as you are.
Leaders Meet Challenge Heads-UP With Confidence --
Maybe "buck" is better referred to as the Boss' Challenge. Business owners are faced with making lots of decisions - some quickly made - others take more time with greater consequences.
Workplace Melodrama--A Flair For The Dramatic
A flair for the dramatic is a theatrical term used to describe an actress or actor who has a talent for melodrama, characterized by intensely enacted interpersonal conflict and exaggerated emotions. The central figure in a melodrama is the hero, who spins his tale or portrays the justice of his cause in a positive light.
Looking for a Qualified Medical Billing Specialist
Families, mothers, employers, and medical practices all interact in one way or another with a medical billing specialist. When medical billing is required, a qualified medical billing specialist can help you process your claim quickly and thoroughly.
My Landscaping Business is Better Than Your Lanscaping Business...
Yesterday I was having a discussion with Mary who I know from a mother's group that I attend with my daughter Sammi. Through previous conversations I have determined that this woman is very talented in the areas of landscaping and interior design.
Resume Writing - Get That Job
Looking for a new job, whether it is with a new company or a promotion within your own organisation, requires time and effort. To make your job search more effective you need to take five fundamental steps on the road to success:
Change Your Career, Change Your Life
Change Your Career,Change your Life!Lots of times I see and talk to people whoare tired, bored and burnt out of their currentjobs. I'm not sure what causes this dis-satisfaction.
Ten Great Careers For Computer "Geeks
The universal acceptance of computers into our daily lives, both at work and at home, has decreased the image of computer users as being "geeks." The word geek itself has evolved a bit - going from meaning a socially inept person who gets along better with computers than people, to someone who is an expert with computers, a guru even.
Fun At Work Leads to More Success
Common sense at work: Such qualities as loyalty, energy, intelligence and hard work are certain to be in any consensus of what it takes to build a successful career."However, there's another essential ingredient that is too often overlooked," says Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor at www.
Ten Tips to a Powerful Resume
A new resume can jump-start your career. Your network contacts may ask for a resume and some industries absolutely, positively demand a resume as the price of admission.
Interpersonal Skill Building -- Yank The Suckers & Weeds
According to the National Gardening Association, suckers are rapidly growing shoots rising from an underground root or stem, often to the detriment of the tree. They can be very irritating and annoying for they bear no flowers or fruit.
Networking - A Key Factor in a Successful Job Search
In today's economy, job seekers need an edge beyond their experience, education and specific industry and job-related skills, in order to find and secure a position. Regardless if you are looking for an opportunity as CEO, Vice President, IT Manager or Customer Service Representative, you need effective tools to compete within a market that is job-poor and candidate rich.
5 Proven Steps To Easily Master The Art Of The Interview And Get The Bartending Job Of Your Dreams!
Your mouth is dry, your palms are sweaty, your heart is beating so fast it feels like it is going to pop out of your chest!Sound familiar?For most people, interviews are uncomfortable. The mere thought of them causes anxiety and nervousness.
How to Pick the Best Career For You , Part 2: From Exposure-to-Opportunity
Gain an audience by recognizing opportunityThere's a sexier method to salsa into a great career with less tripping and more flair. Look for problems to solve and create a personalized solution.
Behaviour To Climb The Stepping Stones To Career Success
The heading of this article could just as well have been "How to position yourself for promotion" or "How to position yourself for career advancement" or "How to climb the success ladder" or something similar.What behaviour will improve your chances for success? Behaviour which can be described as good work ethics.
Whats Stopping You from Getting Your Next, Good Job?
This question comes up often when I'm working with someone to help them move forward in finding their next job.What is it that compels people to stay "stuck"?1.

More Careers & Employment Information:

Related Articles

Interview Preparation
The dreaded job interview is the Number 1 source of email enquiries to Confidence Club. The following email is typical:"I have an interview coming up and I'm terrified! I have to do a presentation in front of a panel of judges, and I just know I'm going to make a fool of myself"Interviews generate immense levels of anxiety.
Always Have a Current Resume
What is the biggest mistake people make with resumes?People write their resumes as a chronological summary of everything they've done in their professional lives. Employers only care about one thing: what you can do for them.
Smokin' Up a Storm: Clothing, Smokers, and the Job Interview
You're nervous. You're so nervous that you crave a smoke.
Counter-Offers: Do They Merit Consideration?
You are one of the fortunate few who have not been downsized. However, your current job isn't exactly fulfilling.
Your First Job
"Your first job is an extension of your education"Fresh out of college. Loads of dreams.
The Myths of Career Change
Chances are you already have many ideas about what it takes to successfully transition into a new career, even if you have never done it before. Some of those ideas might be useful - most probably are not.
What to Ask During the Interview
Don't just sit there and bob your head, waiting to answer the next question - be prepared to ask your own questions and make the interviewer know that you care!Ask Them About the CompanyIf you have researched the company, you should know something about their core business. Use the information that you have found to ask good questions about the company.
Corporate World: Jungle Or Paradise?
The road to the top is not easy, it is bumpy and dirty. Along the way, we meet interesting creatures.
The Background on Background Checks
In one of my past lives I held a Top Secret clearance as a Civil Service employee working for the Air Force. So I am familiar with background checks.
Taking Charge During An Interview!
Perhaps you've found yourself in the position of seeking a new position due to a layoff, cutback or downsizing and are now facing the interviewing process. As scary as that may seem, one of the most critical points to remember is that just because you're sitting in the seat opposite the potential employer doesn't mean you have no control.
Do You Have the courage to ignore the experts?
Do you have the courage to ignore the experts? Do you have the willingness and ability to understand and use the power that is within you? Courage is that state of mind when you do something that you know is right for you and your loved ones and the rest of the world thinks you're mad. The ability to make the decision and then make it happen.
Seeking A New Job While Currently Employed : Tiptoeing Through the Minefield
So, you currently have a job but you are looking for something a little better. You are getting tired, uptight, and maybe just a little stressed out.
Networking - A Key Factor in a Successful Job Search
In today's economy, job seekers need an edge beyond their experience, education and specific industry and job-related skills, in order to find and secure a position. Regardless if you are looking for an opportunity as CEO, Vice President, IT Manager or Customer Service Representative, you need effective tools to compete within a market that is job-poor and candidate rich.
Technology in the Workplace - Boon or Curse?
Like all new innovations, technology in the work environment can either work for you or against you. What is good for the employer or is not always the same for the employee.
For My Second Career, I Want to Do Nothing!
Q. For my second career, I'd like to know "What to do when you have done a lot and nothing really interests you anymore.
Career Advice On Freelance Writing Jobs
Sometimes the freelance writing jobs available are those that no one wants. Or, they are those that new businesses are looking to fill.
Home Healthcare Careers
One of the fastest growing sectors of the medical industry is that of home health. There are many reasons for this growth, but most important are:The number of aging and infirm citizens in the country.
Free Resume Examples: More Is Better
If you ever studied any probability theory in high school or college, you probably remember the marbles.Most introductory probability books talk about drawing different colored marbles out of a bag.
Get Your Dream Job!
Anyone who is a jobseeker knows that looking for a new job or career is a job in itself. Once you have completed the laborious task of writing your resume and submitting it to various companies, you now have to pass the screen test to get the job.
Thankk-You Notes: An Integral Part of Your Career
There is one little practice that is vital to generating the interest of potential employers. It is critical, but very few job seekers actually do it.