Invest in Your Career Change--Put Your Money Where Your Dream Is

You say you want a new career, you say you want to start your own business, you say you'd love to be a freelance writer and travel more but are you serious? Can I really believe you? Are you investing in your dream?

When you want something badly enough, you're willing to work hard, make sacrifices, and invest in your dream.

Most people who've made a career change didn't have lots of money from which to draw. They simply made the choice to find the money they needed to make the change they always dreamed of making!

To see if you are willing to do what it takes to do work you love, follow these steps:

1. Ask yourself the following, "Am I willing to invest what I have in my dream job? Am I willing to change how I currently spend money so that I may have more of it to put toward my transition?" Yes or No? If you answered "no" to these, you're not ready to move ahead with a career change. Give yourself a break and focus on something else that you feel more ready for at this point. If you answered "yes" to these, read on.

2. Write down all of your expenses. Track every dollar you spend to have a clear picture of where your money is really going each month.

3. Prioritize. Look at each expense and ask yourself, "Would I rather have this or a new career?" See what big and small sacrifices you can make. That salon brand shampoo is nice but would you rather it or a new career? The deluxe cable TV package provides great entertainment but is it worth more to you than a new career? It's ok if you choose the shampoo or cable channels over your dream. Just be honest with yourself. Stop spending money on what you could live without and start putting those funds toward the life you would REALLY like to have!

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

5 Things You Need To Know Before Deciding On A Certification Training
The right certification trainingTrainings vary a lot when it comes to quality. It's essential to choose your certification training provider based on things such as the quality of materials, trainers' competence and skills, counseling facilities, track record etc.
Business Dress for Women: Making Impact
Buying a suit can be an important investment when you are trying to improve your look for business or career advancement. Wearing a standard off-the rack suit for business or a job interview does not always mean success.
Layoff Survival Guide - Do You Have The Career Management Horsepower It Will Take To Survive?
In a recent survey of over 662 career seekers, some disturbing trends identified that MOST career seekers don't have a clue what career management skills they have or what those skills are! As a result, it will be difficult for these career seekers to succeed.In fact, only 71% of the respondents recognized they had any career management skills at all! That's why they are particularly vulnerable to future layoffsBefore skipping to the answers, try your hand at identifying YOUR career management skills.
Why a Professional Resume?
As a job search tool your Resume is your main calling card. It explains who you are and what you have to offer.
Confidence Is Critical to YOUR Success....
Make EYE contact when you look at another person. Look at them!! Don't look down at your shoes or away from the other person.
Is a Career Change on Your Horizon?
Making a career change is nothing new in today's job market.I've heard it said that the average American changescareers at least once in his or her life.
We Rejected Your Résumé Today
Hi, I am Mr. Employer.
Reinvent Yourself in a New Career
Some people reserve the word "vocation" for religious calling. Contemporary career guides encourage us to think of a "life purpose" that guides and gives meaning to a life, regardless of career.
Interview Thank-You Letters
The number one etiquette tip for interviews is writing a thank-you letter. This is not a tool commonly used by job seekers right now.
Managing Emotions During Career Change and Job Search, Part One
How can you manage your emotions during your career change or job search? To answer this practical and wise question, let's first define what emotions are.
Why Well Produced Career Portfolios Are Replacing CVs
What is a Career Portfolio?The original portfolio used by artists looking for work was simply a collection of works demonstrative of the artists style and ability. Because their works varied in size and shape, portfolios came in all sizes and shapes.
Why You Should Never Complain About Former Bosses
You're at a job interview. You're doing great, answering questions left and right.
2 Job-Search Success Stories
Here are two success stories from my readers who found great new jobs last week. As you read each story, ask yourself, "How could I apply this to my job hunt?"1) Job-search goal cards workHere's a story sent in by Fred, from Chanhassen, Minn.
Make a Great First Impression
Searching for employment is one of the most nerve-racking activities to engage in. As if the direct need for income is not stressful enough, the process of writing a résumé, networking in your industry, and applying for jobs can leave anyone shaking in their tracks.
Take the Personal Out of the Workplace: Leave Your Troubles at the Door!
Bringing your emotional baggage into the work place is inappropriate for all the reasons you may imagine. Yet employees, managers and business owners do it all the time.
20 Questions That Helped Me Take A Leap Of Faith And Change Careers
When I was working more than 45 hours a week in a job with a two hour commute each day, the challenge of a new husband, new step children, two beagle dogs and maintaining a home was more than a stretch! Something had to give, and unfortunately I was the one starting to not be able to hold it together!It was a Catch 22 situation. We had an expensive home near the city center with large mortgage costs, which demanded feeding through joint incomes.
Common Résumé Mistakes
Using a general résumé.DON'T DO IT! You cannot successfully use the same résumé to apply to several different jobs.
Write Resume Keywords That Gets Your Application Read
As children we often used to read stories where magical words can open caves filled with treasures or magicians using words like abracadabra..
Interview Quicksand
How will you respond when you're asked the following two questions?1.What type of boss do you like to work for?2.
Self Describing Skills - Key Strengths
You need to be the best you can at describing your best qualities; particularly your key strengths. In my coaching practice I generally, at some point, ask my client: "What are you good at?" purely as a means to establish if they have already thought through this most important question.

More Careers & Employment Information:

Related Articles

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.
Seriously Impress at Your Interview With These 7 Hot Tips
So you've managed to secure a job interview for a position thatfits you PERFECTLY. Now comes the moment of truth: Are youREALLY ready for the interview? If you've rehearsed what you'regoing to say and know the perfect answer to every potentialquestion, you're half way there.
Reading the Want Ads--Not for Jobs--For Information
What? Want ads are where job announcementsare, not information!Wait! Job want ads are full of information ifyou know what to do and how to use them.Doubtful? Here are some ideas of the kindsof information you can find as a job seeker.
Tips for Building a Successful Career
1. Develop excellent work habits - for example, meet deadlines and don't procrastinate.
Choose Your References Wisely!
So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task, right? Sure, you could contact three of your closest friends and ask them to be your references.
Counteroffers: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
If "resignation" is the word that strikes fear into all employers, then "counteroffer" is the one that strikes fear into an employee's heart. "What should I do? They've matched my offer?"It's Friday afternoon.
Marketing You and Your Career
Imagine if a business invested years into the research, design, and creation of a new product, and then failed to tell anybody about it. What if the company assumed (even expected) that consumers should discover their new product, just because it was "great" Flawed logic, right? Yet, that's how many people treat their careers!
Ive Got the Big Bad B Word on My Job!
That "B" word---B O R E D O M.How did I get this wearing word in my work?I got it because I don't have enough todo in my job! Yes, I have completed myassigned tasks, but I have time left over,which leads to boredom.
Strange Jobs Still Pay The Bills
Strange jobs? How do we define that? Years ago I stole cars as a repo-man, had some adventures as an investigative process-server, and even handed out samples in grocery stores. Here are some other unusual jobs you can aspire to:Wrinkle ChaserThis is the person that irons wrinkles from shoes as they are being made to ensure they are perfectly smooth when you buy them.
Benefits of Mystery Shopping For Secret Shoppers
Mystery shoppers are people who are hired to scrutinize employees, products and customer services of any organization. The benefits that they get from mystery shopping are:They enjoy doing a job that's fun and frolic.
Last Year Physician Resident Checklist
Here is a last year resident checklist not to forget:LICENSING:Licensing is becoming increasingly complex as identity and medical fraud become more common. Therefore don't wait till the last minute to start the process.
Do You Need A Mentor? And How Do You Find One?
Whether you're self-employed or you work for someone else, you're new to business or a seasoned expert, one of the best ways to get ahead in business is to find a mentor. And some highly successful people even have more than one.
Build New Habits -- Payday Will Come --
Feeling that it never works is not a good excuse. You may even remember last year not getting past February.
You Are Not Entitled to a Job!
Résumé TipsSome basics about job hunting..
Writing A Great Resume, Part 1
Need a great resume to land that great job coming up? We are going to learn to create an eye-catching resume, using Microsoft Word.First, you need to collect all the information you will need to complete your Resume (dates of employment, education dates.
How To Find A Job Writing Grant Applications
Do you have what it takes to land a job doing grant writing? Many people are looking for ways to develop a freelance business, but unless you know what it takes to do so, you might as well stop trying. There are several fields in which you can learn and have many jobs waiting for you.
10 Tips For Writing A Winning Resume
Your resume (or curriculum vitae), combined with the coverletter, are the master keys to opening the prospectiveemployer's mind and door so that you can proceed to thenext step in the process - the big interview!RESUME WRITING TIPS AND STRATEGIESHere are 10 valuable tips for anyone writing their ownresume, or who is having someone else write one for them.These tips and strategies are an abridged version of whatis contained in my new eBook, "Instant Home Writing Kit".
Love What You Do!
"To love what you do and feel that it matters, how on earth could anything be more fun?" --Katherine GrahamI want to share with you a great success story from one of my clients, Susan*, because I am so proud of her. Susan had been working in the computer industry since college (8-10 years) and though she was financially and professionally successful, she felt dissatisfied with her career.
A Peek at Nursing as a Career
We need more people to choose nursing as a career. There is a national shortage, so the career choice would guarantee future employment fresh out of school.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone in the Job Search
Most everyone these days knows what a comfort zone is. My definition is the place, environment and tasks that we have learned to do and feel comfortable with--a comfort zone.