Frustrated community members observe that the bulk of career management advice focuses on doing better in your current field or organization rather than finding a new one altogether. Here are the keys to a successful job search and career transition. Take inventory of your present skill sets and learn how they can be useful in your desired field.
Most people responding to newspaper ads have experience in the field advertised.
These strategies are much more likely to get you happily transplanted in another field. Networking Networking is still the strategy most likely to get you where you want to go. Call your college, grad school or training program for names of alums in your target field. Research your field before these conversations at sites like the Career Research area at the Smith College Career Development Office . Career Key's self-assessment tool is linked to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, so fields suggested for you can be explored as you go through the site.