The thought of making a career change can invoke all manner of emotions, from excitement at starting afresh to trepidation about throwing away a stable job. But while making a career change is not to be taken lightly, it is also not something that should be thought of as so impossibly difficult.

A Career Change is here to help you through every stage of your new life; addressing all your worries and drawing your attention to details you may not have considered. The advice and guidance across this site has been carefully written by career development experts that not only understand the practicalities of changing from one career to another, but also the emotional impact on you when you make such an important life decision.

1. Why Make A Career Change?

There are many reasons why people make a career change. It could be that you’ve always wanted to follow a certain career path but circumstances, such as lack of confidence, lack of funding, or family responsibilities, have held you back, or perhaps you’ve recently experienced a change in your life – redundancy, illness, a move abroad – that has prompted you to reassess your career choice.

Whatever your personal situation, realistic advice and detailed suggestions alongside real-life stories from people who’ve taken that brave jump will give you an insight into which career you choose and how to develop a career plan. These experiences may also give you the courage to leave a job that you hate or to kick-start a career that has stagnated. Reaching this decision is not just an emotional journey, but a practical one, too. It is imperative that you answer the very real questions of how to gain the support of concerned or difficult relatives, how will you cover the mortgage and other such risks that are likely when you change career?

2. Focus on Possible New Careers

One of the most popular sections of A Career Change focuses on the requirements of various career choices, giving you an insight into the real criteria, expectations and demands of each vocation. From careers in leisure and hospitality to finance and management, this is a great starting place as it gives you the chance to consider the more practical details of a career, such as salary potential, qualifications and working hours. Find out if your skills are actually suited to your potential career change and the training required. It is far better to embark on a new career when armed with the real facts rather than simply following a dream that may not suit your circumstances.

Read about a cross-section of possible career choices, including some of the most popular jobs for people looking to start afresh, such as opening a coffee shop, working in the media or retraining as a midwife, as well as more unusual career choices, such as joining the military or working in forensics, that demand very specific criteria. This site also offers advice on taking a career break, how to turn a hobby in a career and how you can use volunteer work to boost your job skills.

3. Common Issues Faced When Changing Career

Regardless of what career you wish to follow, there will be a vast number of similar issues faced by other people planning to change their job. A Career Change is committed to discussing all these issues in a clear, supportive and positive way to give you a reliable platform for trustworthy information. The website is packed with articles that address personal issues, such as arranging childcare to suit your new career, finding a work/life balance, how to keep career change plans private, or handing in your notice at your current workplace at a time that suits you.

The real-life case studies section on the website will also offer a unique perspective on a number of common and not so common issues faced by people at various stages of their career change. We have interviewed people who are happy to share their experiences, including stories of retraining for a totally new career, finally getting the courage to follow a long-held career change dream, and how emotional issues can be the catalyst for professional development.

4. Making a Career Change Happen

This website is not intended to be just a catalogue of possible new jobs, though. We look at the role of networking when searching for a new job, offer help in creating the perfect CV, and give practical advice and techniques for interviews. We also assess the issues of pursuing a new career while in employment, whether that is by taking an evening class in a new skill or starting an online business outside of current working hours, or the pros and cons of leaving current employment to start a new venture.

5. Funding Issues

With the global economic crisis and all manner of government cuts impacting on a whole range of jobs and professions, we also take a close look at the impact of recession on employment and how, for many people, redundancy can actually be the start of a very positive chapter. We’ve spoken to people who’ve used their redundancy money to start a new business, even though at the time they felt as though their professional life was over.

Funding and other practical considerations also play a large part in the realistic transition to a new career. For some people, a new career may involve returning to university or starting new employment at the bottom of a totally different career ladder, whereas for others it may be about becoming self-employed and being your own boss. A Career Change offers advice and support on the financial aspects of all these new ventures.

6. Success Stories

Perhaps the most motivating aspect of A Career Change is that it has already helped many people to achieve their career change ambitions. We have received lots of feedback from readers who have followed the advice written on these pages and have found their passion. Be inspired by other people's success stories, from gaining a new career after bankruptcy and buying a franchise, to one reader's story of being headhunted at 63!

Last But Not Least

Remember that A Career Change is an ever-evolving resource for you to use. Our expert contributors regularly update the website with new information, details of new training courses or funding opportunities and fresh ideas for building your new career. If there is a particular topic or question that you would like to see included, you can join us on Facebook or leave a reader comment and we will endeavour to include it on the site as soon as possible.

Our aim is that A Career Change can be the support you need to accurately assess your potential success in a new field, with non-biased advice and practical information that has been written by experts who understand the exciting challenge of a new career.