Changing careers: a practical plan

Updated November 2026

Changing careers works best as a series of small, tested steps rather than one leap. Research the new field with real data, try it out before you commit, close the skills gap as cheaply and quickly as you can, and build a money cushion for the transition.

Moving between jobs is normal. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that people born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of 12.7 jobs between ages 18 and 56, and people born between 1980 and 1984 held 9.0 jobs between 18 and 36. BLS does not estimate how often people change careers, because there is no agreed definition of a career change.

Step 1: Decide what you are moving toward

"I want out" is a reason; it is not a plan. Write down three lists:

Keep: what you like about your current work (people, problem-solving, being outdoors, steady hours).
Drop: what you want to leave behind (night shifts, sales targets, physical strain, a long commute).
Need: your minimum pay, location limits, and how much time you can spend on training.

Then list two to five occupations that might fit. Being specific matters: "health care" is too broad, while "medical coder," "radiologic technologist" and "physical therapist assistant" can be researched and compared.

Step 2: Research with real numbers

The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook is free and covers more than 300 occupational profiles that together account for about 4 out of 5 US jobs. Each profile gives the median pay, the education and training typically needed to enter, what the work is like, and how employment is projected to change over the next ten years. Pay and outlook data are updated every year.

Two examples from the current handbook show why the details matter:

Two occupations compared (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Occupation	Median pay, May 2025	Typical entry route	Projected change, 2025–35
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	$58,640	Truck driving school (often 3 to 6 months) and a commercial driver's license	+4%
Line installers and repairers (for example, electrical power lines)	$95,320	High school diploma, then apprenticeship of up to 3 years	+10%

Look past the median. Check what new workers earn, the physical demands, the schedule, and whether you would need a license. See CDL and driving jobs for one detailed example.

Step 3: Test before you commit

Hold three to five informational interviews with people who do the job now. Ask what a normal week looks like, what they wish they had known, and how people get hired. See networking.
Shadow someone for a day, volunteer, or take a short paid gig in the field.
Take one low-cost introductory course before enrolling in a long program.
Read 20 current job postings and note which requirements appear again and again.

Step 4: Close the skills gap

Match your current skills to the postings you collected. Many skills transfer: a retail manager has scheduling, budgeting and customer-handling experience; a teacher has training, presentation and planning skills. Then fill the gaps with the shortest credible route:

Registered apprenticeships pay a wage from day one, with guaranteed raises as your skills grow, and lead to a nationally portable, industry-recognized credential. Search openings on Apprenticeship.gov.
Community college certificates are usually shorter and cheaper than a degree; compare program length, cost and local employer demand.
Employer training: some employers hire career changers and train them, especially for hard-to-fill roles.
American Job Centers offer career guidance and job search help and can tell you about training programs in your area; some services have eligibility requirements. Find one through CareerOneStop.org or by calling 1-877-US-2JOBS.

Be careful with expensive programs that promise guaranteed jobs or high earnings. Ask for placement rates in writing and check with employers whether they value that credential.

Step 5: Plan the money

A switch often means a lower starting salary. Do the arithmetic before you resign. Example: if you earn $50,000 now and expect to start at $42,000, the gap is $8,000 a year, or about $667 a month before tax. If you also need six months of training with no income and your basic costs are $3,000 a month, you need $18,000 ($3,000 × 6) set aside, plus tuition. Ways to reduce the risk: train part time while still employed, start with part-time or contract work in the new field, or look for a move inside your current employer.

Step 6: Apply as a career changer

Open your resume with a short summary that names the new target role and the skills that carry over.
Lead with relevant training, projects and volunteer work, then your work history.
Use the cover letter to explain the change in two or three sentences, focused on what you bring rather than what you are leaving.
Ask the people you met in your informational interviews to refer you.
Expect the search to take longer than a move within your field, and keep your weekly routine going.