Starting Over Without Starting at the Bottom By Gwen Moran When Ronnie Gardstein saw an article about the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) honoring a woman for arts advocacy, lightning struck. "I didn't know what arts advocacy was, but I knew that I could do it," she recalls. Gardstein, a successful attorney-turned-community-arts-director for the Monmouth County Arts Council in Red Bank, NJ, had been dissatisfied with her career path and was thinking about leaving the legal profession altogether. Challenged by what to do next, she looked at various professions, but none seemed to be a good fit. "My particular areas of litigation frequently involved employment rights. It's very difficult to go from rights to widgets. A career change for me had to involve projects and principles about which I felt equally committed," explains Gardstein, who has an undergraduate degree in studio art and design. Indeed, finding something about which you're passionate should be the first move in making a significant career change says nationally-syndicated career columnist Dr. Carole Kanchier, author of "Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life." According to Kanchier, many people try to resist change. However, she says, the energy that we use to keep the status quo would be better spent on taking advantage of the inevitable changes that occur around us. "It's part of the rhythm of your life cycle," she explains. "The important thing is to be in tune with who you are, with the changes going on within you and outside of you." Daryl O'Connell did just that. When her employer, a large regional shopping center, announced its sale and the layoff of the management staff, the enterprising former marketing manager took a personal inventory and found that she had needs that were not being met in her current career path. Taking advantage of the knowledge she had accumulated through years in the retail marketing field, she tapped her contacts and launched her own venture, Wall Township, NJ-based Anita's Joy Gift Shoppe, named after O'Connell's mother, who passed away from cancer several years ago. The unique boutique has a strong interest in community service and donates 10 percent of all purchases to local cancer-related charities. "Working for someone else is wonderful because you get experience and you collect a paycheck.," she explains. "But I needed an opportunity to express my core values. You can't tell your boss to donate to charity." Kanchier believes that it is more acceptable to make a significant career change today than it was several years ago. According to the Kanchier, the shortage of qualified workers, as well as the fact that people are living longer and do not wish to stay in the same career for 30 years, have both contributed to this acceptance. "In some areas it's still not readily accepted," she says. "But, for the most part, people have come to recognize that we continue to grow and learn in life, so we should continue to grow and learn in our careers." She advises that starting over in a new career, especially when one has existing financial needs or obligations, requires homework and hard work. She recommends a series of steps if you are considering such a change: Investigate. Talk to people who are doing what you think you want to do. Once you get under the surface of what appears to be a dream career, you may find that it's not for you. Identify. Once you've pinpointed your next move, identify the skills you will need to be successful in that career. Gardstein knew that moving from a world of secretaries and clerks to a small office where she would be responsible for her own writing, typing and administration, she would need to brush up on her computer skills. Acquire. After you've identified the skills that you need for your new career, go about acquiring them. Take a night class at a community college or sign up for training with a private instructor. Network. Find people who are doing what you want to do and get their advice. In addition, people who know you and are comfortable with your skills may be more likely to give you a shot at a lateral move instead of forcing you to start a new career in an entry level position. Gardstein found her new opportunity through a friend involved with the arts council, which led to a board position and then the opportunity to apply for her current position. O'Connell used her wide network of contacts to shorten the learning curve in starting her own business. Transition. Often, says Kanchier, those who make significant changes in career do so over a period of time. She counsels career-changers to try working part-time in their current profession and part-time at their new venture, if possible. For instance, O'Connell began her outreach and preparation for her new venture while she was still employed with the shopping center. If you work for a smaller company, take advantage of the shortage of good workers to leverage your value to the company into a new position. Finally, counsels Kanchier, be persistent. Making a significant transition may take time and hard work. Look at your move as just the first step and, if it's not the right one, at least it's a step in the right direction. Also see: • Explore online education • Career Planning: 10 practical steps for those too busy to plan • Learn what you love! • Ask Career Coach Kathleen Wells your questions Gwen Moran is a freelance writer and entrepreneur. E-mail her at gwen@BoostYourBiz.com.