So, you’ve been a baker all your life but now you want to be a candlestick-maker. Changing jobs is tricky enough, but shifting careers is another matter. Irene Krechowiecka offers expert advice on making the leap

We’re all used to the idea that no job is for life and many of us move frequently between employers with relative ease. But changing careers completely is a bigger and much more complex decision – and one a lot of iVillagers are grappling with. As the iVillage Careers expert I’ve received lots of questions from women of all ages looking for a complete change and wondering where to start.

We’ve had queries from people who’ve spent anything from two to twenty years in a job. The biggest hurdle they all face is financial. A complete career change often means retraining and that has financial implications. As well as paying for courses to build up new skills you have to consider lost earnings and the prospect of a lower starting salary in your new profession. It’s also difficult to give up the security of being in a job (even one that isn’t satisfying) for the unknown.

It would be easy to encourage everyone to go for their dream regardless of cost, but that’s not realistic if you need to keep earning. But don’t despair. It’s not impossible to change career and provide for yourself at the same time, though it may take longer than it would if money were no problem. If you’re prepared to think laterally and make some compromises on the way you’ll get there.

You can’t afford not to make changes once you admit you’re working in the wrong place.

For those without independent means, here are some practical solutions to nudge your career towards your dream job:

• Look at how your current employer might be able to help. If they have different aspects to their operations, would retraining for a new role with them satisfy you? If your relationship is good they may be willing to invest in developing you so you can stay working for them.
  
  
• Many of the professions that are currently experiencing a shortage of skilled workers are prepared to be more flexible in their recruitment. Areas where you can get paid whilst you train include teaching, nursing and other professions in the health service.
  
  
• Where there are shortages but no formal recruitment and training schemes, you can try to set something up for yourself. If someone you’d really like to work for is having trouble finding staff, see if they’d be interested in taking you on as a trainee. Convince them by showing your knowledge of, and passion for, their business. Few employers can resist that. And even a basic trainee salary is better than no money at all or taking a loan to pay for retraining.
  
  
• Investigate part-time training, distance learning and online courses that you can combine with your present job. Doing training in your own time shows commitment and will help convince future employers that this was a decision you thought about carefully and then followed through.

• Contact the student services section of your local college or university to find out about courses and financial help available for mature students. They have funds of their own as well as information on educational charities and other organisations that make grants to people who would otherwise find it impossible to return to learning. Even small amounts can make all the difference.
  
  
• Your local college should also be able to tell you more about Individual Learning Accounts. These give ‘starter incentives’ of £150 and discounts of up to 80% to help with the cost of training. You can find out more about which courses are eligible on www.my.ila.com.
  
  
• Investigate voluntary work opportunities in your area. Relevant experience can be just as valuable as qualifications and many voluntary organisations offer training. The contacts you make through such work can be a great help towards a career shift.
  
  
• Think wider. If the job you really want is out of your reach there will be other areas of work that offer the same satisfaction but are easier to move into. If, for example, you desperately want to be a vet but do not have the qualifications/time/money to do the necessary degree courses, look at other work with animals. This might be veterinary nursing, work in kennels, catteries, stables, zoos, animal welfare organisations or training guide dogs for the blind. Broadening your original idea could throw up some interesting options.

Good luck with your shift!

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For more advice on Choosing a Career visit iVillage.co.uk