It can be difficult to decide to change careers for good. You've already invested so much time and energy into your current career, and that makes it difficult to make the final decision that you're ready to do something radically different. Once you do reach that decision, though, you'll be desperate to find ways to accelerate your move, as you'll feel increasingly out of place in the job that you're currently working in. Taking a number of occupations as examples, this guide will show you how you can accelerate your shift into new careers that might be far more rewarding than the one you're currently in.

Studying

Some new career paths will reward those who have got a qualification from university with a higher-level and better-paid job. Others will absolutely require a university qualification to even contemplate hiring you for an entry-level position. So there are several types of career change that it can be beneficial to plan alongside an application to a university course. 

Now, you'd be forgiven for sitting there and thinking: "aren't university courses years and years long? That doesn't sound very accelerated to me." But the truth is that there are several programs out there that are built to fast-track you through training and education in order to give you the skills you need to get on with the job in a new career. 

One of those, and a great example of how this can work, is the accelerated nurse's program. Usually, a course that can take a number of years to complete, you can squash the essentials into just a year of study. Study an ABSN online in order to get the all-important qualification that you'll need to propel you into a nurse's career. These courses, of course, exist for other career paths that you might also be interested in. 

Networking

They might say that it's what you know that dictates your career, but most people who've been there and done that know that it's really who you know that matters. There are hundreds of tales in the autobiographies of the world's most successful business people that expound on this. Many admit that if they hadn't known a certain person, they'd never have gotten to their current position. Some were lucky to meet them, but most actually put in the hours to build a contact book that could be beneficial to their careers. 

You really do make your own luck. If you never attend industry conferences and you tend to shun social events at work, you're unlikely to ever come into contact with the types of people who might be able to grant you quick access to another job. If you fail to add new acquaintances on LinkedIn and you don't take an interest in the fields and sectors that interest you, you'll not have a network that you can turn to when you want to change careers. 

On the flip-side, those who work to develop a contact book might be able to pluck out a phone number at short notice to ask if there's a role going in a radically different organization. That's exactly the sort of break that can really accelerate your move into a new career. 

Applications

Applications to different jobs might feel like the slowest route to getting a new job. You're likely used to filling in endless sheets and data in order to apply for each job you're interested in, including tailoring your resume and your cover letter to suit the role you're applying for. It's tedious, and the majority of recruitment offices don't even get back in touch to tell you what they thought of your application. 

Clearly, this is not an efficient system, and it's one that can often disappoint. It's actually a far wiser strategy to get in touch directly with senior professionals at the firms you're most interested in working for, regardless of whether they're currently hiring. That will show your initiative in finding someone to contact, and it'll give you an opportunity to explain why you're looking to change careers and why this is a company you're motivated to join. 

That really does have an effect on hiring professionals. They'll take your application far more seriously if they know that you're ambitious and that you have your heart set on a role at their firm. It'll save you time and could accelerate you straight into a position in the kind of company you long to work for. 

Training

Other than going back to college or university to retrain in a new skill or vocation, there are other educational opportunities out there that can get you into a new career quickly. One of them is through training, which your current employer should be offering staff on a regular basis - and for free. These training opportunities may not come around all that often, but if you request certain training programs, you're likely to be granted that access to new knowledge. 

It's via training in different skills that you'll broaden your experience and widen the skills that you can place on your resume. Make sure you're always learning something new in your current role, even if you're certain you'd like to leave it. The more experience you can bring to bear when you're searching for new roles in a different career, the more likely you'll be to persuade hiring officials that you're a well-rounded candidate with several transferable skills to bring to the table. 

Some of the most essential triaging programs are in the digital world. If you can train to code or to understand web or software development, that can be particularly helpful for your next career. Other digital skills, such as editing, social media management, and analysis, can also set you in good stead for your next career. 

Career Fairs

Some people have never attended a career fair, while others rarely miss an opportunity to go to them. The reason career fairs exist is to give people a wide range of different career options, showing them ways into those careers and giving them leaflets and information that'll help them decide where they want to go next with their skills, their time, and their effort. Many career fairs will take place in your area each year. 

Getting yourself to one of these fairs has a number of benefits. For one, you'll be able to quiz the people at the stands of each employer about the roles they have on offer, what they're looking for in a candidate, and how you can apply. But it's often more useful to simply explore, have conversations, and really select the next career that you want to work towards. 

Applying for jobs that are unrelated and have no through-thread can leave you disillusioned and demotivated. If you instead discover a real passion at a careers fair, that can really add a booster pack to your job applications, giving you an extra way to hone your search and feel more passionate about your future career. 

Counseling

Some individuals spend so long in a career that doesn't suit them that they feel that their motivation has completely deserted them. This is far from an uncommon experience, with a large cohort of people reporting some form of dissatisfaction at work. These low feelings in the workplace can translate to everything from self-esteem and confidence to your energy levels and your social life. 

If you feel that you're suffering silently in a career that's dragging you down and making you feel worthless, you should consider talking to a counselor. These individuals are out there to tease out the sources of your frustration or your ennui, giving you the tools you'll need to emerge from this malaise and get yourself into a better career. 

Careers counselors are also at hand to give you particular advice and tips that'll help you to change careers. They're especially good at asking you about the things you enjoy the most and whether they are things you'll find in alternative careers. These prompts can help you to find a new career fast. 

Friends and Family

As well as a designated counsellor, never forget that your friends and family also have your very best interests at heart. If they don't know the you're struggling at work, it's certainly worth telling those that you trust that you're having a hard them. They'll be able to offer you emotional support, but some may also have some practical and helpful advice - or even positions - to offer you regarding your next career. 

Beyond that, friends and family will also have a large collective network of colleagues, friends, acquaintances, in-laws, and people they often see down the local cafe. All of these contacts may have something to offer you in the world of work. For instance, if you tell your network that you're deeply interested in becoming a journalist, it's almost a given that someone will have a friend in that sector that they can put you in touch with.

If you're ever short of inspiration and hope, it's always worth looking to your friends and family. They're there to pick you up when you're feeling down and to direct you to resources and possibilities you might not yet have considered. 

Private Reading

When you get home at night, what do you tend to do? If you're straight onto Netflix, you may be missing a vital opportunity to actually get ahead in your career change through active learning that you can do online. There are literally millions of educational resources online, and all of them can offer you a route out of your current career and a path into a new one - and many of them are even free. Consider, for instance:

• YouTube, where there are lecturers and tutorials that cover every subject under the sun

• News sites, which often report on the kinds of stories you might need to know about for your next career

• Online journals which look at different industries and report on the new opportunities within them

• Educational websites which are designed to present key educational resources to adults

• Online web courses, which often leave you with a certified qualification upon their completion

So, when you get home in the evening, when you have your hour's lunch break, or even when you're on your commute, a couple of extra hours of private study can help you to learn the skills you need to get a new job in a totally different sector and field. 

Work Experience

The downside to work experience is that it often doesn't pay - and if it does, it'll pay a very low rate for your time. The upside is that it exposes you to new career paths that might end up being those that you eventually choose as your new career. You can take work experience in most fields, and it's via these experiences that you'll be able to make a calm and informed decision about the direction of your career. You'll also make contacts in a variety of fields, which certainly helps when it comes to applying for jobs.

You can find work experience opportunities by asking around at local businesses or by searching online. You might also be able to ask contacts in your network if they can expose you to the work they're doing for a day or two in the week. Don't be afraid to ask, as you have nothing to lose. One question can lead you into an exciting new career. 

Attitude

Finally, this will leave you with a tip about attitude. Even when the going gets tough and you're beginning to regret your decision to change careers, never forget what made you take that decision in the first place. Try to keep motivated by imagining how much happier and more fulfilled you're going to be when you finally find your place in the career that you know will suit you perfectly. 

It can be a long journey to finding your future career after a decision to change career paths, but using the steps we've outlined above can certainly help bring that happier and more fulfilled future closer to you. Do try some of them in order to accelerate your move into a new career.