The 6 most important steps you need to take to successfully change careers, according to coaches and real people who’ve done it

• Making a career change isn’t easy, but it’s certainly not impossible.
• In fact, we interviewed several people who did it and came out the other side unscathed.
• These experts, as well as career coaches, suggested that before you officially start your job search you begin your transition by researching your options, going on “trial runs,” and conducting informational interviews.
• “Buy them coffee and ask them about their workdays, their responsibilities, and what they enjoy and are challenged by in their positions,” Vincenzo Repaci, a senior coach at LOVR Atlantic, said. “If you don’t like the destination, don’t get on the boat.”

Career transitions are not for the faint of heart. Overhauling your entire daily routine – along with jeopardizing your income stream – requires a strategic approach, a clear vision of what you really want, and nerves of steel. 

But by following some tested advice from career experts and job revisionists who’ve been there and done that, you can navigate your new professional reality much more smoothly. 

Follow the six steps below to first figure out what you want to do, and then actually pursue it.

Step 1: Research your options