My brother-in-law recently decided to change careers. He was in a job at a financial institution, a job my husband had gotten him, and a very good job at that. But he often got frustrated with the job, which was to set up retirement plans for companies.

My brother-in-law used to be a cop, so granted an office job was a big change for him. But we were all dismayed when he announced he was going to the Middle East as a private security contractor. Not exactly what we had in mind when he said he was considering a career change!

I wish he would have considered a different type of career — something a little more, you know, safe. He could have gone to school for a mortgage education to get the licensing and qualifications he needed to become a mortgage broker, for example. He could have even transferred to another position in the same company he was at — something more people oriented, for instance.

His choices demonstrate how important it is to consider what you are doing before making a major career change. Think about how it will affect the rest of your life, and consider whether this is really the career that you want. And if you aren’t sure, don’t make any decisions that you can’t reverse later on!

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