Changing careers can be a very difficult, especially in this uncertain economy. Your reason for changing careers will have a lot to do with how well you transition. Are you changing industries or just positions? Are you staying with the same company or moving to another organization all together? Have you made this decision because you want a change of pace or is the change based on unemployment?

In human nature it is a given when we are forced to take an action not otherwise considered, resentment may become a factor. Your attitude towards your career change will make or break your experience. Be sure you are at peace about the decision. Even if it is not your decision try to accept the potential benefits that will come from the change. Common career changes include industry change; position change and entrepreneurship.

Changing industries can be the most complicated. If you have 5, 10, 15 or 20+ years working in a particular industry, you might feel out of your comfort zone in a new industry. Not to worry however. If you are going to a new industry with the same position or title, then you will only have to become familiar with a new commodity and company. In such cases your acquired skills are transferable and the transition will be a smooth one for you. Your focus will be to learn and understand the product or service your new company offers. If your new position and company have nothing to do with your experience then you will need to prove how your experience and education can be used to succeed in the new role.

A new position within the same company or the same industry is the easiest of career changes to make. This means you already have a solid understanding of your industry and will only have to become more familiar with a new aspect of the business. Moving laterally within a company, adds to your overall experience, creates job security and keeps your benefits in place. You now meet the requirements for your old position and the new one. In addition, it always looks good on a resume to show that you took on more than one role in a company. Though a lateral move might not come with more pay or perks, it will certainly give you a new perspective, challenge and perhaps keep you employed if your old department is being phased out.

Entrepreneurship isn’t normally considered a career change, but it is. If for any reason you have decided to leave your full time or part time position to start your own business, then you are indeed changing careers. You may be branching off from your current occupation, or a side gig has turned into a full time opportunity. A career change to entrepreneurship can be extremely smooth if you were conducting business part time before taking to the next level. If your venture is brand new, be sure to conduct a lot of research.

There are many free job search resources available in any community. This is the case in either a large or small city. One of the ways you can search for a job is to attend a job fair. At a job fair you can visit with many different employers seeking to hire new candidates. Job fairs offer you an opportunity to talk to the people in the know. Employers are just waiting to answer your questions. It’s easy to get caught up in the crowds and the confusion. Here’s how to improve your job hunting results when you attend a job fair.

Look over the floor plan of the job fair. Mark out those employers that you have an interest in and plan the most efficient way to visit each one. This way you’ll be able to spend more time with those that interest you rather than wandering throughout the entire job fair. With time left over browse the other employers, you never know when you may come upon something that interests you.

Write out a list of questions to ask the employer’s representatives. Try to put together a list of questions specific to each employer. If the information is already on the web site, don’t waste your time trying to stump the employer’s representative. Look for information on the organization’s work place culture, future plans and career progressions. If the particular employer has no openings that fit your skills and career plan ask for referrals. The employer’s representatives are in the recruiting business and may be aware of other openings that fit your skill levels and job requirements. Get the name of the representative and their phone number and email address.

Take notes of each conversation. You will be talking to so many people that your notes will help you later if you elect to follow-up with a specific employer. If possible, don’t just drop off a resume. Get a copy of the job announcement, and with the information learned at the job fair, draft a specific cover letter, with appropriate changes in your resume, and then mail the application packet to the employer. This way your cover letter and resume will closely fit the announced needs of the employer. Your chances of getting a favorable decision to advance to the next step just went up.

Many job fairs have informational workshops. Check the schedule on all the workshops and make sure to attend all that are of interest. Be prepared to ask general job hunting questions at these workshops. They are generally a good source of job hunting strategies, especially if seem stuck in a job hunting rut. At the end of the job fair, you’ll have a briefcase full of information, and hopefully a number of employers that have job openings that fit your skill set. If anyone helped give you a possible job referral send them a thank you note. Begin immediately writing appropriate cover letters and redrafted your resume to submit for possible job openings.