by Mark Gleason

photo by StartupStockPhotos

Q: I just left the corporate world hoping to find a more rewarding second career. However, I don’t have a plan and don’t know where to start. Can you help with a “quick start” guide to get me moving in the right direction? —Susan, Chicago

Brian Kurth responds:

For starters, Susan, you should have drawn out your action plan before you left your job. Sorry, I’m just being honest. That being said, it’s not at all too late to create one. Step 1 of my Eight Steps To A Successful Career Transition will help you in “Defining What is a Great Job.”  Then, moving through Step 2’s “Facing One’s Fears,” you’ll be ready for Step 3 on how to “Create an Action Plan.” Take what you learned in Step 1 and Step 2 and apply it to Step 3 to help you effectively develop this plan. Keep  following this transition process through Step 8, and you’ll have a great foundation from which to move forward.

Brian Kurth is founder and president of Pivotplanet, a career coaching firm, and also of VocationVacations, a firm that arranges a few “vacation” days on the job—on your dream job, that is—in a real company or organization, so you can get a firsthand feel for a profession that you’ve been considering. He also is the author of “Test-Drive Your Dream Job: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding and Creating the Work You Love.”