Preparing for a Career Change: a Step-by-Step Guide for 2026 | Coursera

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Start moving toward your dream career with clarity by defining your goals and building your action plan.
A career pivot can be an exciting– though also nerve-wracking– time in your professional and personal life.
A successful career change takes into account your current interests, values, aspirations, and skills that align with who you are today.
A career change is possible at any age as long as you account for the time it takes.
You can build new skills for a career change through certifications, certificates, or even going back to school.
Learn about five steps to creating a practical plan to guide your next career move. Afterward, if you want to learn essential career development skills, consider enrolling in Kennesaw State University's Career Development Specialization. Throughout this beginner-friendly, three-course series, you'll have an opportunity to learn how to analyze your strengths and discover ways to make your resume shine while building skills such as negotiation, business research, social media strategy, and goal setting.
A successful career change relies on more than a masterful resume and clear cover letter (though those can help). If you want to settle into a career path that feels more aligned with your interests and preferences, it's important to deeply understand your career aspirations and values. We break this discovery and planning process down into five broad steps:
Assess your current career.
Clarify your career goals.
Research potential careers.
Read job descriptions.
Define your course of action.
Sometimes, your desire for change can appear before you understand what you want to change. With honest self-reflection, you can determine the right changes for you.
Think specifically about what you like about your current or previous position and the aspects you feel ready to leave behind. With this type of assessment, you can start to create a more exact picture of a better path for you.
Here are a few questions that may help you gain clarity:
How satisfied do you feel in your current role? For example, you may enjoy the daily tasks, but see no room for advancement.
What are your values, and how does your current job align with those? For example, you may value creativity and free expression and seek more opportunities to explore these in a new role.
What is leading you to make a career change? For example, your industry might be changing, you might crave new challenges, opportunities to pursue your passions, or more flexibility.
What are your concerns? For example, will you need special training or education to qualify for a new career? Would you have to give up some perks you’re used to in your current job?
Learn more about success, how to define it for yourself, and how to develop a plan to achieve it in the University of Pennsylvania's Success course, part of their Achieving Personal Success and Professional Success Specialization.
Understanding what you’d like to experience in this next stage of your career can help you focus your efforts. Think broadly about the type of life you'd like to live. Picture, step-by-step, what your perfect day would look like. What would you do? How would you feel? Where would you go? Who would you see?
Your professional life is part of your life. The values and goals that guide your daily movements are likely connected to your values and goals in other areas of your life. Consider how your career can fit into or enable your desired life.
Here are some questions that can help you imagine a more optimal career scenario:
What lifestyle, flexibility, and work-life balance would you like to experience?
What skills do you have that you’d like to continue using?
What kind of tasks, projects, and initiatives would you like to be involved in?
What kind of company would you like to work for? What qualities are you looking for, including size, values, culture, products, and services?
What kind of leadership or advancement opportunities would you like to be considered for?
What are your salary goals?
Consider working with a career coach if you want additional support during the reflection process or your career transition. Career coaches are trained professionals who help people assess their career options and determine the best way forward.
Explore some in-demand career paths with these articles:
• What Two-Year Degree Jobs Are in Demand? 5 Jobs to Consider
• Are Cybersecurity Jobs in Demand?
• 10 Remote Work From Home Jobs That Pay Well
• 10 Entry-Level IT Jobs and What You Can Do to Get Hired
• Your Guide to Landing an Entry-Level Marketing Job
• 12 Jobs for Veterans in 4 In-Demand Industries
Next, begin researching careers that align with your goals. It may help to create a checklist with your ideal career criteria to compare potential career paths to your desired outcomes quickly.
Start by scouring resources such as Glassdoor and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to gather general information about new careers, such as the average salary, projected job growth, typical educational background, and so on. Identify two or three potential careers that seem to match your passions and interests and may contribute to the lifestyle you want.