I always give this advice in my workshops. Inevitably, a workshop participant will say that he or she is not able to give up everything to volunteer or intern -- that there is a family to feed or bills to pay. My response is always the same: If you want to change careers or find your work passion, you must first do the work. If you were planning to buy a new car, you would set aside money a little at a time to make that dream a reality. Similarly, you would spend time talking to other car owners, researching the cars, and test driving them. Isn't your life's work entitled to at least that much consideration and preplanning?

Here's what I recommend:

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

QuintZine regular contributor Maureen Crawford Hentz, an independent career and HR consultant, has been working with career seekers for nine years, and has master's degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University. A popular conference lecturer, she specializes in large and small specially designed workshops for professional organizations, students and environmental groups. Her most popular career workshops address topics including: Non-Verbal Techniques To Use During an Interview; Powerful Resumes; and Interviewing Etiquette You've Never Even Thought About. She has a particular interest in job searching techniques for differently-abled candidates, new grads and career changers. Proving that you never have to settle for just one career, in addition to her consulting work, Maureen is also the director of volunteer programs and Internships at the New England Aquarium, Boston and an instructor of American culture at Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture.

by Maureen Crawford Hentz