Andrea Kay, a renowned career consultant recognizes that making a change causes discomfort and facing up to who you are and who you can become is a momentous break in the routine of those in a career rut. "Changing careers is not just switching jobs," Kay advises. "It's about searching inside yourself and then searching for work that fits that self."

In her book, Life's a Bitch and then You Change Careers, Kay presents her time-tested, nine-step program for career changers of every age and level of accomplishment. She shows readers how to create a career that fits their life and who they are through a process that begins with readers doing some soul-searching to define a career objective that's based on who they are, not what others think they should be. The author then offers a methodical plan for successfully making the shift, addressing every issue from research and training to networking and interviewing to ultimately landing that new job.

So if your current career is not what you want, it's time to make a change. Life's a Bitch and then You Change Careers is a good resource with a process that will help you ask the tough questions and face the change, which really isn't as daunting as you fear.

Life's a Bitch and then You Change Careers and many other ExecuNet recommended career resources can be found on the ExecuNet Career Bookshelf.