Thinking about changing careers? You aren't alone. In fact, one out of four of us is either contemplating a career change or is searching for a new one.

Small wonder—recent job satisfaction survey performed by The Conference Board (a non-profit organization devoted to disseminating information about management trends) shows that only 14% of U.S. workers are "very satisfied" and that a quarter of employees are "just showing up to collect a paycheck."¹ Did you know that people entering the workforce today will on average switch careers three to five times, and change jobs seven to 15 times? Welcome to the new world of work in America!

Career switching is becoming commonplace, not only for those who've just entered the workforce, but increasingly among workers midway through their careers—folk who have plenty of experience in a single industry. During a recent "Money Matters" radio program, a man from New York confessed, "I am 40 years old, have 20 years in public service in local government, and am back in college to get a degree in financial services. I'd like to become a certified financial planner and long-term want to move into investment banking. Is this feasible at this time in my life?"

Yes, even for someone with 20 years of experience in another field, it is possible to make the switch. In our rapidly changing economy, sometimes it becomes necessary for survival. Unfortunately, there are no quick answers about how to make a career change successfully. What I can offer are practical tips and three Biblical principles which have proven helpful in guiding many others through their tenuous journeys into new careers.

The First Principle: What to Do When Standing at a Crossroads

"This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls…"      Jeremiah 6:16

Crossroads are decisive moments in our lives and if we let them, they can produce a lot of anxiety. Our natural tendency while standing at a crossroads is to either flee or run through as fast as possible. But notice the verbs in this verse: 1) stand, 2) look and ask, 3) walk.

The first guiding principle when contemplating a career change is to look and ask. Take time to analyze yourself and your situation. Why do you want another career? Is the issue your job, or is it you? Do you want to make a change because workplace relationships seem askew? Does your boss behave badly? Or, are you behaving badly? How about workload—does the workload intrude on family time and make maintaining good relationships difficult?

Part of looking and asking is examining your responsibilities and skill sets. The things that you do best (and think outside the workplace on this one)—are they the same skills your employer needs most? How about the level of challenge? Do your responsibilities either overwhelm or not challenge enough? Is the industry declining or jobs being outsourced? Perhaps your family has grown and requires more money, or caring for aging parents necessitates more flexibility in work schedule.

Whatever the reason, make a list of your thoughts and get input from others. Most importantly, hold it up to God in prayer. As the Lord shows you the good way, walk in it. Do not respond as Israelites did in Jeremiah 6:16: "But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'" Trust and obey, even if it means not changing jobs.

Dave Frakes applied the principle of standing, looking and asking. He describes his mid-life career transition as "a blinding flash" even though it took several months. After seven years in management, the organization for which Dave worked went through a merger and re-organization. "One morning I came to work at 8, and by 9, my job was eliminated."

Dave says, "I had to re-assess where I was in my life and my career. I re-tested my skills and personality. It showed the same results as before, but with some subtle changes. I started asking for input—the best of which came from my spouse who knows me better than anyone else, and course, I bounced ideas off my friends. Educating kept coming up. I had always done some, but never full-time. Among other odd jobs, I tried substitute teaching in a high school and liked the environment with students. Then a job opened up at a college in my town. I got the job, tried it, and that experience clinched it. It was a hand-in-glove fit for me. This January a full-time position as an instructor at Toccoa Falls College and teach a variety of courses in the School of Communications."

So, how did Dave know that this was the right path, as the verse says? Dave explains, "God confirmed it in my spirit. I either have peace or no peace. I laid it out before Him, and He gave me peace and granted me success immediately. I really like interacting with students, and helping others be all they can be—spiritually first, then educationally and relationally. My gifts are not for me; they are for other people. If I am not using them, I am not being a good steward of what God has given me."

The Second Principle: Employ Your Gifts

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."     1 Peter 4:10

Explore, educate and employ your gifts in service to others. Discover your gifts which include abilities, skills and talents. What do you do well? Uncover your passions. What do you like doing? What do lose all sense of time doing? And, what are your values—the people, places or things that are worth living and dying for?

The overlap of your gifts and passions is your "sweet spot." They are more than the skills you take from one job to another. Your sweet spot is the unique place in your fabric where what you have to give is not only your best, but it's also what you enjoy and value most.

Ainsley Amundsen learned the importance of aligning her gifts and passions when she burned out from her career as a physical therapist. Ainsley's career began with a master's degree in physical therapy and accelerated over seven years to a job in spinal cord injury rehabilitation.

Ainsley explains that her job had become physically and mentally exhausting. "My full-time job began to absorb my whole life. I wanted to do something else, but my biggest fear was not knowing where to go. My undergraduate degree was in biomedical sciences, and I knew I didn't want to work in a lab!"

"Then I heard about a career study course in a nearby church, so I went to see what it was all about. A friend was going through the same type of job burnout, so we went to the studies together. It became apparent that God gifted me with administration skills and interests. I had suspected I had these gifts, but wasn't sure where else I could use them. Going into an administrative career just didn't seem reasonable after all my schooling. Honestly, I thought I would be letting myself and my parents down with that kind of switch.

"I got an email from a woman who was leaving her administrative assistant job at our church and read the e-mail out loud to my roommate, who said, 'That's you!' I called and after going through a long interview process, took the job. It was great that the process was long, because it gave me time to figure out if I could deal with the emotions that come along with changing careers.

"The position proved to be ideal. I am working with the church I love using the skills God gave me. It has been three years, and I'm a very content administrative assistant at my church. The work challenges me every day, and I am put in positions where skills in administration, organization, analysis, and project management are asked for and needed.

"A lot my friends in their early 30s have gone through similar experiences. They get out of school and start in a job for which they were educated only to find it does not fit. I really benefited from the process of exploring the skills and talents given me, exposing myself to what else is out there, and talking through my feelings with others who understood. I see now how the gifts God gave me have been used in both of my careers. It was just a matter of finding a job where I could feel that inner peace—something that used my gifts and satisfied my soul."

The Third Principle: Our Work, Prepared in Advance

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."     Ephesians 2:10

I am always stunned by this verse, not because it says I am God's workmanship created in Christ for good works, but because it says He prepared works for me beforehand so that I might walk in them.

This changes everything when it comes to changing careers. It means that we are not to be looking for jobs or careers that satisfy ourselves or simply which pay the most. It tells us that we should be looking for work He has prepared for us—not jobs, not careers, but work He has prepared for us.

The story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 is a great example of career planning God's way. Joseph starts as favorite son of a wealthy farmer, is sold to gypsies, becomes a servant in a captain's home, is thrown into prison but is promoted from prisoner to the warden's helper, and finally is appointed as Egypt's prime minister. That's quite a career! What was his secret? He obeyed God in the work He had prepared for Joseph.

Imagine transitioning from an IT project manager to a private investigator (PI). Art Buhrman discovered after 9/11 that the work God had prepared in advance for him to was private investigation. Three months after the tragedy, Art lost his job as project manager at a major computer software company. Part of his severance package included outplacement services, so he attended a career ministry at his church.

Art says, "I started a list of my strengths and skills from my past experience and from assessment tests. They pointed to a career I'd always been interested in: private investigation. But I wondered, from IT to PI? I have strengths in IT analyzing data and interviewing people to understand their system requirements and I had bank auditing experience from a prior job, but how exactly did that fit private investigation?"

Art started attending classes in private investigation and interrogation, and found that his skills were totally transferable. He says, "I knew I was good at writing reports and would have no problem testifying in court." As part of his exploration, Art called a local investigator "just to pick his brain for a half-hour and learn about the business." Ninety minutes later, Art had a mentor and future business partner.

Three years later, Art has found a growth niche in his PI work. He has become a Certified Fraud Examiner, a licensed private investigator, and owns a PI company. He is preparing to build his company and to hire other people. Art talks with great enthusiasm about his work and how he is helping people. "I have the gift of caring and helping the down-trodden. God gave me a knack for uncovering evidence in cases and knowing when people are lying. Three years ago, I would have never guessed that I could be doing what I am now doing. My wife told me when this all started, 'Don't worry, God has something better for you!' She was right. God has me right where He wants me."

If you are contemplating a career change follow the three principles found in Jeremiah 6:16, 1 Peter 4:10 and Ephesians 2:10. Stand at the crossroads and first look and ask. Then, walk in the path of work Christ has prepared in advance for you to do, even if it means no change. God has not only given you passion, but talents and abilities to harness that passion to benefit others. Remember, your work is divinely designed to meet others' needs, bring you satisfaction, and give God the ultimate glory.

Brian Ray is the founder of CareerTIP® Network and Crossroads Career® Network, a church-based program to help people through crossroads in their careers. Ray is a regular guest on Crown Financial Ministry's Money Matters radio program. He and his wife are happily married with four children and seven grandchildren. You can reach Brian at brian@CareerTIP.net.

[1] The Conference Board, "U.S. Job Satisfaction Keeps Falling, The Conference Board Reports Today" Feb. 28, 2005. Retrieved from http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=2582