AOL Find a Job

It's 6:30 p.m. on a weekday evening, and you settle into your chair to enjoy a relaxing dinner. You're startled when the telephone rings. A feeling of dread comes over you as the phone's harsh trill reminds you that all is not right in your world. Someone is after you and he wants your money. You recognize the number displayed on the caller ID. It's the same bill collector who's been calling your home for the past two weeks. You realize you can't escape and you finally answer the phone. Does this scenario sound familiar?

Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

This "finding a career" thing is tricky business.

You go to college and major in one thing -- but find yourself in a job opposite from what you spent four years studying. Or, you land a job that's exactly in line with your college major -- but discover it's not what you had in mind. Or even still, you score a gig doing what you love and are content for many years -- until you get bored and want to make a switch.

So what happens to the experience you've gained from your current job and those before it? What about the hours, years and dollars spent studying this vocation in school? Do you really have to start at square one if you decide to drastically switch careers?

Not at all. Your past experience turns into transferable skills; you just have to learn to recognize and sell them to employers.

Need help? Here's everything you need to know about identifying, applying and marketing your transferable skills.

Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

Have you been feeling like it's time for a big change lately?

Do you get the sense that your career is not the right fit for you?

If you're feeling frustrated, unchallenged and unfulfilled in your work, the time might be right for you to make a major change. Changing professions, however, is not something to do without some serious thought and consideration, says Robin Ryan, Seattle-based career counselor and author of What to Do with the Rest of Your Life (Fireside, 2002).

Ryan offers these five keys to help you weigh your career options and make a decision.

By N. Bhatta

Your resume is glowing and once you're in the interview room you can certainly talk the talk...but can you walk the walk? No matter how amazing your accolades or stellar your past salaries seem, if you're shuffling into the room in this competitive job market, you may be slowing down your chances of landing a high-profiled job. Give thought to your current glide and check out the advice below to see what your walk says about you.

By CareerBuilder.com

To ace the interview you need to know how the interviewer thinks. In his book 'Knock 'em Dead: The Ultimate Job Seeker's Guide,' author and job-hunting guru Martin Yate examines the interview from the employer's perspective and shares the five secrets to getting hired.