If coming into work on Mondays makes you cringe, then it's definitely time for a career change. And if you're ready to make a career change into a new role, company, or industry then this article is for you. There are five critical steps on the "Career Change Checklist", and when you complete all of them, you're much more likely to experience a successful transition quickly and easily.

1. Define your career goals.

Is it fame? Money? Prestige? More free time? More responsibility? Bigger clients? Bigger title? Respect? You need to know what it is that will really make you happy BEFORE you go searching for another job. Otherwise, the grass won't be greener. It will just be more grass.

Let's say you know exactly what you want that will give you a richer career life. Now, I want you to think about the "conditions" of the work that you need to be satisfied. Do you need flexible hours? A 20-minute or less commute time? Stock? Bonuses? A great health plan? More creative projects? Highly valued projects? Highly visible projects? More prestigious clients? Bigger clients? Clients in a different industry?

The more clearly you can articulate what you ultimately want in your career, and the conditions of a job you need for you to be satisfied and more fulfilled, the more likely you are to achieve your dream job.

2. Create an integrated job search strategy.

Since applying on the Internet for job openings is so easy, everyone does it. So you must have an integrated ON-LINE and OFF-LINE job search strategy to achieve your dream job.

Apply on job search websites such as CareerBuilder.com, Jobing.com, etc., but also make a targeted list of companies and check out their website job postings. Also, research their blogs, Google them, and talk to employees.

Find out as much as you can about the positions for which they are hiring and the skills, experience, and training required for the position you want.

Also, check out job postings in your local newspaper, business journals, specialized trade publications, and industry magazines and websites. Not only could you find jobs that interest you, but you can also see patterns for what the "hot jobs" are, and which industries and companies are hiring.

Finally, make a plan to attend at least two professional functions each week such as industry conferences, trade shows, training seminars, association meetings, or business networking events. If networking makes you uncomfortable, here are a few questions you could ask someone to get the conversation rolling...

a. What line of work are you in?
b. Do you like your job?
c. How did you get your job?

In the FIRST conversation, the goal is to establish if there's a connection. Be natural and let the conversation flow naturally. Also, be prepared to give your elevator pitch which is a 30-45-second answer to the question, "What do you do for a living?" Make sure that you have a well prepared, specific, and results oriented response.

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