March 29, 2007 1:53 PM

Seeking a big change? Start here.
Posted by Douglas Eisenhartat 1:53 PM

There are days, God knows, when you drag yourself into the office, look around and ask yourself whether you're in the right career. Not job. Career. Pay attention to that impulse: It might be more than just Monday-morning grousing. Maybe you've been in your field long enough to tell that you don't love what you're doing, and won't ever. Or maybe you've built enough financial cushion that you can finally afford to pursue a career that excites your passions, no matter the paycheck.

Does that sound like you? Read on, Macduff.

Thanks to the good folks at MONEY magazine and Salary.com, here's a great collection of articles and ideas for folks seriously contemplating a career change:

. . .[I]f serious change is seriously on you mind, welcome to the movement. About 60% of more than 12,000 people who answered a MONEY and Salary.com survey said they were considering switching careers or had recently done so, echoing economists' forecasts that the multiple-career work life is about to become the rule. That's where MONEY's second annual Best Jobs in America report can help. This year we sought out the best jobs for anyone ready to change careers, seeking the best combination of pay, security, job satisfaction and match to the kind of skills you'd be bringing from your current job.

Helpfully, they've broken their advice into four different categories, depending on where you are on life's path:

You're young and restless

You're a parent returning to work

You've retired from the military

You're over 50

A lot to absorb and ponder, so we'll let you get on with it.