A big mistake many people make is prematurely leaving their jobs out of frustration before securing the next. Sometimes, moving on to a similar role in the same industry is all it takes to put a professional smile back on your dial, but if a completely new career is in order then a small amount of patience goes a long way.

While many gigs today don’t require a degree, and plenty offer great on-the-job training, having a look at your options for sticking a new certificate on the wall is never a bad idea. There’s a multitude of ways to study almost anything you like, and even more ways to enter a new industry while you study in the meantime.

One of the biggest hurdles when applying for a job in a new field is submitting a lengthy résumé with zero relevant experience. This is where being concise and precise in your language is key. There’s seldom any need for a résumé to be longer than a single page; use the lack of experience in a new field as an opportunity to use that extra (precious) real estate on the page to briefly discuss your past achievements, and how these apply to your new career, without boring the HR department with every single gold star you’ve ever received.

Once you’ve made the decision, taken the right steps and are ready to dive into the deep end, remember that the new challenge has only just started. While the professional ball might now lie in your court, setting yourself up for a win can be as easy as making some things less stressful. NAB’s handy guide and tips on changing jobs, as well as their explaining the financial implications of doing so, makes transitioning to a new job as seamless as possible.