Changing careers is uncomfortable, but these days it’s sometimes necessary. If you’re contemplating a switch, the Ladders website has some tips for overcoming these common obstacles:

• A new network. Don’t abandon your current network when you move on to a new industry. Find out if any current contacts have connections in the industry you’d like to join. Use them to build a new network.

• Irrelevant skills. You may have to master new skills to make a change. Start by making a list of your current hard and soft skills. Many of these may transfer. Highlight these as you conduct your job search. Emphasize that you’re actively working to fill in your gaps when you talk to employers.

• Money issues. Be prepared to take a pay cut as you start over. Build up your emergency fund ahead of time, pay down your debt, and establish a budget you can stick to in the early days.