We then set out on a career path with a clear starting point, a vague mid point and beyond that often a complete unknown.

Any thought of a subsequent career change is often put off. Instead promotions follow, headhunters call, offers are accepted and life goes on.

Then at some point, often triggered by a major birthday or a material change in personal circumstances or a significant external event such as redundancy, we reach a "career crossroads" when the idea of a career change becomes ever more attractive.

Perhaps our work-life balance is no longer acceptable or we are not enjoying what we do, which raises some important questions:

Am I going to seek a career change or continue what I am doing for the rest of my working life?

Is a major career change of direction feasible?

What do I really want to do?

And how am I going to make a career change?

The way forward is to take stock of where we are and decide where we would like to be and what it will take to get there:

Examine our skills, marketability and personal preferences.

Make decisions about what to do next, plan a strategy and then execute that strategy, just as we'd undertake a business project.

We now have a choice:

Do we try and struggle through this on our own?

Or do we consider enlisting professional support and know how, which will enable us to move forward more quickly and decisively and probably achieve a better result?