After a political election--when some members of Congress and other politicians won't be returning to their old jobs--career change might be just the ticket. But many will stick to work closely tied to their last job. A study conducted in 2005 by the advocacy group, Public Citizen, found that 43 percent of the members of Congress who left office between 1998 and 2004 became lobbyists, says The New York Times.

After spending time in Washington, former members of Congress "find it's hard to peddle their wares in Topeka, Kansas," said James A. Thurber, professor of government at American University in the article.

They are not alone. Most people cling to what they know rather than explore what else they can do if they have the chance. When attorneys were asked about what other careers sounded most appealing to them in a 2005 survey conducted by Robert Half Legal, most mentioned roles related to their current careers. Fifty four percent said they'd consider the idea of being a mediation or alternative dispute-resolution counselor, 49 percent named law school professor or lecturer and 41 percent said nonprofit or public interest legal services provider. Twenty percent named expert witness and 11 percent said patent expert.

Teachers tell me they don't know what else to do but teach adults instead of kids. Nurses complain that they could only see themselves dispensing care in a home instead of a hospital.

Whether you can't continue in your present career, got voted out or don't want to do that job any longer, it's logical to pick work that builds on what you already know. On the other hand, maybe it's time to go beyond doing work based on the past and head in a direction you've never been.

If you're fuzzy about what that is, don't fret. Most people don't have a clue--despite the fact that most everyone thinks everybody else knows what they want. Few people are crystal clear. Although every once in a while I hear from someone who says "I know exactly want I want. I want to sing!" or, "I want to teach children to read."

Your next career won't come to you in a lightening bolt. And just trusting your gut is not a solid approach either. But it's a good place to start. Most people do have an inkling of an idea for their next career--if they give it a chance to come to the surface.

The first step is to sit quietly and give your undivided attention to what is nagging at you. What are you drawn to? What have you always been attracted to? What section of the bookstore do you gravitate toward? Is there an idea that has drifted in and out of your head for years? Or a thought you get when you daydream or sit in boring meetings and fantasize about what you'd really like to be doing?

Next, ask some practical questions to help turn those ideas into careers paths. For example, let's say you've always been drawn to ecology and conservation. What does the world need that's related to ecology and conservation? What trends, issues causes and problems are connected to these?

If you begin to do a little research, you'll find there's a trend toward creating a sustainable "eco-economy" where there will be investment in such areas as fish farming, wind-farm construction and fuel-cell and solar-cell manufacturing. So you might ask: How do you want to fit into this? What kind of work would you want to do related to this? What organizations or companies deal with this or how might you deal with it on your own?

You'll need to conduct more research to get and test ideas and further define your next career. The hardest part can be letting go of what is most familiar.

© by Andrea Kay