Bernard Said:

If you are making a career change to Marketing, do you need to start from a entry level position?

We Answered:

I was doing translation from French to English on a contractual basis for a marketing firm and they asked me to translate the idea behind a french positioning statement for a company. When I completed the work, they were quite impressed. And so, they offered me a job in August as a project coordinator starting at 45,000.00/year. I LOVE it!

And from everything I've heard, if you want to be in on the graphic part of the marketing, then you need courses to back you up. But for work as a project manager or project coordinator, they like people who have good judgement. I mean, most everyone I work with has wide experience in many things, good common sense, a feel for marketing and are creative.

If you aren't creative, then that's what you're missing. And that, you either have it or you don't.

Do you have it?

Erin Said:

What a career change but cant give up the money?

We Answered:

I'm in the process of doing this and am in the same position you are.

What I have done is make a plan to eliminate the credit card debt. I contacted my credit card companies and asked about a low balance transfer rate. I managed to get 5.5% on average between two cards, which is better than the 14-15% I was getting. So, I have consolidated all of my credit and store charge debt onto these two cards. To pay this debt, I'm paying 4-5 times the minimum payment on both. I think it'll take me about a year to pay it all off. How long it'll take you depends on how much your debt is and how much you'll pay. As a finance person, I'm sure you can figure out a good payment plan.

As for the change in pay, here's how I look at it. You're leaving a field where the money is good, but your heart is not all in it. But you're going to follow your true passion where the money is not as great, but you'll feel great about what you're doing. What's more important to you?