Dear J.T. & Dale: I’ve just been laid off from my job. For the past four years I’ve been doing customer service in insurance, but I’d like to go back to what I studied in college - computer information systems. I almost graduated but never finished. How should I approach making the switch? - Jeremy

J.T.: The good news is that you have an idea what you want to do next. Now it’s time to get focused and take action. Get your degree in computers. Find an affordable night school, and use its career center to help you get connected and find work in the field, even if it’s only in the form of internships or entry-level jobs.

Dale: In fact, I would choose a school based on its track record of launching graduates into careers. Don’t just talk to the college, but start asking people who are already in the kind of job you aspire to where they went to school and what they would suggest. You aren’t asking for a job, just advice. You may even discover that you don’t need a degree, or you might find a job that helps pay for tuition. Either way, the idea is to figure out where you want to be and then work backward to determine just what schooling to obtain.

J.T.: That way, you can leverage your interest into a satisfying career path. If you show commitment to the profession and a willingness to invest in yourself, people farther along the career path will be happy to talk with you and offer their wisdom and advice on schools and careers.