Career Advice: Follow Your Dreams, But Don't Follow Them Off A Cliff

Career Advice: Follow Your Dreams, But Don't Follow Them Off A Cliff

Business Insider contributor Nick Dauk is a freelance travel writer and copywriter.

At 22, he quit a salaried job in retail to finish college and switch career paths.

Now 28, Dauk has lessons he learned the hard way he'd like to share for creating a smooth, profitable career path.

First, even if you hate your job and want to do something completely different, don't quit without the next step already lined up.

To line up that next step, define your destination.

What do you want to be, where do you want to be, and when?

Get the necessary training, contacts, and experience before quitting your loathsome day job that just happens to be paying your bills.

Finally, know your true worth in the market.

It's easy to be unrealistic by artificially deflating or inflating your competency.

Do solid research.

Good luck!