By Liam Horan, Career Coach & Managing Director, Sli Nua Careers

Q: My degree is in Accountancy and I work in that area. But I am really drawn to event management. If I jump from accountancy to event management, my folks will go from the wire. What can I do? (DC, email).

A: You ungrateful pup. Repent your sinful ways. Back to the abacus with you and sweat those Excel worksheets. Make that formula sing. Return that return. Permanent and pensionable: money doesn’t grow on trees, you know. If you’re looking for encouragement, you’ve come to the right place. Career change can be a very positive pursuit: if event management is an itch you can’t stop scratching, perhaps you need to stop denying it and take some action.

Can you do some part-time work first to see a) if you like actually doing it for a company and b) if you’ve got ability in the area. Shadow a professional and ask them for honest feedback on your skills. Can you take on some event management work for any sporting or community organisation locally? Dabble first and if it is really to your liking, perhaps you can make serious moves in that direction.

There are a number of courses in event management. Can you do one of those? Focus not on the tug-o-war with your parents and instead on satisfying yourself that eventmanagement is actually a route you want to go down.

Liam Horan is Managing Director of Sli Nua Careers Ltd. You can read more blogs from Sli Nua Careers coaches HERE, and make a booking for CV Preparation and Interview Training.