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For many, a career change may be in the plans for 2012. In fact, four in 10 workers would like to change careers, according to the second annual "Today's Job Seekers Report" from SimplyHired.com.

Another 21 percent of those looking for work are considering a new field because they can't get hired in their current specialty. Of those considering going back to school, more than a third would like to do so to implement a career change, SimplyHired reports.

However, it's one thing to want to change careers, and quite another to be able take the necessary steps to transition from your current situation to a completely new field.

"The number one thing that stops people is fear," says Deborah Brown-Volkman, a career coach and president of Surpass Your Dreams. "Fear can be anything from, 'I'm afraid I'm not going to get another job,' to 'I'm afraid the grass isn't going to be greener.'"

Here are five steps to take to ensure your career change meets your life's goals.

1. Put it on paper

Maintain a personal checklist that includes identifying a new career and setting other life goals, with the idea that it could take a year or two to move in a new direction, suggests Vicky Oliver, a career specialist and author of "301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions."

Your initial goal could be to learn as much as you can about a new profession via a set number of informational interviews in a year's time, and then to work towards moving into the field in the second year.

"There are all kinds of studies that show if you write down your goals, you will achieve them faster," Oliver says. "I try to write them down and keep them in front of me and concentrate on them, so I can stay focused."

2. Status check: New skills required?

If you're truly changing fields and not just looking for the same job in a different industry, you will most likely need more training and/or education.

However, you don't necessarily have to earn another degree to gain the necessary skills -- or to prove you have them to a recruiter. Volunteering, hobbies, consulting gigs, workshops and other training courses may be sufficient to help reposition yourself for a new specialty.

If you have the time and ability to work without being paid, internships can be another valuable tool to beef up your experience.

"If you're not working, don't have money coming in and you need skills, you have nothing to lose," Brown-Volkman says.

3. Do virtual networking

For those looking to reinvent themselves, LinkedIn, Facebook and other social networks can offer powerful venues to reposition yourself.

On LinkedIn, for example, you can use your profile to indicate you're looking to consult in a particular field, join groups that correspond to where you want to take your career, and start commenting on people's posts in your desired profession.

"Spin your profile towards what you want to be, post occasionally to the group and you could get people interested in your profile and attract the attention of someone who is looking to hire," Oliver says.

4. Set up real world meetings

Although social media networking is essential for any job hunter, there's no substitute for in-person meetings, whether it's for coffee, lunch or a traditional informational interview.

"The goal is to talk to as many people as possible, and face-to-face is the way to go," Brown-Volkman says.

5. Put a positive spin on it

Learning to sell your career 2.0 to potential employers is part of your reinvention, starting with emphasizing your new skills on your resume and continuing during job interviews.

If you don't have management experience, but you manage a kids' baseball team, you can market those skills. If a job involves public speaking and you joined Toastmasters, you can point to speeches you made for the group as a sign of your abilities.

"You always have to comb through your experience in terms of skill sets, rather than actual tasks," Oliver says.

Keep the end goal in mind

Transitioning from one career to another takes guts, organization, and work. By putting your heart, soul, and some elbow grease into making the change, you'll be moving towards the career you were ultimately meant to have.

"Remind yourself there are good things ahead -- if you put your head down and do the work," Brown-Volkman says.

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