Congratulations! Hitting upon this feature indicates you're probably wondering about where you're going, and if you're considering retraining you've already done more than almost everybody else. Are you aware that a small minority of us consider ourselves fulfilled and satisfied with our jobs - yet most will do absolutely nothing about it. We implore you to stand out from the crowd and move forward - think about how you could enjoy Monday mornings.

When looking at training, it's crucial to first define what you want and don't want from the career you'd like to train for. Ensure that things would be a lot better before your energies are focused on changing the direction of your life. It's good sense to regard the destination you're hoping for, to steer clear of regrets:

* Do you hope for interaction with others? If so, do you like working with the same people or are you more comfortable dealing with strangers? Alternatively, do you like to deal with your responsibilities alone?

* Banking and building are a little shaky right now, so think carefully about the sector that would give you the most options?

* Once you've qualified, would you like your skills to get you jobs for the rest of your working life?

* Are you worried about the chance of getting another job, and being in demand in the employment market until you plan to retire?

It's important that one of your key sectors is the IT sector - it's no secret that it's developing all the time. IT isn't all techie people lost in their computer screens all day - naturally there are those roles, but most jobs are filled with people like you and me who earn considerably more than most.

Proper support is incredibly important - find a program providing 24x7 full access, as anything else will annoy you and definitely impede your ability to learn. Never buy study programmes that only provide support to trainees with a call-centre messaging service outside of normal office hours. Training schools will give you every excuse in the book why you don't need this. Essentially - you want to be supported when you need the help - not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.

The very best training providers incorporate three or four individual support centres active in different time-zones. Online access provides the interactive interface to seamlessly link them all, at any time you choose, help is at hand, without any problems or delays. If you fail to get yourself 24x7 support, you'll regret it. It may be that you don't use it late in the night, but what about weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.

Get rid of the typical salesman who offers any particular course without a decent chat so as to understand your abilities and also your level of experience. They should be able to select from a generous product range so they're able to provide you with what's right for you. Where you have a strong background, or even a touch of live experience (possibly even some previous certification?) then it could be that the point from which you begin your studies will be different from a trainee who has no experience. If this is your initial attempt at an IT exam then it may be wise to practice with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first.

Don't get hung-up, as a lot of students can, on the training process. Your training isn't about getting a plaque on your wall; you're training to become commercially employable. You need to remain focused on where you want to go. Never let yourself become one of the unfortunate masses who select a program which looks like it could be fun - and end up with a plaque on the wall for something they'll never enjoy.

Get to grips with the income level you aspire to and the level of your ambition. This will influence which precise exams will be required and what industry will expect from you in return. Your likely to need help from an experienced person that can best explain the market you're considering, and is able to give you 'A typical day in the life of' outline of the job being considered. This really is incredibly important because you obviously have to know if you're going down the right road.

Incorporating examinations with the course fee and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams is a popular marketing tool with many companies. However, let's consider what's really going on:

It's very clear we're still footing the bill for it - it's not so hard to see that it's already been included in the overall price charged by the training company. It's absolutely not free (it's just marketing companies think we'll fall for anything they say!) The fact is that when students fund their own exams, one by one, they will be much more likely to get through on the first attempt - since they'll think of their investment in themselves and will therefore apply themselves appropriately.

Sit the exam somewhere close to home and go for the best offer you can find when you're ready. Why tie up your cash (or borrow more than you need) for exam fees when there was no need to? A great deal of money is made because training colleges are getting paid upfront for exams - and then cashing in when they're not all taken. It's also worth noting that you should consider what an 'exam guarantee' really means. The majority of organisations will not pay again for an exam until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won't fail again.

Prometric and VUE exams are in the region of 112 pounds in this country. Why spend so much more on fees for 'exam guarantees' (most often hidden in the package) - when good quality study materials, the proper support and commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

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