6 tips for January job hunters who want to change their occupation, from a career coach

• Donna Shannon has been teaching job-searching classes and career-coaching people since 2004.
• She advises starting a job search by defining dealbreakers and researching salary ranges online.
• Once you know what you want, ensure your résumé is set and remember the process can be long.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Donna Shannon, a master career director from Denver. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm a professional career coach, and I've been teaching job-searching classes and coaching people since January 2004.

Before this, I was in human resources and recruiting, so much of my teaching is based on real-world practical strategies that employers use.