I had a very gratifying moment with a client the other day. He’s been out of work for a long time—about 9 months—and has been struggling with transitioning from his original career in journalism to something more secure and lucrative for the long term.

Do you have a well-honed, transferable skill? Are you having trouble figuring out how to apply that skill to jobs other than the one you have? This is a common problem, especially for those with a lot of experience. This past weekend’s New York Times featured a story I found to be hopeful and illustrative of the way in which successful career change really happens. And it told the story of a writer, in a profession that has diminished in market value as it’s become harder and harder to get paid to write.

Back in May, the New York Times wrote an article slamming law school and the profession in general.