For those of you who have completely switched career fields...

[Nodaclu]

For those of you who have completely switched career fields (especially later on in your work life)......how did you do it?

I turn 48 today, been mostly in HR since 1999, and.....I'm done. Burned out. If I could quit tomorrow and never work another day in HR as long as I live, I'd be just fine with that. 

But how in the world do I make a major shift like that? My BA in Psych is almost done, and I know I could go get an MS in IT from Patten or WGU fairly quickly, but then what? 

Would that MS in IT really allow me to find work in IT after nearly 20 years in HR?

Maybe the answer is an obvious "yes, of course it would!", and I'm just not seeing it because my confidence and self-esteem are at all-time lows right now.

If anyone has any thoughts, advice, or stories that you can share about utilizing your shiny new degree(s) to make a substantial career change (especially in mid-life or later), I'd greatly appreciate hearing about it right about now, before I drop any deeper into the dumps.

Thanks!