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

[Ideas]

The biggest challenge that I've had is, in California at least, that I'm consistently hearing from people who make hiring decisions that the opposite is true - that education trumps experience. I've challenged them on this, and have been, clearly and bluntly, by multiple recruiters, told that their company prefers to hire someone with 1 year of experience and a relevant degree, over someone with 12 years of relevant experience, and no degree (what I couldn't get them to say, but was quite obvious, is that hiring in this way is actually cheaper. HR Generalist positions in my area are actually pay LESS now than they were 10 years ago.)

I'm not sure if it's spillover mentality from the Silicon Valley and their hiring practices, (I'm only about 100 miles away, and in the largest market that's right outside of the SF Bay Area.) But it's left me angry, confused, frustrated and frankly, ready to give up.

Maybe in California because they have so many applicants, but I keep hearing the opposite in general. People may spend years in school and be unable to find an entry level job, and sometimes not even an internship. Schools are too behind the times. Employers are starting to back some programs that will have more hands-on projects and other learning, so that when you graduate from their program (like the EdX/Coursera ones), that they will at least glance at your resume.

But, back to your problem. I think you might have to get some experience though volunteering, contract work, or finding a project/job that is halfway between what you have and what you want. A job they give you because of your experience in HR, but you build experience toward your next career, or you have an HR job, but somehow manage to work on a project for a different department, an interdepartmental project, etc.