Changing careers, whether it is a dramatic move or shifting slightly into a new path is often challenging, but in a tough economy it is even harder to set yourself apart with so many people looking.

A major hurdle to career change is researching possible employers and establishing contacts in the new industry you are trying to get a job in.

Monica O'Brien of the Personal Branding Blog offered some tips on how to take advantage of the professional social networking site LinkedIn to make some of that work a little easier.

One tip is that it is possible to search for companies by specific industry in LinkedIn, and you can then filter the search by company size and location, letting you zero in quickly on companies you might be interested in and then get news and company data.

She also recommends using LinkedIn as a way to arrange informational interviews.

According to Alison Doyle, a job search expert on About.com, an informational interview, is a chance to question someone in the job you want about the position itself, without the pressure of applying. It provides first hand information about the job, giving a unique perspective, which is essential when you are trying to work in a new field.