Q: How important is personality when it comes to starting from scratch in a new career? I’m sort of introverted, so it’s hard for me to network and make connections in my new field.

A: The bottom line is your “vibe” can definitely have an effect on who remembers you, who offers to help you, and ultimately who hires you. Whether you’re shy by nature or more outgoing, what’s more important is that you exude a passion for what you do and confidence in your abilities, no matter what you come up against.

Case in point: Jennifer Hudson’s heartfelt Oscar acceptance speech last night. She’s talented, no one doubts that (well, except Simon Cowell when he nastily brushed her off on “American Idol” a couple of years back). But what makes her so likeable is her passion for what she loves, her commitment to her career dreams, and professional demeanor. If that were me up there, I’d surely be tempted to tell Simon where he can go and how to get there. But instead, she exhibited a never-give-up aura almost as powerful as her vocal chords.

By that token, in your career you’ll come up against bad bosses, snotty co-workers, nepotism, favortism, and lots of other crazy scenarios. But through it all, if you take those negative experiences and harness them into positive energy, you’ll be everyone’s go-to guy or gal. Trust me.

And now for the tricky part: finding a career about which you can be passionate. If you hate what you do, your vibe will give you away every time. Do some soul-searching and career exploration to find your fit. Often, career education programs will do the work for you, providing you with hands-on opportunites to test the waters of a new industry, connecting you with professionals in the field (in many cases, they will be your course instructors), and developing your talents to inspire that all-important confidence vibe.

Once you’ve mastered that, the rewards (and awards) will follow.

Photo: (ABC/ADAM LARKEY)