Considering a career change to commercial real estate, what do I need to do?

Without giving too much information away I’m 24 years old working at an oil company in Texas. I make $82k a year and am well aware that I will probably have to take a pay cut to venture into commercial real estate. My degree is pretty specialized but it’s in managing land and property rights for oil and gas so it’s directly applicable and my current job is probably good enough to get me interviews at least. I like my job but I want to move to a bigger city/closer to my hometown and open up my options. I’m not married to the oil and gas industry and wouldn’t mind exiting. Commercial real estate has always interested me. What can I do over the next 7-9 months to boost my skills and make me look better on paper? Any certifications? Is there also any potential downsides I should know before considering a switch? Thanks in advance