How to successfully pivot your career?

Whenever I hear the word pivot, I cannot but think of Ross and his “Pivot, Pivot, Pivot” moment from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Unlike Ross, you don’t want to get stuck, when attempting your career pivot.

Let’s discuss some practical tactics with examples to make your career move a super successful one! Lets get the don’ts out of the way before focusing on the do’s!

Don’t

• Do not dive in without a strategy. Make sure you have a short-term plan in place for the change you want to make. Before you dive in, make sure to complete the fear setting exercise at least once.

• Do not put off taking action until you have all the answers. While planning is beneficial, if you only spent time planning, you would not get anything done. Take the first step while attempting to plan the following ten if you can see them in your pathway.

• Avoid trying to get buy in from everyone around you. People will have their own opinions. If you wait to convince everybody that you are making the right change in your career, it may never happen. Convince those you trust and let others join your journey as you progress.

• Don’t have your foot half-in. It’s good to have a backup plan and it’s also okay to start on journey part time. But once you have committed to that path, see it through. Don’t pull back at the first sign of trouble.

Dos

Be Ready to Start from Scratch

Prepare yourself to start from the lowest rung. It is a good idea to start at the junior level even if you have a tonne of transferable abilities because there is a tonne of practical lessons that you should add to your toolbox when you switch your career. You can advance more quickly thanks to your transferable skills, but starting from scratch sets you up to learn quickly without the pressures of a higher-level role.

Media veteran, Vanessa De Luca, editor-in-chief of The Root and Essence magazines insisted that she start as an editorial assistant at Glamour when she transferred from her prior profession as Macy’s store manager. She added that when she expressed her desire to begin at the bottom rung, her bosses did not think she was serious. But after persuading them, she received two promotions in three years. Not only did it help boost her confidence level, but it also convinced others that she deserved to have that role!

Dream don’t Fantasise

Getting ahead of yourself while switching careers is a common occurrence. Saying things like "I will achieve this, then this, and then this, and then…" could become ingrained in your thought process. While it is healthy to have realistic dreams, it is also important to recognise the realities of embarking on a new journey. Overestimating your abilities will make it difficult to shift direction if a change or difficulty arises.

Krista Moroder, who was awarded the Outstanding Young Educator Award in 2013, thought she could teach herself coding within a weekend when she decided to switch her career from a teacher to a Software Engineer. She eventually accepted that she had set herself up for failure and went to a three-month-long coding bootcamp to learn properly.

Get Ready for a Marathon

If you are switching careers, you should already be aware from your prior professional experience that developing a new career takes time. You could become impatient with the length of time it takes to re-establish yourself in the new career if you left your previous one at the height of your success and are used to getting things done quickly. It will take time, so you need to mentally prepare for it. 

Stephen Satterfield, who successfully transitioned from restaurant manager to founder of the magazine, Whetstone, says, “Any successful business venture is the product of hard work, day after day, month after month, year after year until there’s a significant breakthrough.”

Remember, just because something is hard doesn’t mean you are failing! So, pace yourself in your march towards success in your new profession. 

Leverage Any Opportunity

Just because you were excellent at your previous career, do not expect people to line up with opportunities in your new one. Some potential employers might think you do not have the right skill set for a role, while others might think you are overqualified for a role.

When Jenn Creighton moved from being a paralegal to a frontend engineer, she couldn’t get a job for two years until she took a volunteering role with the National Academy of Sciences. That opportunity gave her the relevant experience she needed to gain further positions.

Be on the lookout for the right boost to your profile no matter what the pay is, because the first breakthrough might be the hardest.

Network Network Network

You may already have a very strong network from your previous job. Though it might help you open doors, be prepared to pivot your network as well. The right opportunity might present itself through your network.

LinkedIn has become a powerhouse of professional networking. Do not feel shy about contacting people in your new career pathway to build your network. Get involved in events, conferences and be actively present, make yourself known. Join online communities to both learn and contribute.

These steps will help you learn, grow your personal brand, get access to job opportunities and set you firmly situated for success.

Find a mentor

If you want to get a clear idea of what you can achieve and how to achieve it, you must have a mentor in the career you choose to move to. If you are unsure of where to start or if you are worried you are not making the progress you think you should have, your mentor can guide you with the right advice. If you are overreaching, your mentor will also help you temper your expectations.

If you need more help with finding the right next steps, reach out to me and I will be happy to have a chat!