What is a career pivot?
A career pivot is a planned, purposeful change in career direction. It can be a move to a related field, or to something completely new. Whatever its direction, a pivot is a meaningful change that requires thought and careful planning.
Why are mid-career pivots growing in popularity?
- shifting mindset towards prioritising fulfilment, purpose, and personal growth over conventional markers of success.
- pursuing work that aligns more closely with one’s interests, values, and aspirations.
Changing career expectations
Many individuals are redefining success on their own terms, placing greater emphasis on factors such as passion, purpose, and personal growth. A mid-career pivot allows them to pursue careers that are more aligned with these values.
Lifelong learning culture
In an era of rapid technological advancement and industry disruption, the need for continuous learning and adaptation has never been more evident. Many individuals recognise the importance of upskilling throughout their careers, making mid-career pivots a natural extension of this commitment to lifelong learning.
Work-life integration
As work-life balance becomes increasingly important to professionals across generations, many are seeking career paths that offer greater flexibility, autonomy, and meaning. A mid-career pivot can provide an opportunity to realign one’s work with personal values and priorities, leading to a more fulfilling and sustainable lifestyle.
Entrepreneurial opportunities
The rise of the gig economy and the proliferation of digital platforms have lowered barriers to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs and freelancers. Many individuals are leveraging these opportunities to transition into entrepreneurial ventures or pursue passion projects that may not have been feasible earlier in their careers.
Increased job mobility
With the rise of remote work and the globalisation of talent markets, job mobility has never been higher. This increased fluidity allows individuals to explore opportunities across industries, geographies, and organisational structures, making mid-career pivots more appealing.
Why have a career pivot?
- economic uncertainty due to global events
- industries’ rapid transformation through technological advancements
- yearning for personal development
- alterations in industry landscapes
- pursuing a hobby
- broaden your abilities
- explore fresh challenges
- find work settings that resonate with your principles and aspirations
- burn-out – desire for less stress
What would you add?
Herminia Ibarra at London Business School, one of the leading thinkers in this space, summarized the key drivers of career change:
- Situational (external) drivers: external market forces, such as the economy or the talent landscape; organizational changes, such as restructuring; and emerging opportunities, usually seen as “pull” factors.
- Personal (internal) drivers: internal factors include the “skills, talents, preferences, past experiences, developmental stage and self-conceptions that individuals bring to their work role and career,” personal networks and “triggers,” and opportunities that mobilize people towards the pursuit of new pathways.
Tips for a smooth career pivot
- Pivot proactively
- Understand the job market
- Choose growth areas e.g. cybersecurity and data analytics, green jobs, healthcare, mental health
- Grow your network
- Have informational interviews in your areas of interest
- Attend industry events
- Read high quality market reports e.g. PwC, EY
- Set up Google alerts
- Use AI e.g. Perplexity to learn about growing career options
- Monitor skills shortages
- Work with an experienced career coach
- Develop your career pivot story
- Embrace uncertainty
- Have a career plan A, B and C
- Accept that no shortcuts exist
- Take steady consistent steps forward
- Take stock regularly – make a regular time to review
- Think through different scenarios
- Evaluate the risks
- Have a financial cushion
- Be positive
- Believe in yourself
- Manage negative self-talk
- Be curious and open minded
- Create tests/experiments
- Be open to ‘happenstance’
- Identify your transferable skills
- Do what energises you
- Have a walkaway point
- Trust your intuition
- Use critical thinking to prevent ‘wishful thinking’ and make fact based decisions.
- Have a good support network
- Transfer internally
- Redesign your existing job
- Define your purpose
- Rebrand yourself
- Create accountability buddies
Barriers to a successful career pivot
- Fear of starting something new
- Feeling like it’s too late in a career
- Thinking a career pivot having a negative connotation
- Worrying that you will disappoint parents who funded your education
- Lack of time
- Not knowing how to ask people to help you
What barriers would you add?
Self-reflective questions
- What things do I like most about my current/past job(s)?
- What are the jobs or careers of people I find fascinating, interesting, or successful?
- What distinctive skills do people see in me, and what specific indicator(s) makes people see them (credentials, behaviours, experience, etc.)?
- What are the most impressive elements of my resume? (Focus on unique and difficult accomplishments.)
- What skills would I love to have acquired in three to five years’ time?
- What things do I dislike most about my current/past job(s)?
- What are the jobs or careers of people I find boring and uninteresting?
- What new jobs or careers exist that require my skills and interests?
- What organizational cultures resonate with me, because they fit with my own values, style, and preferences?
- If I could have three different careers between now and retirement, which ones would I pick (if there were no obstacles or limits, and if I were a great fit)?
What is the question you most need to ask yourself?