In the current dynamic environment of the job market, career paths are hardly linear. Economic changes, industry trends, technological disruption, and personal growth all shape when and how professionals need to pivot. For anyone feeling stuck, indecisive, or on the brink of making a major change, a strategic career pivot is the secret to seizing new opportunities.
If you’re an industry changer, an aspiring leader, or simply finding your career comfort zone, I strongly feel that embracing change is a part of it. Listening to a podcast about career growth can inspire this process, providing actionable advice from people who have successfully reinvented themselves.
Step 1: Identify the Indications That It Is Time to Pivot
The initial step of the Pivot Playbook is knowing when it’s time for a change. Are you consistently feeling unfulfilled? Is your industry in decline? Are your skills underutilized? These are all signs that maybe it’s time for a rethink. But a pivot doesn’t have to turn into a radical departure — it can simply be a transition to a slightly different role in your current industry, a new role within your organization, or a complete reinvention.
Hear how other people knew when it was time for them to make their move in a podcast about career advancement. These stories can help you recognize similar signs on your path.
Step 2: Define Your Career Vision
Before you take action, describe what finding success in your next chapter looks like. Is it flexibility, the chance to be a leader, or the freedom to be creative? Getting clear on the vision helps you pivot with intention rather than like you’re back on your heels.
To develop your vision, learn what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what you stand for. Working with a coach or using something like career assessments can assist. And listening to episodes of a career growth podcast can inspire ideas and give examples of paths to success.
Step 3: Construct a Bridge, Not an Escalator
Sober thinking in a crisis is rarely impetuous; it’s plotted and well-supplied. “If the pandemic has taught us anything, I think it is that the job market is completely unpredictable, and that people cannot value security enough in their work.” ~Peter Benjamin Rather than suddenly quitting your job, find a bridge to your next position, considering what skills will transfer and addressing any knowledge gaps. Join a course online, followed by workshops, or find a mentor in the sector you want to break into.
Podcasts abound in which professionals tell their stories of the pivot. By listening to a podcast about career growth, though, you can learn how they used their previous experience to transition to a successful career. And it’s a super way to keep up with trends in different industries as well.
Step 4: Tell Your Pivot Story
So when you’re ready to interview for new roles or market yourself in another industry space, it’s critical that you can articulate your career pivot interestingly. What employers want to know is why you jumped ship and how your background contributes to the story you’re trying to tell in your application.
Create a story that emphasizes your ability to learn, adapt, and the impact you’ve made. Drill this story until it sounds natural. When you listen to storytelling techniques on a podcast about career growth, you can refine how you present your transition.
Step 5: Expand Your Network
Who you know can often make or break a successful pivot. Contact former colleagues, take part in industry groups, and don’t be afraid to network — even if it’s remotely. Reach out to others doing what you want to do.
You can also follow communities that are created from podcasts. Many podcasts have listener groups or LinkedIn communities in which people help one another in their professional development. Engaging in these spaces can open doors for you and give you the support you need as you make the pivot.
Final Thoughts
Career pivots can be daunting, but they’re also opportunities to grow and find deeper satisfaction. If you approach it the right way, a time of turmoil can also be a time of transformation.
Subscribe to a podcast on career growth to stoke your journey. It can help to hear from other people who have been in your shoes, providing you with the perspective, advice, and inspiration you need to move forward on your terms. Because successful pros don’t shy from pivoting, they’re good at it.
