When it’s time to make a career change, you know it.
Oftentimes, that knowledge is in the back of your mind until something happens that jolts it to the forefront of your awareness. Maybe you’ve felt a subtle nudge to make a change–and maybe you’ve been feeling it for a while now. It’s easy to suppress that inner knowing…at first.
But over time, the need for change becomes more obvious. And sometimes, things happen that push us unceremoniously out of our comfort zone.
If you’re actively employed, maybe you’ve had a hunch that your current career isn’t fulfilling you like it used to. Deep down, you know change is necessary, but it never seems like the right time. But then your company downsizes, files for bankruptcy, or conducts mass layoffs, and suddenly you have no job.
On the other hand, you might be a business owner who has been feeling misaligned in your current work. You’re holding steady with a few clients and not actively growing, nervous about taking that next step toward change. But then an anchor client cancels your contract, and you’re left scrambling to fill the gap.
What then?
Regardless of whether you’re a career employee or a business owner, one thing’s certain: you have a gut feeling it’s time to make a change.
How to Approach Your Career Pivot
The first thing most people do when they’re looking for something new is to immediately update their resume, start job searching on LinkedIn or Indeed, and reactivate their professional network.
But let’s look at this change through a different lens.
A traditional approach to career change isn’t rocket science. But through the experiences and conversations I’ve had with others, I’ve discovered that conventional job-hunting steps aren’t necessarily the most effective first line of defense. What I’m about to share might seem counterintuitive, but stick with me.
Ask: What’s Your Ideal Scenario?
First of all, ask yourself: What’s your ideal scenario? Start compiling data points. Answer questions like:
- What type of work environment do you enjoy?
- Do you prefer to work from home, in an office, or a hybrid environment?
- Are you looking for flexibility in your schedule and work arrangements?
- What type of commute are you looking for? What’s the maximum distance you’re willing to commute?
- Do you prefer to work for a large organization, or are you interested in a startup–or maybe something somewhere in the middle?
- Do you want to be (or work for) a family business, or something more corporate?
- Is there a particular industry you want to work in?
Start thinking about the answers to some of these questions. It’s also important to factor in your values. For instance, is a commitment to sustainability or a particular company culture important to you? What about the opportunity for growth in your next role?
Start listing as many different factors as possible to get clear on what it is you really want. Often, we have all these thoughts and needs in our heads, but it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks. Brainstorming your wishlist and writing down must-haves will help you clarify your next steps.
Consider How to Combine Your Career Expertise and Passions
How can you combine your career expertise with your passions?
For instance, maybe you come from a background in finance or accounting. You’re accustomed to working in an office, crunching numbers. But in your personal life, you’re an outdoors person.
You love hiking, fishing, camping, and outdoor adventure. So you might want to combine your love for the outdoors with your talent in finance. In that case, you might consider working for a more outdoors-oriented company.
This could be a supporting role at an outdoor apparel or consumer goods company. Maybe there are content or event companies you could work with. Look at creative ways to combine your interests and passions with the transferable skills you already have. It’s all about looking for opportunities beyond the job description or title.
Consider the type of environment you ideally want to work in, including industry, leadership, and corporate structure. As you’re exploring, broadening your awareness, and having conversations, you’ll begin to build a list of companies you’re interested in. Spend some time researching each one and narrowing down those that intrigue you most.
Cross-Reference Your List
Once you’ve begun to tighten up your list of ideal companies, start cross-referencing your list. Find out which of your connections might also be connected to some of the companies you’ve listed. Seek out the leaders and get acquainted with any content they create.
One of the best underutilized resources for career pivots is podcasts. That’s because the founders, owners, and executives of companies you may be interested in working with may have their podcasts, or been interviewed on others’ podcasts. You can find the names of these executives on company websites or LinkedIn, so grab your favorite podcasting platform and start searching.
I use LinkedIn and podcasting in tandem to start finding out more about companies and their leaders. This approach will not only help you get acquainted with company leaders; it will also help you connect with any people in your network who may have connections back to these companies. During your research, you’ll also begin to find information about books or papers these company leaders have published, initiatives they’re involved in, and even events they attend.
Ultimately, you’ll begin to familiarize yourself with the ecosystem of companies in your space that do the kind of work that resonates with you. Regardless of what your next position is, all of this information will be useful.
Reach Out Directly to Company Leaders
During your research process, collect links to things you come across online. If there’s something of interest that features them, such as a white paper, article, or webinar, hold onto the link. You can then reach out directly to the creator via LinkedIn to let them know how it impacted you.
When you reach out, you can say something like, “Hey, I’m really interested in [your industry] and I just came across your [article, podcast episode, etc.]. I appreciated your point about XYZ.” Give them a specific example if possible, and keep it short, sweet, and authentic. Making this outreach part of a routine practice is like strategic seed planting, but it has to be authentic because people can tell if it’s not.
Don’t focus on the outcome; in other words, don’t expect them to reply. Stay focused on what you can control, which is the information you share and the integrity and authenticity with which you do so. Regardless of their response (or lack thereof), keep planting those seeds.
Tip: This outreach is good for all of us to do, even when we’re not currently looking for a new career situation. It’s a great way to keep evolving our perspectives, networks, and relationships.
Power Up Your Interview Process
Interviewing for jobs in your chosen industry will take on a completely different energy once you’ve put these research and outreach processes in place. When you go to interviews, you’ll be better prepared, with more awareness of what is going on in your industry, as well as have examples of what different companies have done. This will help you feel like you’re in the driver’s seat.
It’s important to fine-tune your mindset around career opportunities to a place of abundance rather than scarcity. Sometimes, it’s true that jobs are scarce. But our mental positioning greatly impacts what we do and how we come across. Think about the skills you have to bring to the table and know that it’s only a matter of time until you land your next role.
Get Clear on What You Want
Often, we don’t have clarity about exactly what we want to do. We may not have answers to the questions we may be asked along the way. Before you jump into conversations and interviews, take time to think about what you truly want. It’s prudent to use available tools to figure out what we want for ourselves.
My book, 20/20 Mind Sight (co-authored with Phil Fragasso), is about how to refocus, reignite, and reinvent your life from the inside out. Each of its 20 chapters contains a series of interactive tools, questionnaires, and more that can be useful in helping you hone in on yourself and discover what moves the needle for you. You’ll also be able to get clear on your shortcomings.
Rather than a conventional test such as Myers-Briggs or the StrengthsFinder, 20/20 Mind Sight features several tools that are more practical and accessible. This combination of tools is a unique way to dig deeper as you design your life with the future in mind.
- Johari Window
- Nohari Window
- Jungian Typology
- Implicit Association Test
- Satisfaction with Life Scale
- The Grit Survey
- Locus of Control
- The Collaborative Way
Ready to learn more about the book + what’s inside? Take a look here.
Conclusion
Navigating a career pivot can be overwhelming, but it’s worth the time and effort to plot a new route toward success and satisfaction in your work. If you need a guide for the journey, I’d love to help! I’ve been down this path myself, and I’ll hold space for you, offering insights to help you approach this change creatively and strategically. Learn more and schedule your free Career Pivot consultation with me below.