Planning a career change? Follow these 5 tips for a successful career pivot!
There is only one thing constant in your life, and that is change. It is prevalent, and it is inevitable. You cannot escape it, no matter how hard you might try. But you can accept it and actually make it work for you. There were times when you would have spent your life in one single company, working towards your retirement. Nowadays change is faster than ever. Career pivots happen far more often, with even more happening since the global pandemic started.
Whether you are thinking about a career pivot out of necessity or just out of sheer unhappiness with your work, you will be glad to hear some tips to make this change easier and more productive. You will need to be courageous and put some extra work into the process, but you will end up living your best life afterward.
Set your goal
If you feel disengaged in your day-to-day work and lack enthusiasm, think about what would make you happy. What is it you want to do in life? What are your passions – and could they evolve into a new career enabling you to afford a better life? Setting your goal is the first step to get you moving. Simple as that.
Making a change in your career path can be daunting, but if you are not in a financial crisis, you should not rush into it. Think long and hard about the viability of your potential career before taking the following steps.
Do some self-reflection
Now that you have established your goals and desires, it’s time for a reality check. Before making any significant decisions about shifting your career path, you should analyze your skills and strengths.
Spend some time thinking about how far you have come up until this point. What are your unique strengths and values that you can bring to the table in the future? How can you use what you have learned? More importantly, try to pinpoint your particular traits. What are your unique skills that add value to any potential role in the marketplace?
Use this insight to figure out if there are some new skills you should add to your toolbox to use in your career pivot.
Are you lacking specific skills you need to become successful in your new career? If so, consider additional schooling, training, or classes to strengthen your body of skills and knowledge for a new career.
Also, think about any additional resources you might need to pull this off. Will your life schedule have to change drastically? Think about how to implement this pivot in your daily life.
Make a plan
This is the time to make at least a rough outline of your timeline going forward. Get back to your primary goal and think about specific steps you must take to achieve your goal.
Write down your monthly, weekly, and daily tasks. Try to include some milestones to keep you on track and motivated. A career pivot will take some time, so your enthusiasm may decrease now and then. Tracking your progress to stay motivated is crucial.
Review your Network Connections
You have probably established many connections up to this point in your life. Some of them might be incredibly valuable during your career pivot process.
The first step you take is to let people know about your endeavor. Share your plans with your former colleagues, your family, and friends. Those people might not be in your target industry, but you never know who might be in their networks.
So, if you are thinking about making a career change, let people know about it. Maybe there is a valuable connection there that could mean so much to you going forward.
LinkedIn is a great place to strengthen your network and to reach out to new contacts in your potential career area. LinkedIn gives you so many opportunities to connect with professionals and get a chance to talk and learn from them.
Learn your personal brand and believe in it
You have unique talents. You also have a personal brand that you might not be aware of yet. Nevertheless, your friends, family, and colleagues know what you represent. If you are not sure, ask for their feedback on your particular traits and what makes you unique. Understanding your personal brand is crucial for a successful career pivot. This is the thing that reveals who you really are to others. Simply put, your personal brand shows who you really are, and it is the ultimate strategy in pulling off a brilliant career change.
Believing in yourself is second in importance. Yes, change is risky. Uncertainty can be very daunting, but to navigate all the fears and obstacles successfully on the way depends on your trust in yourself. I will let you in on a bit of a secret. Most of us are never ready for the monumental changes life throws at us. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it. There are specific points in life where you just have to embrace the battle and believe something better is out there. If you trust that, you are ready to pivot!!
