What is the Difference Between a Career Pivot and a Career Change?

As the COVID-19 pandemic forced workers to reflect upon their daily work routines, some began questioning their happiness and work-life balance while others explored career options entirely.

Whether it’s a significant career shift or starting freelance work for the first time, having a plan will be essential to your success. Here are some helpful hints along the way.

What Is a Career Pivot?

f you find yourself working in an occupation that no longer aligns with your skills, interests, and career goals, it may be time to consider pivoting. A pivot allows you to build on what was already underway rather than starting over from the bottom up.

An effective career pivot requires self-reflection and analysis of what aspects of your current position aren’t meeting your needs, along with assessing whether you possess the required skills for transition into another profession. Furthermore, understanding why you wish to make such a change is also crucial, as this can keep you on the right path when things get challenging.

Be mindful when considering making a career shift that it may require significant amounts of energy and time investment to develop the necessary skills, mainly if it differs significantly from your existing path. When embarking on such an undertaking, ensuring sufficient savings or income sources should provide security during this transition period.

Once you know where you want to head, developing a detailed launch plan with timelines, milestones, and skill-building requirements is helpful. Furthermore, network in the new career field and speak to professionals to gain insight into what it takes to break in. Once this goal has become more apparent, ensure your personal brand and elevator pitch reflect this direction.

Career transition can be intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. Here’s some helpful advice from professionals.

Career transition can take many forms, from switching roles within an industry to switching gears and starting over. Making a change can be used to develop your skillset, adjust your work-life balance, or be seen as a chance to reinvent yourself. Whatever route you take, making any change can be a hugely positive step toward finding a more fulfilling and satisfying life – we will assist in formulating an action plan designed to ensure a seamless career transition process.

What Is a Career Change?

While some professionals make career changes due to boredom or an absence of challenge, others do so to follow a passion. Whatever the motivation for changing careers, taking an inventory of your skills, strengths, and values can help determine whether any suitable careers out there match up well with what you’ve already got going on in life.

If you’re currently working in sales but looking to switch industries, consider how your existing skills and training can be transferred to your new industry. A career coach or mentor can assist in this area; they can show how your transferable abilities apply across roles and industries and advise how best to utilize those attributes during interviews.

Career changes take time, effort, and resources – be realistic when considering possible paths. For instance, becoming a professional athlete or astronaut after 40 may not be feasible without further education and training; therefore, it is wise to carefully weigh all potential options before making a final decision.

Assessing your career goals to ensure they align with what’s suitable for you is also crucial to making an informed decision. Sometimes a gradual shift may be easier on both wallet and workplace than making abrupt changes simultaneously.

An easier career transition may be possible if you surround yourself with the appropriate support system. Talk to friends and family for their advice, join a networking group to meet new people, or attend networking events, as this will allow you to build connections and gain confidence during this change in career direction.

Selecting an ideal career path can be both thrilling and daunting; with careful research and assistance from an advisor, however, you may find one that provides rewarding fulfillment and satisfaction.

What Is the Difference Between a Pivot and a Career Change?

Why may someone want to pivot their career? There can be various motivations behind deciding to pivot their career; boredom with their current position or realizing the profession no longer aligns with values may be factors; whatever their reasons, changing careers can be both exciting and daunting – it is therefore vitally important that individuals understand the difference between pivoting their career and changing it entirely to make informed decisions that are in their best professional interest.

Career changes involve switching career paths entirely, often necessitating new qualifications and abilities. On the other hand, career pivots may involve less dramatic directional shifts that rely on using existing knowledge, expertise, and experience gathered throughout one’s career to take them in new directions – in some instances, even without needing new abilities!

Are You Thinking About Pivoting Your Career? For those contemplating such an undertaking, creating a detailed launch plan will help outline what needs to be done to succeed in their new role, including any skill gaps they need to address and potential opportunities that could help facilitate such changes. Finally, they should create a timeline to achieve any skills-building or savings goals necessary to be ready for such changes.

Though it’s never too late to switch careers, specific roles may be more complex than others to acquire in later life due to skills acquired over a career that is hard to transfer to new industries. Anyone considering making such a change and considering their age should consult an experienced coach to develop a plan to help them meet their desired goals.

A coach can also assist clients in creating a personal brand that highlights their strengths and unique traits, helping them effectively market themselves to potential employers during career change processes.

How Do I Make a Career Pivot?

If your current career trajectory is dissatisfying, pivoting may be one way to alter it. Doing so involves conducting extensive research and gathering clarity around where you want your new direction to head before building skills in that industry – this may include online courses, virtual skill-building sessions, informational interviews with professionals in that field, and finding appropriate professional associations where applicable.

Transitioning to a new career path may take time and requires patience and persistence, with a clear vision of how your new endeavor fits with overall life goals and values. Support from mentors or friends and resources such as alumni services or career coaches may prove helpful in making this step.

As part of any transition, it’s essential to identify any transferrable skills from your previous job and how they could apply to a different career path. With this information, you can develop your brand story to illustrate why the next career opportunity you seek is an organic extension of what’s already going on within you and will stand out during interviews with hiring managers.

People frequently change careers multiple times during their professional journey. According to Miller, climbing the corporate ladder is no longer the sole path to success. She notes that many individuals reach a turning point in their career where they value different aspects than before – whether that be more satisfying work, flexible hours, or a greater sense of fulfillment; shifting your career can provide the desired benefits.

At first, making a career transition or pivot may feel intimidating; however, it can be achieved successfully with proper preparation and mindset. You should assess what skills and networks are already in place, any additional resources (child care or financial assistance), personal non-negotiables, and any potential sacrifices you will make along your new career journey.