How to Make a Career Pivot Without Jumping Too Soon

There are moments in a career when the idea of doing something completely different becomes very tempting.

Perhaps you are bored. Perhaps you are burnt out. Perhaps the role that once stretched you now feels too small. Perhaps you have had enough of working with your toxic boss. Perhaps you look at other people’s careers and wonder whether you have accidentally built the wrong one.

A career pivot can be a brilliant thing. It can bring energy, meaning and growth. It can help you move towards work that fits who you are now, not who you were ten years ago.

But a career pivot can also lead you in the wrong direction when it is treated as an escape plan.

That is why my first advice is: take your time.

Sometimes the desire to pivot is a reflexive response to being unhappy where we are. We want out. We want change. We want relief. And when we are in that state, we can mistake change for progress.

Leaving impulsively may feel good in the moment, but it can create pressure later. If you do not have enough of a financial cushion, you may end up taking the first role you are offered simply because you need certainty. That can put you straight back into work that does not suit you.

So before you execute your career pivot, spend time understanding it.

Start with your strengths.

People are often happiest and most successful when their work uses what they are naturally good at, when those strengths are valued, and when they are surrounded by people they enjoy working with.

The difficulty is that we often undervalue our own strengths. The things that come easily to us can feel obvious or ordinary. Meanwhile, we overvalue what other people do well because it looks more impressive from the outside.

So ask yourself: what do people come to me for? What do I do well without overthinking it? What problems do I enjoy solving? What feedback have I received repeatedly? Where do I create value without having to force it?

Then look at your motivations.

This is where many pivots become more complex. It is not enough to choose a job title that sounds interesting. You need to understand what will keep you engaged after the initial excitement has worn off.

Are you motivated by money? Purpose? Learning? Autonomy? Status? Security? Creativity? Connection? Variety? A particular kind of organisation or mission?

There is no correct or superior answer. The honest answer is the useful one.

You also need to think about your working environment. A career can be right in theory and wrong in practice if the working conditions do not suit you. You might like the idea of a particular role, but if the reality is remote and solitary, and you thrive on daily in-person collaboration, it may not give you what you need.

This is why research matters.

You are unlikely to think your way into the perfect career pivot from your sofa. You need to speak to people. Find out what the work is actually like. Ask about the day-to-day, the culture, the pressures, the skills that matter, the parts people love and the parts they find difficult.

Where possible, try before you buy. Shadow someone. Take on a small project. Do a course. Volunteer. Speak to people in different organisations. Test your assumptions. Discuss them with an experienced career coach.

A useful idea to hold during this process is: some of what I believe about this new career is probably wrong.

That is not a problem. It is exactly why you research and talk to people before you take the leap.

Once you are clearer on the direction, use your network.

This is particularly helpful when you are changing careers, because many hiring processes are not particularly imaginative. If your CV does not obviously match the role, a hiring manager may not immediately see the connection. A warm introduction can help someone understand your transferable value in a way a document may not.

Do not only contact people when you need a job. Start by asking for advice.

You might say: “I am exploring a move into this area and would really value your perspective. Do you have any advice for someone moving into this area? What types of roles do you think I’d be suited to? What qualities/strengths/experience are you looking to hire into your team?”

People are often more willing to help when the first ask is a conversation and advice, rather than a request for a role. And when someone has given you advice, they often become more invested in your success.

Finally, get the support you need.

That might be a coach, a mentor, or simply someone whose judgement you trust. Career pivots can feel messy because they involve identity as well as practical decisions. Talking things through can help you hear what you really think.

A career pivot does not need to be reckless to be brave.

The best pivots are often thoughtful, researched and grounded in self-knowledge. Rather than moving you away from something that is uncomfortable they should move you towards work that better fits your strengths, motivations, environment and life.

So before you quit, pause.

Before you retrain, investigate.

Before you assume the answer is taking a completely different role, get clear on what you are really looking for.

The goal is not just to change careers.

The goal is to build a career that works for you.

Find out more about Career Coaching with me.

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