5 Tips for Pivoting Your Career. (original link)
1. Take a test
Before you make a career change, you have to understand what you want, both in the short- and long-term. Candidates who neglect to think strategically often find themselves job hopping from one role to another. In doing this, they limit themselves in regards to future job opportunities — a cluttered resume filled with non-committal roles does not impress employers. Therefore, being able to realize a career path that is right for you is of the utmost importance.
Visualizing where you want to go by career mapping is a great way to gauge your wants and needs for your future. It can also provide some great insight into careers you may not have previously considered. One way to do some strategic mapping is to take career aptitude assessments to see how your interests link with possible careers. Though these tests aren’t typically go-tos, they can provide direction and spark your creative thought process.
2. Get off your high horse
Career pivots often require professionals to leave more senior, higher-paying roles in favor of jobs that, initially, come with lower compensation packages or less desirable titles and responsibilities. In order to gain the skills and experience necessary to forge a new career, one must be willing to make strategic changes that may not be glamorous from the get-go.
For instance, at OneWire, we recently worked with a savvy and proactive candidate who had been working in research at a media company. She had determined that, long-term, it was not the path to which she aspired; her ideal job involved analytics, organization and human resources management. In combining these interests and researching relevant career paths, she determined that her dream C-level job was to be a chief administrative officer (CAO).
So she thought big. She was willing to negotiate a role within her organization as an executive assistant to the COO. Though it was technically a “downgrade” from a responsibility perspective, she looked at the job description — not the job title — when making her decision. Though it was technically a “downgrade” from a responsibility perspective, she looked at the job description — not the job title — when making her decision. She gauged that, by positioning herself as the COO’s “right hand,” the role would allow her to gain access to important operational initiatives, take charge of HR and learn the ropes in a different way.
She was also able to negotiate a broader title — associate instead of executive assistant — so that the focus on her resume would be more on her responsibilities than on assumptions around a given title. Her strategic and proactive approach put her in a strong position to gain the experiences and skills necessary to achieve her long-term goals.
Instead of feeling like you’re entitled to a new career, you need to be strategic, which may mean humbling yourself to find a job that truly fits. The short-term consequences might be a lower salary — particularly when trying to break into a new industry — or taking on additional duties without higher compensation. However, in the long term, success in a fulfilling career usually outweighs these initial sacrifices.
3. Live in the real world
You aren’t going to become CFO of a major financial organization immediately; you have to work your way up to that goal. Think about different types of firms and roles that are structured to give you as many opportunities as possible, so you can get up to speed on new skills. For instance, although you may want to work at a large corporation, switching gears and working at a startup may provide you with more opportunity to stretch your legs and establish credibility than at a large institution where roles and promotional ladders are much more structured.
Many associates in investment banking say they would rather be in fundraising or investor relations due to the better hours and lifestyle those jobs tend to offer — but the reality is that compensation is lower in those roles. Therefore, before even taking the first step down an alternative track, you must step back and take a long, hard look at the tradeoffs. Ultimately, if you aren’t willing to give up things like a six-figure salary, you’re having the wrong conversation.
Let’s go back to the CAO example. The tradeoff was working longer hours in a less glamorous role. However, she gained additional responsibility and a more exciting long-term career path, which is ultimately what she wanted.
4. Actually practice what the experts preach
A complete career overhaul may mean getting up to speed on industry trends or understanding new processes. This requires work, diligence and becoming an expert at your role — often before you’ve even landed the job. It also requires going over what the experts are saying — and actually following through with their advice.
For example, many experts suggest you should demonstrate examples of what you do in your spare time to verify why you’re passionate about the industry. This can include reading blogs, following CEOs and entrepreneurs on social media and applying this research to your search. You can also find ways to position yourself in a new role, such as taking on side projects, joining clubs or performing community work to show why you’d be a great fit for your dream job.
5. Practice goodwill
Use the resources and relationships you have, and create goodwill so people understand why you want to make a transition. Instead of calling people and asking for a job, offer to help solve a problem they may be facing.
A great example of this mindset comes from Lori Goler, former senior director of marketing at eBay. Goler actually called Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and asked, “What is your biggest problem and how can I solve it?” Since the company was experiencing issues with recruitment at the time — and Goler’s expertise was in marketing — Sandberg recognized that Goler’s experience would be a potential fit for human resources.
Practicing goodwill means being proactive. Since you aren’t overtly asking for a career change, a member of your network may be more open to introducing you to people who can help you make the switch. Ultimately, it’s not always about you — it’s about what you can do for other people and how you can provide value.
