Feeling stuck in your career? You are not alone. The idea of making a major career change is more common than ever.
Where do you start? How do you know if you’re making the right move? And how do you translate your existing skills into a completely new field?
To get some real world answers, we turned to the members of FOUNDRY’s community. On our Work This Way podcast, we’ve heard countless stories of incredible career pivots. From a professional dancer who became a Head of People, to a midwife who launched an aesthetics practice.
We’ve distilled their collective wisdom into a practical, 4 step guide to help you navigate your own career pivot with confidence.
Step 1: Identify Your Transferable “Superpower” Skills
Before you throw out your old CV and start from scratch, take a moment to appreciate the skills you already have. Many people underestimate the value of their existing experience, especially when moving to a seemingly unrelated field.
Haydan, who transitioned from professional dance to HR leadership, realised that his years of training had given him a powerful set of “soft skills” that were in high demand in the corporate world. “Discipline, resilience, teamwork, the ability to perform under pressure – these are all skills that are essential for a successful career in business,” he shared.
Actionable Tip: Make a list of your top 5 skills. For each one, write down an example of how you’ve used it in your current or past roles. Then, brainstorm how that same skill could be applied to the new career you’re considering. You’ll be surprised at how much overlap there is.
Step 2: Embrace a “Test and Learn” Mindset
You don’t have to go all-in on a new career right away. In fact, it’s often smarter not to. Think of your career pivot as a series of small experiments, rather than one big, risky leap.
Carmen Davies, who made a career out of trying “all the jobs,” is a master of this approach. She saw every role as a learning opportunity, a chance to gather data on what she enjoyed, what she was good at, and what she didn’t want to do. This allowed her to make an informed decision when she finally decided to launch her own business.
Actionable Tip: How can you “test” your new career idea? Can you take an online course? Do some freelance work on the side? Volunteer for a relevant organisation? Find low-risk ways to get a real feel for the industry before you commit.
Step 3: Find Your “Why”
A career pivot is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be moments of doubt, fear, and frustration. In those moments, it’s your “why” that will keep you going. Your “why” is your deeper motivation, the reason you’re making this change in the first place.
For Karolina Ahmed, who moved from midwifery to aesthetics, her “why” was about finding a way to continue caring for people in a way that was more sustainable for her own well-being. This sense of purpose gave her the strength to navigate the challenges of starting a new business.
Actionable Tip: Write down the answer to this question: “What do I hope to gain from this career change that I don’t have now?” Is it more flexibility? More creativity? A greater sense of purpose? Keep your answer somewhere you can see it every day.
Step 4: Build Your Pivot Posse
You can’t do it alone. Surrounding yourself with the right people is one of the most important things you can do when you’re making a career change. You need a “pivot posse” a group of people who will support you, challenge you, and connect you to new opportunities.
This could include mentors in your new field, fellow career-changers, or a supportive community of entrepreneurs like the one at FOUNDRY. Adam Howie, who went from superyachts to startups, found that being part of the FOUNDRY community was crucial for building his network and finding his footing in a new industry.
Actionable Tip: Make a list of 5 people you can reach out to for advice or support. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. People are often more willing to help than you think, especially if you’re passionate and clear about your goals.
Making a career pivot is a journey of self-discovery. It’s not always easy, but as the stories of our FOUNDRY members show, it is always worth it.
