How to get practical about pivots

Arianna Huffington has reframed the ‘great resignation’ that has hit so many headlines as the ‘great re-evaluation’ and it’s definitely something Sarah Ellis and I are seeing in our work at Amazing If. The last 2 years have led to people questioning what they want to work on, where they want to work and who they want to work with. They are more confident to have the career conversations they need and make the changes they find meaningful and motivating. The team at LinkedIn were keen to explore career confidence a bit further, and have done some research which shows UK workers are re-thinking their professional goals and priorities with over two thirds (67%) considering a change in 2022.

Career pivots are now playing a bigger role in people’s thinking about their progression. They offer the opportunity to stretch strengths and develop in different directions. In my own career I’ve pivoted within organisations (moving from project management to marketing and from process management to innovation for example), across industries (from FMCG to financial services, from energy to technology) and by switching scale of organisation (from working in a 180,000 person business to heading up my own company with fewer than 10!). These pivots have enabled me to learn more about my abilities, expand my network and increase my impact. They have been ‘pivotal’ to my development!

To help job seekers, LinkedIn are hosting a Jobs Bootcamp, a programme of content and live events on the platform from 18th to 21st January 2022 that will offer practical career advice and job seeking tips from experts. They are also unlocking a range of LinkedIn Learning courses such as Finding a Remote Job and Video Interview Tips, making them available for free until 1st February 2022.

Sarah and I will be doing a LinkedIn Live on “Practical ways to pivot your career” as part of the Jobs Bootcamp which you can register for here. In the meantime, here are a few things that I’ve learnt along the way about how to prepare for a pivot and transition to a new area of work:

1.????Explore your pivot possibilities

There are lots of different types of pivot that you can consider, all based on some variation of role x organisation x industry change. You could pivot what you’re working on in the job you’re in today. This is often referred to as ‘job crafting’ and it’s the idea of squiggling in your career by stretching your skills in new ways. It’s a great way to refresh your role if you’re not looking for a dramatic move (we’ve covered job crafting in this episode of the Squiggly Careers podcast). You could pivot in your organisation by moving across functions. This is often called the ‘sideways move’ or what we refer to as a ‘squiggle and stay’ progression possibility. These moves allow you to build on your business knowledge and take advantage of your existing internal relationships at the same time as developing new ones. They often represent a safe level of stretch that can significantly increase your value to an organisation.

Then there are the bigger pivots, the ‘squiggle and switch’ moves where you’re changing company and/or career. These moves can feel scary but can accelerate your growth and open-up previously unknown opportunities. If you’re looking for inspiration for the type of roles that might be right for you, LinkedIn’s Career Explorer can help. You can find new roles that might be a good match for your existing skills.

Coach Yourself Question

What pivot possibilities feel meaningful and motivating to me?

2.????Transfer your talents

When you’re driving any kind of career change, it’s important to focus on the value of what you’re bringing to it. This creates a strong foundation for your self-belief and increases the confidence other people have in your ability to transition effectively. Think of the skills you have that give you energy and that you want to be known for. For each of your pivot possibilities, consider what benefit those skills could bring. Perhaps if you’re great at problem solving, you could help a team respond to a new competitive threat. Or if data analysis is a deep skill, perhaps the value you can bring is in visualising it so non-data experts engage with the insights. Confidently sharing how you can transfer your talents in interviews and career development discussions can help create a pull for what you bring rather than feeling like you’re pushing a pivot that other people might not be open to.

Coach Yourself Question

What benefit can my talent bring to this business/team/leader?

3.????Rebuild your brand

Your personal brand is made up of multiple things. It’s in what people see and it’s in what you say. As you pivot your career, it’s important that your brand evolves with you. When there is a disconnect between what your brand says about you and where you might want to go to with your career, it creates dissonance. This dissonance can make people doubt whether you’re the ‘right’ person for the role or whether the opportunity is going to be a good fit. If you’re interested in pivoting to a new function, think about how you proactively spend time with people who already work in that area. Could you attend some meetings or get mentored by someone who works in the team you want to move into? If you’re changing company or industry, think about what you could read to stay informed, what you could share on your LinkedIn profile to showcase your curiosity, who you could connect with and learn from and/or what events you could attend to increase your awareness and visibility.

Coach Yourself Question

How can my brand evolve so my pivot makes sense to people?

If you’re interested in learning more about how a career pivot could support you and your progression, join our LinkedIn Live, “Practical ways to pivot your career”, on January 21st at 12.00pm.

#GetHired #JobsBootcamp #Conversationsforchange

I am part of LinkedIn’s Changemaker programme which spotlights people who are promoting positive change in the workplace.