Keep Dreaming: How to Make a Successful Career Pivot

If you’re considering making a change to your career, you’re in pretty good company. According to a November 2024 job insights survey conducted by The Harris Poll and Express Employment Professionals, more than half of U.S. job seekers are eager to switch industries (56%) or job functions (52%).

The idea of switching career paths can feel overwhelming, but the good news is that it may not be as difficult as you think. The same poll found that 58% of job seekers have switched careers at least once, and 76% believe it’s never too late to make a career switch happen. Only 14% of U.S. job seekers have never switched careers and never plan to. 

If you’re thinking about a career pivot and are unsure of where to start, we’re here to help. LinkedIn Learning features the expertise of people who have successfully transitioned careers and know what it takes to make a move in manageable steps. By combining the insights of courses like Identity Crisis: How to Realign Your Career with Your Life with Elaine Cartas and Job Transitions: Design Your Dream Career with Lezlie Garr, we’ve put together an action plan you can follow to change your career journey. 

Define your “why”

The first step to making a career pivot is defining your “why” — that is, the reason you want to change course in the first place.

Elaine Cartas breaks down the process of defining your “why” into four steps:

1. Acknowledge the challenges: Be honest about the obstacles between you and your career change. For example, Cartas says, “Maybe you’re thinking about the thousands you’ve spent on a formal education, or you’re worried about what your friends and family will think.”
   
2. Acknowledge why facing these challenges is worth it: Every big life decision has its pros and cons. Take the time to consider why changing paths is worth it to you. This can help you overcome your doubts and crystalize your “why.”
   
3. Journal about your why: Take the time to come up with a concrete reason why you want to start a different career path. It could be a personal need, a lifelong dream, a new passion, or anything else that strongly motivates you.
   
4. Create a reminder: “Find a way to remind yourself of your why,” Cartas says. “For example, I have a family altar with a picture of both my grandmothers on the day I graduated with my master’s degree. It’s right next to my desk, and I look at it daily.”
   

Outline your “whats”

Now that you have your “why,” focus on your “whats.” Take time to think through what you need your next career to do for you. Lezlie Garr suggests taking the following steps:

1. Define your priorities: Write down what you want out of your next job. “Take a look at things like what type of work you like to do and how your personal and professional values relate to your work,” Garr says, “then decide which elements are most important to you for each.”
   
2. Draw a line between “non-negotiables” and “nice to haves:” Identify which items on your priority list are absolute must-haves and which you can be more flexible about.
   
3. Create a narrative: When you’ve settled on your non-negotiables, Garr recommends tying them together into a narrative that explains your “why.” “Outline why your non-negotiables are what they are and how they add to the ultimate value you’re able to bring to an employer,” she says. “This will help bring you confidence in your career change.”
   

Find your target jobs

With your non-negotiable narrative in hand, you can start to get specific. It’s time to use both your “why” and your “whats” to find the jobs you want to pursue.

According to Garr, three key focus areas will help you transition into a new career that works for you:

1. The industry. “[The industry you want to work in] determines the end result of the work you do,” she says. “For example, if you work in healthcare, then the end result of your work is improving people’s health. When your industry is aligned with your values, this can exponentially increase your career happiness.” Think of an industry as the broader purpose or mission behind the work. Whether it's education, sustainability, tech innovation, or something else, choose an industry whose impact resonates with you on a deeper level.
   
2. The company. Within your chosen industry, not all companies are created equal. Culture, leadership style, career growth opportunities, and benefits can vary widely. “Start by exploring prominent companies in your area or by researching online lists for best places to work,” Garr says. “Look for companies that share your values and provide the things that are most important to you.” It’s also worth thinking about whether you’d like to work for a larger established company, an exciting new startup, or a smaller business with values that align to your own.
   
3. The job type. “This determines your day-to-day work,” Garr says. “Research job descriptions within your target industries and companies to find positions that seem like a potential fit for your values, skills, and experience.” 
   

Build your professional brand 

Now that you know what you want, it’s time to position yourself in a way that best helps you attain your goal. Garr suggests starting with your professional brand. “A professional brand is simply a statement that summarizes your unique strengths and how you differ from your competition,” she says. “Your professional brand is important to create and communicate confidently because it helps hiring decision makers quickly and easily understand your value.”

To help you get started, Garr suggests the following: “Begin with a title that best represents your target jobs,” she says. “Include the number of years of experience you have and mention your most impressive achievements. This may sound something like, ‘I’m a people-focused leader in operations management with 20 years of experience managing multi-million dollar budgets, driving business growth, and building high-performance teams.’”

When your professional brand is finished, it can serve as a guide to help you with job applications — and even how you present yourself online and at in–person networking events. Update your LinkedIn profile, resume, cover letter, and portfolio in a way that demonstrates the value you outline in your brand. This can help make the case for why this unique value makes you a great fit for the position and career pivot you’re aiming for. 

Don’t give up — it’s never too late!

Even if you follow this process, don’t be surprised if it takes some time to transition to your new career. That’s OK: “It’s not just the ending that matters,” Cartas says, “it’s what you are taking away from each lesson.” 

Make every application, interview, and even rejection a valuable way to learn more about what you’ll need to do to get where you want to be. Refine your brand, perfect your resume and cover letter, and keep building the skills you need, and you will end up in a position you can be happy in. Good luck with your new career journey!

For help navigating your career journey, be sure to check out Identity Crisis: How to Realign Your Career with Your Life with Elaine Cartas and Job Transitions: Design Your Dream Career with Lezlie Garr.