How to Successfully Pivot Careers: Reframe Your Experience and Land Your Dream Job
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Switching career paths and trying something new is exciting, but it can also feel intimidating, especially when you're entering a completely different field. You might find yourself competing with people who seem to have more relevant experience, leading to feelings of doubt and imposter syndrome. But here’s the good news: You are probably more qualified than you think. It’s all about reframing your existing experience to fit your new goals.
The Power of Your Past Experience
The fact that you've been employed, even in a different industry, means you've handled a variety of responsibilities. These roles have helped you build skills to transfer to new career paths. Your background may be an asset, giving you a fresh perspective and a more diverse skill set. For example, when I transitioned from fashion PR to traditional marketing, my side hustles, where I managed everything—digital media, production, and design—helped ease that shift.
Be Realistic, But Dream Big
When pivoting, it’s important to be realistic about the new field. Transitioning from healthcare marketing to fashion marketing, for example, is manageable because of overlapping skills. However, moving from retail to public relations without any PR experience is a bigger leap. If you lack direct experience, consider entry-level roles that will get you in the door, such as an executive assistant or showroom manager at a PR firm. These roles will allow you to learn and grow into your dream job. Smaller companies may also have less competitive applicant pools, offering a better chance to get noticed.
Research Like You Mean It
If you’ve already decided on your next move, start researching with the intensity of someone investigating their latest Bumble match. You should have a clear understanding of the skills required for the role and industry you're aiming for. Use LinkedIn to review job descriptions and profiles of people in similar roles, paying attention to their career trajectories. Also, research salary expectations to ensure your dream job aligns with your financial goals.
Talk to people in your network with similar experience or connections in the industry, and become an expert on the role you want.
Identify Key Skills
Once you’ve researched, return to those job descriptions and pull out the key skills and responsibilities. I always advise using free word cloud generators. By copying and pasting several job descriptions into the generator, you can identify which skills are consistently mentioned. Those big words are your focus.
Next, look at your past experience and see how it aligns. Don’t be so literal that you overlook key skills. For example, if a role requires project management and you’ve led projects before—setting timelines, managing people—you’ve gained project management experience. Be sure to consider the skills and the specific platforms listed in the job descriptions. A tool like Asana may be new to you, but a quick Google search could reveal that it’s similar to something you’ve used before.
Fill the Gaps
If your research reveals skill gaps, take the time to fill them. This could mean learning new software, brushing up on old skills like Excel, or taking a short course. For example, if your new career field relies heavily on Excel and you haven’t used it in years, a refresher course will go a long way. LinkedIn Learning offers a variety of classes that can help you quickly close the gap.
Craft Your Resume
Now, it’s time to draft your resume. Start with a personal statement, explaining your reasons for changing careers and how your past experience translates to your new industry. Make it clear that this career change is intentional and not a random attempt to apply for any job.
Instead of listing your work experience first, highlight your most relevant skills. This is where your research comes in handy. Focus on the skills that align with the new role, and list them in order of importance. You need to do the work for the hiring manager, making it easy for them to understand how your past experience is relevant to the role.
For example, if you’re applying to a fashion marketing role but haven’t worked specifically with fashion brands, emphasize your marketing experience with other retail companies and any industry insights from working in a clothing store during college. Be honest about what you don’t know but highlight how your experience is transferable.
Highlight Relevant Work History
Below are your skills, including your relevant work history. You don’t need to list every job you’ve ever had, especially those that don’t contribute to the new role you’re targeting. Focus on accomplishments that demonstrate how you used relevant skills. Whenever possible, use numbers and statistics to show your impact, like “Increased sales by 25% through upselling techniques.”
Certifications and Education
End your resume with your education and any certifications or courses that are relevant to the new career. If you’re actively working on filling skill gaps by taking a course, include that to show that you’re committed to growing in the field.
Bottom Line: Reframing Is Key
The key to breaking into a new career is reframing your existing experience to match the role you want. If you focus on your transferable skills and demonstrate how they apply to the new job, you’ll position yourself as a strong candidate. Don’t worry about being 100% qualified for the role. What’s important is that you present yourself in a way that makes sense to the hiring manager.