Daring to pivot
It has been one month since I dared to pivot. I left a company where I had been carving out a career over 25 years in order to try something new. A risky move many would think – right? Perhaps.
My new gig as a Founder of a startup is my 10th job in my career journey, which has taken me around the globe. That number seems to be in line with a longitudinal study in the US which shows that women hold an average of 12.1 jobs in their working life. In fact, the average number of years that working women in the US who are over 25 years old stay with an employer is 4.9 years. Tenure in years increases with age. From 25 to 34 years old, women spend on average 2.7 years in a role. This extends to 4.7 years from 35 to 44 years old, then 7.1 years from 45 to 54 years old, and 10.1 years from 55 to 64 years old.
What made me pivot? It was to ignite growth and development, which for me had stalled in the last years. I was motivated to gain new skills and experiences, while also finding ways to broaden my profile.
There are many reasons why people change careers or step into new opportunities. A survey by online job site, Indeed, reveals that the main reason why people made a significant career change was because they were unhappy in their previous job sector (81% survey respondents). This was closely followed by seeking higher pay and greater flexibility (79 percent). Growth and development are also important with 78 percent of career changers wanting to feel challenged or finding roles which offered more opportunities for advancement.
What has surprised me the most? While it is early days, it is amazing how a pivot has given me the opportunity to reactivate connections within my network. The support has been incredibly positive, and you learn more about your personal brand in the process.
How do you start? Change takes time. Respondents in the Indeed survey spent an average of 11 months thinking about the move before making it. I started my planning about 18 months ago. Take time to invest in understanding who you are. Reflect on your key strengths, qualities that distinguish you, and know what brings you joy and purpose. Write this down. I would highly recommend getting the help of a career coach in the process. A good coach asks the right questions to help you with the self-discovery of the options that you have – they should not tell you what to do. This may challenge you to make a pivot or identify other choices and small steps you can take.
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Photo: By MinskDesign | Shutterstock.
Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employee Tenure in 2018. Number of Jobs Held in a Lifetime. August 2019. CNBC Nearly half of workers have made a dramatic career switch, and this is the average age they do it. October 31, 2019. Indeed. Career Change Report. August 2019.