At a time when the world is re-emerging from a COVID forced
hibernation, today’s workforce finds themselves looking out upon a landscape
they hardly recognize. Lines between
home and office have been blurred, there seems to have been a step-change in
the focus of the energy industry, and the technology for remote working has
become commonplace and widely implemented. Unsurprisingly, large swathes of the
workforce are reconsidering what a career looks like, reconsidering what a
healthy work/life balance is, and frankly reconsidering if a traditional brick
and mortar office is even necessary to do their jobs.
Everyone must decide what works best for them, but for those considering a
major career pivot, please allow me to offer some advice based on a “big shift”
earlier in my career.
In 2008, there was a bust in the American housing market
which led to a little financial hiccup now known as the “Great Recession”. Even
the short version is too much to unpack here, but as it pertains to my
experience, the construction industry stopped building homes and neighborhoods. And when you stop building neighborhoods, you
no longer need to build supermarkets, or schools, or day-cares, or doctors
offices to support those neighborhoods.
As a licensed architect, I suddenly found myself in a field with extremely
low demand that was completely saturated with qualified and overqualified
workers. There were 80 to 100 applicants
for every job opportunity posted. I
found myself in a position where I had to pivot to an entirely new industry
just to survive.
I learned a lot about myself and about careers in general in
this process. Perhaps my advice could be
helpful to some of you.
1.
You are not your profession or career -- This
realization was painful for me. When I realized that I could no longer identify
as “an architect”, I was devastated. After
earning a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture degree, working for 4 years to get my
license, and practicing for countless more years, my identity was so tied up in
what I did for a living, that I literally did not know who I was anymore. It took years for me to work through
this. If you are going to make a major
pivot, begin working through this now.
Talk with your friends, spouses, and colleagues, maybe even a counselor.
Whatever you do, wrap your head around the emotional and psychological impact,
good or bad, that such a pivot will have in your life.
2.
Look at your skill sets generically -- If
you have spent time managing multidisciplinary teams, does it matter what
industry? In my case, I moved from Commercial
Architecture to the Offshore Oil & Gas industry. On the surface, these
industries seem worlds apart. However,
my ability to coordinate large teams of designers and engineers and direct them
towards a common goal got me in the door for the interview. The ability to translate from engineering jargon
to construction jargon to boardroom jargon sealed the deal. These are skills that transcend
industries. Likewise, understanding building
codes and zoning and permitting might seem specific to architecture or
construction. But if viewed from a greater distance, this is regulatory
engagement which is crucial to almost every industry. If you just zoom out from your industry-specific
(micro) perspective and view them with a broader perspective, you have skills that
you can leverage.
3.
NEVER underestimate the power of soft skills
-- I transitioned between two vastly different fields. When I was offered
my first position in Oil & Gas, I was literally told “you have all of the soft
skills for this position that we could ask for, we’ll teach you the rest.” Soft skills are notoriously difficult to
teach. Some even say they cannot be
taught; you either have them or you don’t. Regardless, the ability to
communicate clearly across multiple disciplines and various stakeholders is enormously
valuable. Critical thinking, problem solving, consensus building, tactfulness,
empathy, and diplomacy are skills that are sought in nearly every industry in the
world. Be confident in your soft skills
and do not be afraid to stand on those when making a big pivot. You will be amazed at the gaps they can
close.
4.
Invest in yourself -- Currently, I am
attempting to navigate a smaller pivot into project management. After some
investigation and consulting people that I respect in that field, I invested in
some Project Management course work and in testing for the Project Management Professional
(PMP) certification. If you know the
specific direction that you want to go, getting educated in that field or
industry gives you a leg up on that transition.
Gaining certifications and/or licensing in those fields will open all
kinds of doors. Yes, this takes a lot of
time, effort, and money. However, this
is also a good litmus test for you. If
you are not willing to make the sacrifice required for these trainings or
certifications, perhaps it is not a career pivot that you need to pursue.
5.
Be prepared to take a step back -- Just because
you have 10 years of working experience in one field does not necessarily mean
that you can step into a 10-year position in another field. To get yourself in the door, you may need to
accept a position slightly below what you would hope. However, leveraging your
skillsets from previous industries, utilizing the strength of your soft skills,
and capitalizing on the investments that you have made in yourself; you can be
confident that you will excel in your new field and move up to that desired
level in very little time. As above, this is something of a litmus test. If you are not willing to take one step back
in order to gain two (or three) forward, is this really a pivot that you are
willing to make.
6.
Be confident in yourself -- This is
another one that is personally painful.
I spent years in my new career field suffering from imposter
syndrome. Even with positive performance
reviews and high praise from a number of clients, I questioned if I was good enough.
I felt like I dint belong and it took time to get past being “the new kid” In
my own head, If someone says you’re doing a good job,
chances are that you are. Most industries don’t have the patience to coddle incompetence
or ineptitude. Conversely, if someone brings criticism, dig into it. Ask for feedback on how they might have done
it or how to improve your process/skill/approach. Build from it. You’ll gain more respect from your new peers
this way than you ever would by getting defensive.
Hopefully, this advice on the concept of a career pivot
proves at least insightful, if not helpful. I do not claim to be an expert, but I have
been there. What I have shared here are the hard lessons I learned in real time
and later through thoughtful reflection. Thirteen years ago, I made a substantial career
pivot and it was one of the most significantly impactful events in my adult
life. Frankly, with the changes in the energy market, I may find myself there
again in short order. Following these
steps, I believe that each of us can successfully pivot to whatever career the
future holds for us.
#GreatResignation #TheBigShift #PivotAdvice
