We’ve all been forced to do a lot of re-inventing the last few weeks. Prior choices in personal and work routines and habits have been replaced with necessity. Our former lives have been halted by COVID-19, and nothing looks the same. Yet, who we are and what we are passionate about hasn’t suddenly become obsolete with this pandemic, we are simply faced with the opportunity to transform our passions and work to fit our current circumstances.
Many are finding that the careers that once sustained their families have been disrupted and may be slow to return. Drastic professional changes may not have been on our list of 2020 accomplishments, but it could be what’s needed. Are you thinking a career pivot might be in order, either to get closer to your career passion or to regain your financial footing? You aren’t alone. Along with individuals, many businesses are finding that what once made them successful just won’t work today.
But what does a pivot feel like in reality?
- Pivoting is tough and could be tough for a while. Even when you know it’s the right thing to do, there will be fear, uncertainty and doubt. If you don’t have any hesitancy, you need to take a step back and make sure you’ve thought through your plan.
- Change is constant even though it feels jarring almost every time. Remind yourself that businesses change, people change, and our environments change even if we’d prefer they stay the same. To thrive as people, we must adapt and change.
- Take control of your pivot to make sure you end up in a career you feel passionate about or one that allows you the flexibility to fulfill passions outside of work. Your destiny is in your hands.
How do you choose your pivot?
- Remain open minded. There are many career options that are in demand right now that you may have never explored before. Never considered yourself a technologist but have a great eye for design? What about exploring User Experience certifications, taking your more traditional design skills online. UI/UX skills are in incredibly high demand.
- Focus on what fulfills you. Think through your past roles and identify what tasks left you feeling drained versus energized. Does putting and keeping things in order make you feel fulfilled? Those skills are in high demand for an Agile coach or Project Manager.
- Be brave. Learning something new takes guts. You’ll feel vulnerable and challenged. But that is what shapes us as people. If you haven’t felt mentally challenged in a while, it may take you a little bit longer to get comfortable in that space. Consider Roger Crawford’s quote “Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.”
A pivot doesn’t have to be huge. A basketball pivot means you keep one foot planted and adjust the second until you have firm footing. And that’s all you are looking for: firm footing. A pivot could mean a change in career paths. If this is the case, look for courses online or locally and ask yourself if that one training is keeping you from getting closer to your goals. A pivot could simply be taking your current skills and transitioning from full-time employee to freelancer, finally achieving the flexibility you’ve always wanted.
However you choose to pivot, Boulo wants to pivot with you. And here’s how: if a business calls us and tells us their pivot story, we’ll match them with one of you to help execute their pivot at our cost. You are able to keep contributing to our community, businesses thrive, and Boulo gets to see our vision for professional achievement without compromise come full circle.