Reshaping Career Trajectories

Thinking of switching industries or careers?🤷♀️ Pause before you polish that resume. Most people start a career pivot by updating their LinkedIn headline. But the truth is — the real work starts with looking inward. When I speak to professionals in the middle of a transition, I always ask them: Do you know exactly what you’re looking for? Or are you running away from what you don’t want? Here’s how I recommend you approach it: 1) Reflect on your “work happiness formula” * What type of projects make you lose track of time? * Do you prefer building things from scratch or optimising existing systems? * Do you like structured tasks or problem-solving in chaos? 2) Define your non-negotiables -Salary range, work-life balance, growth opportunities, flexibility, values. -Remember: Non-negotiables are boundaries, not wish lists. 3)Understand your ideal environment -Start-up hustle or corporate structure? -Remote independence or in-office collaboration? -Fast-paced change or steady, predictable work? 4)Bridge the skill gap -Identify what’s transferable from your current role. -Pick 1-2 high-impact skills the new industry values and invest in them first. 5) Talk to people, not just job portals -Have informational interviews with folks in your target industry. -Ask them what surprised them most after joining — the answers are gold. A career pivot is less about starting over and more about realigning your career with who you are now — your skills, your values, and your goals. Sometimes the right next step isn’t just up the ladder. It's across What’s one non-negotiable you’d never compromise on in your next role?

A candidate came to me wanting to move from logistics into financial services operations. Strong background. Real transferable skills. Good instincts about why the switch made sense. Her CV told none of that story. It read like a logistics professional who accidentally applied to the wrong job. Every bullet point, every framing, every section header screamed her old industry. The hiring manager would have moved on in eight seconds. A career switch CV isn't a polish job. It's a restructure. Here's how to do it properly. Step 1: Lead with a summary that reframes you Most CVs skip the summary or write something generic. For a career switch, it's the most important two sentences you'll write. Don't describe where you've been. Describe where you're going — and why your background makes you credible there. "Operations professional with eight years managing complex, compliance-heavy workflows across regional teams. Now focused on bringing that process rigour into financial services operations." You've acknowledged the switch. You've made the case before they even read further. Step 2: Identify what actually transfers — be ruthless Not everything in your history is relevant. The question to ask for every bullet point: would a hiring manager in my target industry care about this? If yes, keep it. If no, cut it or reframe it. Logistics candidate above managed vendor contracts, regulatory audits, and cross-border documentation. All of that maps directly to financial services operations. She just hadn't said it that way. "Managed regional compliance audits across six countries" lands differently from "coordinated documentation for international shipments." Same work. Different framing. Step 3: Drop the industry jargon from your old world Every industry has its own language. Yours is invisible to you because you've been speaking it for years. Read your CV as a hiring manager in your target industry. Would they understand your terminology? Or would they need a translation? Swap out the insider language for plain descriptions of what you actually did. Step 4: Reorder your sections Standard CV structure: experience first, skills later. For a career switch, skills and relevant achievements deserve to come up earlier — especially if your most recent job title doesn't match what you're applying for. Lead with what's relevant. Bury what isn't. Step 5: Address the switch directly, briefly Don't make the hiring manager guess why you're applying. A single line in your summary or cover note — honest, specific — is better than leaving them confused. "After eight years in logistics operations, I'm deliberately moving into financial services where the operational challenges are closely aligned." One sentence. Then move on. Your experience is real. Your skills transfer. But if your CV doesn't make that case clearly, nobody's going to figure it out for you. Rewrite the story. Don't just update the dates. #CareerAdvice #JobSearch #Recruitment

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸." That's the biggest myth holding people back. Sound familiar? That nagging thought that a career pivot means throwing away years of experience and starting from scratch. I hear this from accomplished professionals all the time. They're paralyzed by the myth that changing direction equals starting over. But here's the truth: Your experience doesn't vanish when you pivot—it becomes your foundation. --- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁-𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻-𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝘀: 𝟭. 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗧 📊 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝘼𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙩: ↳ 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 Take a snapshot of your current season. What energizes vs. drains you? ↳ 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 Map patterns and themes from your journey. What shaped you? ↳ 𝗗𝗶𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 Use frameworks like Ikigai to find where your skills, passions, and market needs intersect. ↳ 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 Envision your ideal future role. Who are you serving? What impact are you making? 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 & 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘼𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙩: ↳ Document your last 3 roles ↳ List what energized vs. drained you in each ↳ Extract your transferable skills 𝟮. 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗡 🎯 Connect your experience to new opportunities. For example: • Private Detective → Business Analyst (Critical thinking & problem-solving) • Project management → Strategic planning & execution • Team leadership → People development & coaching • Stakeholder management → Influence & relationship building • Tech support —> Translating complex systems for people Think creatively about your skills. For example: • Investigation skills → Data analysis & insights • Pattern recognition → Market trend analysis • Evidence gathering → Business requirements gathering • Case management → Risk Mitigation 𝟯. 𝗔𝗖𝗧 🚀 Take these small steps: ↳ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: • Set up Calendly & Zoom for networking • Start "My Story" inventory with 3 major career wins • Draft your "pivot story" ↳ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵: • Schedule 5 informational interviews • Build a portfolio of transferable work • Map your network of 20 key connections • Update your LinkedIn to reflect your direction --- 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Career pivots aren't chaotic leaps. They're strategic moves that build on your foundation. Your 10+ years in finance? That's strategic thinking and risk assessment. Your leadership experience? That translates everywhere. Your industry relationships? They become bridges to new opportunities. 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲: List 3 moments from your career when you felt most energized. What patterns do you notice? ♻️ Repost to share with your network. ➕ Follow Janet Kim for more tips 📌 Tomorrow I’ll share the complete Career Compass toolkit - the same 10 step system my clients use to pivot in 6 months instead of 6 years. ~~~~~~ 📩 Want more strategies like this? Subscribe to Level Up Weekly - link in the Featured section.

A career pivot isn’t just a trendy buzzword—it’s a strategic shift that can redefine your professional trajectory, resilience, and fulfillment. A career pivot can involve switching industries, taking on a new role, or applying your existing skills in a different context. Unlike a total reset, a pivot builds on your experience while opening new doors. The world of work is changing faster than ever. According to a 2024 LinkedIn Workforce Report, 61% of professionals who made a career pivot in the last two years did so to escape burnout, pursue growth, or find more meaning. FACT: companies now value adaptability as much as expertise, and those who pivot effectively are more likely to thrive in uncertainty, avoid stagnation, and discover untapped potential. Here's how to embrace your career pivot: ✅ Listen to Your Inner Signals Persistent disengagement, boredom, or curiosity about something new are not flaws—they’re clues. Pay attention. ✅ Reframe Your Experience Your skills and achievements aren’t wasted in a pivot—they’re assets. Map out how your strengths translate to new opportunities. ✅ Expand Your Network Seek out people who are doing what interests you. Informational interviews and mentorship can reveal paths you never considered. ✅ Experiment Before You Leap Test the waters with side projects, volunteering, or contract work. Small steps build confidence and clarity. ✅ Invest in Learning Upskill through courses, certifications, or workshops relevant to your new direction. Lifelong learning is the pivot’s secret weapon. This is less about abandoning your past and more about evolving it. Don’t wait for a crisis to force your hand—proactively explore, experiment, and embrace change. The best time to pivot is when you feel the pull, not just when you hit a wall. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Joshua Miller #careeradvice #executivecoaching #professionaldevelopment

Making a career change? Your resume needs a different strategy. A traditional resume approach will not be enough if you are pivoting to a new role or industry. You need to connect the dots for the employer — clearly, strategically, and intentionally. No hiring manager is going to guess how your experience fits. You must show them. Here are 3 strategies for a career change resume that gets attention: 1. Research and Align Your Resume to the Target Job Study the job posting. Know the skills, keywords, and needs of the role. Highlight experiences that match. Cut what doesn’t. Speak their language, not yours. If you are moving from being a baker to a project manager, shift industry speak like "delivered cookies for six major events" to something like "planned and delivered 6 projects on time and on budget". 2. Spotlight Transferable Skills Identify the common ground between your past work and the target role. For example, if you are moving from Finance Director to Nonprofit Executive Director, emphasize leadership, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement, not just financial skills. Match their job description needs with your real examples of success. 3. Only Share What the Employer Will Value The top third of your resume is prime real estate—make it count. Create a clear headline that signals your intent. Build a skills section tied directly to the new role. Shape every bullet point to emphasize relevant skills, using a structure like: "Skill: Result/Impact." Bonus Tips: Use a combination resume format: put important skills and achievements first, followed by your work history. Focus less on job titles and more on proving your readiness for the new role. Key takeaway: Be truthful and authentic, but strategic. Don’t expect the employer to "figure it out." Make the connection clear. #resume #careerchange #jobsearch

Over the last month, the number of career conversations I’m having with mid-career friends and family, especially those in their 40s and 50s, has noticeably increased. The questions are more direct. And more personal. How do I protect myself from layoffs? If I do get laid off, what comes next? Is my line of work still viable? These are not abstract questions. They are rooted in fear, financial pressure, and identity. This is not an easy moment to be asking anyone to “reinvent themselves.” A recent The Wall Street Journal article put real stories behind these conversations. While many of the people profiled are earlier in their careers, the dynamic is familiar: pragmatic transitions, real tradeoffs, and career moves driven by disruption and a desire for durability. For mid-career professionals, I see two viable paths forward. Both require letting go of linear career thinking. Path 1: Moving from desk-centered white-collar roles into skilled trades and applied, hands-on careers. These roles offer more reliable demand and clear value creation, requiring last-mile, hands-on capabilities that are rooted in the physical world. In our day to day work, we are already seeing Guild learners make thoughtful transitions into vocational and skilled-trades work. Path 2: Staying in white-collar work, while building resilience far more intentionally. Boundaries are blurring, with design, engineering, and product converging, and marketing, sales engineering, and sales increasingly overlapping as work becomes more outcomes-oriented and data-driven. In this world, effectiveness, leverage, context and the ability to work across domains matter more than titles or ladders. Both paths are about adaptability. Both are about building capabilities that travel. I do not believe white-collar work is going away in an absolute sense, but it is changing in drastic and fundamental ways. We should not resort to panic. The moment requires honest conversations about what’s ahead, pragmatic funding to meet the moment, and a willingness by both employers and employees to learn and adapt. I recommend reading Allison Pohle and Te-Ping Chen’s story to see how real people are navigating these transitions. Link in comments.

Career transitions are tough–but they’re more common than ever. Last week, I hosted a webinar about navigating career changes. Here are few of the tips I shared: 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. After a layoff, allow space for recovery and reflection. Then build structure into your days so that you’re balancing the job search with personal pursuits. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿. Identify what energizes you and what’s non-negotiable. Without focus, you risk landing a job you later wish you hadn’t taken. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆. Be open to new possibilities. Think about how your skills and experience can transfer to new roles or industries you hadn't considered before. 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲. Refresh your LinkedIn profile, resume, and highlights to align with your current goals. Being generic won’t get you noticed. 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵. Take stock of your experiences and interests and create a short summary of your experiences and interests so people know how you might fit into potential opportunities. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. Learn about others’ roles and industries. Share your story. Don’t ask for a job–ask for insights or advice. 𝗕𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. Consider part-time work, freelancing, or short term projects to build momentum and add to your experience while you figure out your longer-term path. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Follow career coaches for free insights or consider investing in coaching to gain clarity on your strengths, values, and goals, and how to frame your impact. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵-𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀—the people who know your superpowers (and blindspots) can help you see possibilities you may not recognize on your own. 𝗔 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲–𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲–𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. It can build new skills, networks and experiences that catalyze a new career direction. These aren't just general ideas—they're practices that have helped me, too. Over the course of my career, I’ve navigated four major transitions—each driven by different reasons: shifting priorities after starting a family, a desire for broader growth, a layoff, and the pull toward betting on myself. Each time, the same fundamentals made the difference: clarity, connection, and the courage to stay open to new possibilities. Career transitions are an opportunity to reset with more intention and clarity about what truly matters right now. The experience can vary widely depending on where you are in your career, your skills and experiences, your industry–and your mindset. If you’ve navigated a career transition, what’s one piece of advice you’d share?

I have applied to over 200 jobs in the last six months. Some weeks, I hear nothing. Some weeks, I get three rejections in a row. Some weeks I question whether the path I chose — leaving a tenured faculty position in India, moving to New York, completing a graduate degree at Columbia, pivoting into sustainability and impact investing — was the right one. I will be honest. I was looking for certainty. A framework, a plan, a clear answer. What I found instead was something more useful: permission to stop narrowing and start expanding. It came from an exercise called the Odyssey Plan. The premise is simple. Instead of asking "what is the right path?" it asks: "what are three meaningful futures I could build?" Plan A is your current trajectory. The path you are already on. What does it look like if you keep building on your existing momentum, skills, and experience? Plan B is the pivot. If your current path disappeared tomorrow, what would you build next using your transferable skills and interests? Plan C is the wildcard. If money, status, and the judgment of others did not matter at all — what would you create? What problem would you spend your life solving? Here is what surprised me: the goal is not to pick the right plan. The goal is to realize that there is rarely only one future available to you. I am a Finance PhD who became a professor, then a sustainable finance practitioner, then an impact investing fellow. None of those were part of a single linear plan. They were the result of staying curious, following what mattered, and giving myself permission to imagine more than one version of my future. And my next chapter is still being written. I am building toward the intersection of finance, AI, venture capital, and sustainability, exploring how capital can be allocated so that AI's economic and social benefits compound faster than its environmental and societal costs. Not a single answer. Not a single role. A direction worth pursuing. If you are in a career transition right now, feeling stuck, rebuilding, or starting over, try this. Do not ask which path is perfect. Ask yourself: what are three futures I would be genuinely excited to build? Your next chapter is not hidden behind a single right decision. It is hidden behind the permission to imagine more than one possibility. What would your Plan C look like? I would love to know. #NonLinearCareer #Careerpivot

The Wake-Up Call: Rethinking Career Paths & One-Team Leadership For decades, companies expected loyalty. Employees stayed 30-40 years, climbed the corporate ladder, and retired with a pension. In return, organizations provided stability and long-term security. That world is disappearing—and many companies haven’t caught up. Employees are no longer following linear career paths—they are moving across industries, roles, and organizations, seeking growth, impact, and flexibility. Yet, many companies still cling to outdated structures: ❌ Rigid career tracks that assume people will wait years for promotions. ❌ Hierarchies that limit cross-functional movement and collaboration. ❌ Siloed leadership models that prevent knowledge-sharing and adaptability. This is a wake-up call. Organizations that don’t evolve will lose their best talent to those that create fluid career paths, dynamic leadership development, and One-Team environments. Case Study: Mayo Clinic—A True One-Team Organization Mayo Clinic has been operating as a One-Team culture for over a century. Instead of a rigid, hierarchical system, Mayo fosters an integrated, team-based approach where physicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals collaborate across specialties to provide the best patient care. They also offer fluid career paths through the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, allowing employees to expand their expertise, explore different specialties, and take on new roles within the organization. Their model isn’t just about job stability—it’s about career adaptability, growth, and impact. What This Means for Your Organization ✅ Fluid careers require fluid organizations. Employees should be able to move laterally, explore different roles, and gain diverse experiences within the company—not just by leaving. ✅ From career ladders to career lattices. The best organizations don’t just offer promotions; they provide pathways for horizontal growth, cross-functional experiences, and skill-building in real time. ✅ One-Team leadership is the new advantage. Teams shouldn’t be siloed by function, title, or geography. Organizations that operate like neural networks—interconnected, agile, and adaptive—will attract and retain top talent. The old model of work is gone. The companies that thrive will be the ones that embrace fluidity, break down barriers, and build One-Team cultures that empower people to grow. Is your organization keeping up? Or are you losing talent to those who are? #Leadership #OneTeam #FutureOfWork #CareerGrowth #Transformation #Adaptability #TeamOfTeams #MayoClinic