The chances of staying in the same career for your entire working life is slim … and that’s not a bad thing. 

You may start in one industry, move into another, take on leadership responsibilities, specialise in a new area or step into a role that didn’t exist when you began working.

Being open to a career pivot gives you the opportunity to move into roles or industries you probably never considered as an option. A professional who can manage stakeholders in financial services may be able to use the same skill in healthcare, technology or consulting. A manager who has led a complex internal project may be well positioned to move into programme management. 

You don’t need to wait until you are ready to resign before exploring the job market. Review vacancies that interest you and identify the skills employers request most often. Start by looking for patterns:

• Which skills appear across several roles?
• Which of them do you already have?
• Where are the gaps?
• How does the language used in the advert differ from the language on your CV?

Now, tell a clear story to make it is easy for a recruiter to understand not only what you have done, but also what you are ready to do next, by showing the following on your CV:

1. Your experience:

Identify the skills behind your job title. Start by looking beyond your daily tasks.

Instead of writing, “I manage a customer service team,” talk to the skills involved:

• coaching and developing people
• managing performance
• resolving conflict
• analysing service trends
• improving processes
• communicating with senior stakeholders

Instead of saying, “I prepare monthly reports,” think about the deeper capabilities:

• data analysis
• attention to detail
• business writing
• interpreting trends
• presenting recommendations.

This helps you see your experience in a broader way. It also makes it easier to explain your value to employers in another industry or function.

2. Your transferable skills:

You may have developed these skills while managing a team, presenting to clients, solving operational challenges, coordinating projects or introducing a new system. They include skills such as:

• communication
• leadership
• problem-solving
• collaboration
• organisation
• critical thinking
• stakeholder management
• Ai and digital literacy
• Adaptability

3. Your achievements:

Focus on outcomes, not only responsibilities. Transferable skills are most convincing when you can show what they helped you achieve.

For example:

• led a team through a major operational change
• improved turnaround times
• reduced costs
• strengthened customer satisfaction
• introduced a new digital process
• or delivered a project across several departments.

These examples show employers that you can apply your skills to produce results.

Content by Pnet.

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