The idea of staying in the same profession, industry, or role for an entire career is becoming less common. Technological change, shifting business priorities, evolving skills requirements, and longer working lives mean many professionals find themselves considering a new direction at different stages of their careers.
Research from LinkedIn's Workforce Reports and the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs consistently shows that workers are expected to change roles and acquire new skills more frequently than previous generations.
A career pivot is not necessarily about starting over. In many cases, it involves leveraging existing experience, knowledge, and strengths in a different context.
This blog post explores what a career pivot means, the different types of career pivots, the role of transferable skills, and practical approaches for professionals considering a career change.
While there is no universally agreed definition of a career pivot, the term is commonly used to describe a deliberate move into a different role, function, industry or career path that builds on existing experience and transferable skills rather than requiring a complete restart.
This distinction is important. Unlike a traditional career change, a career pivot typically leverages capabilities developed in previous roles and applies them in a new context.
For example:
Career pivots can vary in scale, but their defining characteristic is that they use existing capabilities as a foundation for future growth.
Why Career Pivots Are Becoming More Common
Career pivots are becoming a normal part of professional life. The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, increased automation, changing business priorities, and evolving workforce needs are reshaping the skills organisations value and the roles they need to fill.
According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, 39% of workers' core skills are expected to change by 2030 as organisations continue to adopt new technologies and transform the way work is performed. The report also identifies analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility, leadership and lifelong learning among the capabilities expected to grow in importance over the coming years.
Rather than preparing for a single career path, professionals are increasingly being required to adapt, reskill and apply their expertise in new ways.
The way employers think about talent has also changed. LinkedIn's Workplace Learning Report found that organisations are placing greater emphasis on skills and internal mobility rather than relying solely on traditional career pathways. As a result, professionals are moving between functions, industries and disciplines more frequently, using existing experience as a foundation for new opportunities rather than starting from scratch.
While technical knowledge remains important, employers increasingly recognise that many roles require a combination of specialist expertise and the ability to work effectively across teams, technologies and changing business environments.
These trends suggest that career development is becoming less linear. Instead of progressing through a predictable sequence of roles, many professionals are building careers through a series of intentional moves that allow them to apply their strengths in new contexts, explore emerging opportunities and continuously develop new skills.
Not all career pivots look the same. Some involve moving into a new function, while others involve changing industries, taking on leadership responsibilities, or exploring opportunities in emerging fields such as AI. Understanding the different types of career pivots can help professionals identify which path aligns with their skills, interests and long-term goals.
1. Functional Career Pivot
A change in day-to-day responsibilities or specialisation.
Examples:
The function remains similar while the work changes.
2. Industry Career Pivot
Professionals transfer their expertise into a different industry.
Examples:
The skills remain relevant, but the context changes.
3. Company-Internal Career Pivot
One of the most accessible forms of career transition.
Internal mobility enables professionals to move between teams or business functions while retaining organisational knowledge and professional relationships. Many successful career pivots begin inside a professional's current organisation.
4. Emerging Technology Career Pivot
The rise of AI has accelerated interest in cross-functional roles.
Professionals from finance, operations, legal, HR, communications, and strategy functions are increasingly contributing to AI initiatives without necessarily becoming technical specialists.
Transferable skills are often the most overlooked career asset. According to numerous studies from LinkedIn and the World Economic Forum, employers increasingly value capabilities that can be applied across multiple contexts.
These include:
A successful career pivot often depends less on what someone is leaving behind and more on how they can communicate these transferable skills.
Before making a significant career decision, gather information about target roles, industries, and skill requirements.
Review job descriptions. Analyse market trends. Speak to professionals already working in the area.
A career transition is a process. Plan it and start working towards it. Think about:
Small experiments often provide better career insights than extensive planning.
Research consistently demonstrates the importance of professional networks in career development.
Many opportunities arise through conversations, referrals, advocacy, and shared knowledge rather than formal application processes alone.
For a practical guide, read:
How to Build a Professional Network in Tech: A Practical Guide for Career Growth
Strong professional relationships can help professionals better understand potential career directions and less visible opportunities.
One of the most important elements of a successful career pivot is explaining the transition clearly.
Employers typically want to understand:
A compelling career narrative helps bridge the gap between past experience and future potential.
In our upcoming Women Tech Leaders in Conversation, Tifani Uzunovska, Senior AI Strategy Lead at SAP, shares how she transitioned from finance into corporate transformation and eventually into AI strategy.
Her story highlights several themes common in successful career pivots:
Rather than starting over, she built upon previous experience and gradually expanded into new areas of responsibility.
Join our event to listen to Tifani’s career story. Book your free ticket here.
A career pivot is increasingly becoming a normal part of professional life.
Whether the goal is to move into leadership, change industries, explore AI-related opportunities, or pursue a more fulfilling direction, successful transitions don't require starting from scratch.
You need clarity, curiosity, transferable skills, strong professional relationships, and a willingness to explore new possibilities.
If you are considering a career pivot, join our free Career Café event or book a conversation with OLLMOO's career coach to gain personalised insights into your situation and explore your next steps with confidence.
.png)
.png)
