It’s a working Monday. I have no news to share and no announcements to make. I have a cup of tea and a file opened in front of me. Some people find the blank page intimidating, but to me it is always exciting. It’s full of possibilities. You can go anywhere. Do anything. And then the first word goes onto the page, and suddenly you have a course and a direction.
Many years ago KOEI made a game called New Horizons. You started out as a character with a single tiny ship and a map shrouded in fog, and you set out into the unknown to discover the world and grow your mercantile empire or a massive military fleet one load of cargo at a time. Writing books feels a little like that.
There is that old saying, practice makes better. The more we do something, the more efficient and practiced we become. I’m not sure that holds true for books. Someone once came up with a different adage for writers: the more you work on a book, the more you learn how to write that particular book better. Just when you feel you’ve gotten the hang of it, a new book comes along, with a different world and different characters, and everything you’ve learned goes out the window.
Since in this business you are only as good as your last book, every new novel is a career change. Every new book is a business decision, which in turn results in a myriad of smaller business decisions. When we started out as writers, somehow the idea that writing is a business never entered into my plans for the future.
In my head back then, the business model was very simple: write books -> collect money -> write more books. That still holds true, technically. There are just a few steps missing: spend a long time figuring out which project is the best one to work on – write book -> do a whole lot of admin things -> try not to lose the whole bag of marbles -> collect money.
I’ve read about Vera Wang’s career path this weekend. She started out as a figure skater, and then, when she failed to make the Olympic team, pivoted to a degree in art history. After she graduated, she was hired as an editor for Vogue and she stayed in that position for 17 years. Then she was passed over for promotion. She left, worked for Ralph Lauren for a couple of years and then, at 40 started her own fashion brand.
Of all the industries, fashion prizes youth the most. I’ve been watching the new season of Project Runway and the highest compliment every designer chases is “It’s feels fresh and young.” Can you imagine the guts it took to start over in fashion at 40? I wonder how many people told her she was too old.
Given that I’m crap at everything else, I’m not planning on designing wedding dresses any time soon. All of my career pivoting will be done on the written page. It’s waiting for me right now.
Meanwhile, I’m curious if you had to pivot in your professional life. How did it go?
First?!?
Certified 🙂
First?
Sry, I know it’s not for the ordinary Posts but I couldn’t stop myself…
so many pivots but I kinda thrive in chaos. my degree is in physiology. I have done security, pharmacy, break for kids, after school program, business consulting, and now real estate photography and medical records. kind of whatever fit my family schedule and made enough $$ to cover my part of the bills.
I would not recommend to everyone but my life is kind of a sitcom and if it was easy it wouldn’t ever be any fun. ibe learned to get behind whatever life rolls for me and put in 97 percent on everything I do. great times, great stories, spectacularly mediocre life. love it.
also love your stories!
When I was 30 I left my job in Human Resources to go to law school. Part of my thought process was “I’m not married and don’t have kids so why not?” Well, I graduated on May 13, got married on May 27, and was pregnant by June 3. I had a law career but a very different one than I had envisioned. 30 years later my kids are all grown and I still occasionally practice law in the field I ended up in because it suited my family life.
Oh my goodness, I’ve had to pivot so many times in my professional career. Started as a USAF pilot trainee, then an Airfield Ops officer (ATC, airfield management, wrangler of roughly 100 young Airmen), then milutary to civilian, back to school, then accountant, now systems accountant (problem solving). My entire professional life can be summed up by “Jack of all trades, master of none.” But learning new things is how we keep things interesting. No regrets 😊
My husband is 13M as well! It’s so fun to hear of another one out in the wild. I hope your civilian career is less harried than your military one likely was. 😆😅
I had a few pivotal points in my life. The first was getting a history degree when I was seriously considering going to medical school. The second was getting my Master of Public Health in Health Administration and Policy. One huge thing that came out that was I do not like Health Administration. I admire people who go into Health Administration. Me? I went the Health Policy route. The third, and huge pivot, was getting my Doctor of Public Health in Biostatistics. Of all the areas I could have chosen, Biostatistics was the area that had the most jobs at the time I got it. It also was what got me to Fort Worth. It also helped me get the job I have now by combining my master and doctoral degrees.
For those who don’t know what biostatistics is, it is an area of math that focuses on the health sciences. Yep, math. The most ironic area for me to get into. 😁
I love your books and I am writing myself so I love the blank page description.
I had to pivot somewhat. I was a wildland firefighter as was my husband. I had to change to other positions in the US Forest Service to raise our children as I couldn’t be gone over 120 days a year on fires.
I was lucky, I still supervised local fire crews on the Forest and became a member of regional Incident Management Teams so was able to get my fire fix while working in a wide variety of other jobs that let me bring kids to work and events. I had a great career but not the one I wanted in fire.
I feel you on 2 marrieds can’t have the same long hours/shift work career. It’s just a bit sad that it seems to be the wife (if you are the wife, I am) that ends up taking the other track.
I pivoted from professional interpreting to professional dog training. I am very happy. sometimes a pivot is what is needed.
Lots of pivots in my professional life! Did a bachelors in archaeology, decided I didn’t want to become an archaeologist, then did a masters in forensic archaeology and crime scene investigation. Worked for the police in different back office roles (after briefly working in a high school as a science lab tech) (never became a scene of crime officer…) then left the police and started working at a university. I’ve now been there for 11 years and worked my way up in different roles, currently a quality and policy manager. I’m only in my 40s, same as Vera Wang, who knows what might come next! 😆
Pivoted from environmental consultancy to teaching mainstream high school science then again to special needs. All very good and much needed changes at the time.
I’d now like to pivot to winning the lottery……😂
lol
“When we started out as writers, somehow the idea that writing is a business never entered into my plans for the future.” I bet this rings true for many new writers and the really successful ones learn the truth very quickly.
I never made what could be called a pivot in my career, but after getting my college degree I took a temp admin support job and am still with the same company 34 years later. Promotions along the way but I am still working in administration. It still surprises me when I think about it.
My life pivot came at 32 and again at 45. I was supposed to be in the educational field as a teacher, but because of real life, I ended up working as a call center instructor then a supervisor. Then, another pivot at 45 taking on a role I had no idea even existed. I had the chance to build the role, responsibilities and grow it into a new department within my company and I am still there. It’s amazing to me that this all happened after I “grew up” and had some life experiences and most importantly, the confidence to “Just try it, what’s the worse that could happen? They say yes?”. I often give this advice to my much younger colleagues. Go for it and don’t let your age stop you. Ever.
I’ve had to pivot many times. I never really had a “career”, just a number of jobs that paid the bills and offered a little bit of savings while I did performance projects that made me no money. I gave that up to be a full-time mom for an awesome special needs kiddo. Then I gave up other things to homeschool both kids because the school system let them down. Now they’ve graduated and I don’t know what to do with myself. 😅
Hubby was a working actor for a long time and ended up having a very successful career as a writer. Gotta be open for new possibilities, right?
lots of pivots and now I’m a flower farmer.
Go you! Wishing you great success and lots of beauty!
To pivot is to _______
I think we have this idea that when we grow up we will be (a) and do (x) but in reality we will do (a +b – cdf) for (x,y,z) We have to pivot to survive and grow. And that’s coming from someone who really doesn’t like change – lol
My most recent pivot doesn’t involve a career, and involves driving to and fro. A few years ago, I had a stroke. I have mostly recovered and I drove comfortably around the town that I lived in, but did not drive on interstates or for long distances. We recently moved. I have found that my comfort in driving was very much associated with familiarity to the area. So I’ve pivoted to the role of Miss Daisy.
Happy Monday!
So, wedding dress???? Maud’s???? 🤞🤞🤞❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hehehe I knew someone would made that connection 🤣
Oooooh. Or could it be for Dina and Sean? Or both?
Oh, yes. I did pre-vet in college with a degree in Biology, then was too burned out to face another 4 years of college so put vet school on hold to do bookkeeping in 1999 (my dad had a public accounting firm so I’d been doing data entry and bookkeeping for extra money off and on from the time I was a teen).
I always swore I would never be a CPA but my short break before vet school turned into 11 years – I eventually took some tax prep classes and started doing that to make more money in 2010. Fast forward to this year and I’m on track to get my CPA license early next year… (and yes, I CAN hear the universe laughing at me).
That’s hilarious. I worked as a vet tech for 15 years, burnt out during the pandemic and now work in admin for an accounting office. Now I’m starting to get curious about actual bookkeeping. we’ll see where it goes.
Managed convenience stores, went back to college and earned a degree in history, and now I am super happy as an accountant…life is strange.
Our dad did.
He left his job working with computers at IBM to go back to college at age 40 to fulfill a dream of becoming an optometrist. Our mom worked with him to make it happen. They were a great team. ♥️
I was lucky enough to work for the Postal Service for almost 35 years. On average I did a career change about every five years. I started out as a clerk unloading trucks and sorting mail in the back of the office, then I became a window clerk dealing with the public. I had an air conditioning background and was able to move into building maintenance at a large facility. I then became a building maintenance supervisor at a different facility. An opportunity came to relocate to Metro DC as a plant maintenance engineer. I met my wife and she encouraged me to finish my bachelors degree. I then became an analyst figuring out the value of various mail processing improvements. Next I became a program manager and nationally deployed new sorting equipment. My last position was as the manager of administrative services. So many different jobs yet all with the Postal Service.
Thank you for your service!
I thought social worker would be the ticket but I hated the restrictions and rules that came with it. I became an English teacher and though I enjoyed it, I didn’t enjoy having to fight off parents (without support from the school) of children who were only problems because their parents didn’t hold them accountable. I studied “applied psychology” to become a coach only to end up as a stay at home mom because of, among other things, the pandemic and choices that came with that.
I always wanted to be a writer.
My plan was to be a writer and have five dogs. Instead I have a husband, two amazing but intense children and am a stay at home parent. So I guess you could say I did a pivot on my original dreams?
They’re still really young and I’m not sure what I’m gonna do when they’re older. Maybe I’ll write a book. More likely I’ll finally start my own business as a mental health coach. Maybe I’ll go back to school to become a proper psychologist. I guess time will tell. For now, I’m trying to survive the chaos of my oldest going school for the first time XD
I have gone back to school twice and pivoted careers a number of times. Public relations, parent, massage therapist, librarian. I think I get bored and like to learn new things. As I have tried new things, I seem to move toward jobs that make me happier. It’s a process of discovery. Now I am learning to knit and waiting to retire!
Intetesting!
My life is a constant repivoting to adapt. My degree is in fine arts and I graduated into a recession, filled with 5-year plans, the MBA as a Holy Grail, and people wanting to know of I’d had my colours done.
I ended up temping in the major metro area where I lived, traveling on breaks to Europe, Asia, and the US. I got to see a huge variety of businesses and, when computera came in, I picked them up quickly … because being a receptionist gets pretty boring and most computers and printers were decorative statements that just sat there, lookimg shiny. When Windows came in, I pivoted to desktop publishing and reports (oh, those art history writing skills came in handy for spinning quarterly reports) for things like education, basic office budgets, medical teams, plane engines, construction, e-beam and laser lithography, and HMOs. I took editing classes to poliah my wroting skills and added Jr Editor to my resume. Everyone hates reports and office org, so I was in demand and very busy.
Then a new thing called the internet came out. I’d heard about it from experience with the Minitel in France, and was excited to see it grow. Then computer games took off and I started taking multimedia classes. Learned to find a use for my letterpress printing and graphic arts classes. Then websites became a Thing and I was hooked: production, coder, webmistress. consultant, client support, grant writing, Stakeholder prep and presentations, SEO, and online marketing.
Then, my family took major health hits on all fronts and I became Last Person Standing. I switched to caregiving, therapist, and advocate. And seat-of-my-pants legal / financial liaison.
Like Linus, I do so hate to be bored. So far, so good!
Hahaha! My life has been a series of pivots. Because a SAHM directly out 9f college, so I never established a career. When the ex walked, I juggled four kids and several job fields: court reporter, swim instructor, medical records, admin assistant. I ended up not being able to work at all when two of my kids being disabled. Then six years ago, I was offered a virtual admin job that allowed me to grow and learn to the point that I know run operations for several e-comms. I absolutely love it, and the massive multitasking needed to he a single parent to four translates beautifully to what I do. Life works in mysterious ways!
I’ve had many pivots in my professional life. In college, I asked my Electrical Engineering professor for a job in his lab. Instead, he offered me a position working for one of the precursors to OpenStax and Coursera. I mostly took coursework for professors and encoded it in XML. After I bombed job interviews in a dismal job market, I stuck with this place post-graduation. I was a young, female electrical engineer that all but failed to launch. Then they had to lay me off, because grants fell through. This was in my early twenties.
I ended up getting a job as an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, largely with the help of my father. I finally felt that I was rocking and rolling and impressed my older colleagues with how quickly I could complete projects.
Three months in, I got a cold call from a NASA contractor, and I felt like I’d be stupid not to say yes to NASA. Looking back, I don’t know if it was the right decision. There, I became a Systems Engineer – someone responsible for making sure that design engineers meet requirements, with the documentation and tests to prove it. I was the only female on the team and dealt with subtle sexism and confidence issues again. When contracts shifted, I moved more into Project Management, which was a relief against the sexism part at least. However, my job became to teach researchers how to create project schedules. It was like herding cats. “YOU CAN’T SCHEDULE SCIENCE!!” Yes, come on, you know how long the tests are going to take. But it was fine, right up until government shutdowns affected my paycheck. I was in my late twenties at this point.
At that point, I was tired, run down and discovered that I could work for another industry just playing with spreadsheets all day. Sexism was still a thing, especially when I took maternity leave. I was surprised when I came back, though, because after the legally mandated time back, I was offered a role in IT. Early/mid-thirties. I went from being a technical analyst to a lead for a particular discipline. From there, I was fortunate. I had a manager that supported me, and I gained confidence. Now, just kicking off my forties, I’m in a different role in IT, but largely respected for my work and a mentor across the organization. And I use things from pretty much all of those different careers along the way.
Huge pivots, yeah.
Microbiology, left the lab after three degrees and 12 years. Became CPS worker – was successful but miserable, left and started doing project management, which I loved – the skills are so portable and I got to work in a lot of different industries.
Pivoting. I noticed nothing happened in my career unless I made it happen. All my managers were garbage, none knew how to manage or run that particular group, they were too busy looking out for themselves. If you waited for something to happen nothing would happen. I did notice that if you wanted another position and asked for it you normally would not get it, but if you took it upon yourself to take a class or get a certification and noted it in your yearly performance review and let upper management know what you had done the next time a position was open or you asked or applied for something you would get it. I always got the new position after the second time I asked or applied for it.
I didn’t have money to go to college out of high school so I got a job at a place making computers for banks – this was in 1980. I started taking night classes and in 1995 I graduated college, left that company and became an elementary school librarian when I was 33. I loved it and just retired after 28 years. It was two very distinct parts of my life, from the job and even where I lived.
I had a very dramatic pivot that confuses people to this day. I went to culinary school and was in kitchens for 13 years, eventually running quite a few as an executive chef. Burned out hard and went back to school for a criminal justice degree. Now I am an accounting Manager at a large company. I get to come home to my kiddo every night and he has one heck of a palate when it comes to food. Best choice ever!
I went from NC textile mills to military avionic technician (17 yrs) to software developer. Retired six years ago and pivoted to Indie author. My family’s first reaction was bug-eyes. (:p)
I’m a big believer that life gives you what you need when you need it, good or bad, and this post genuinely made me laugh when I read it because I’m currently in the process of my next pivot.
I have gone from animal care to insurance to customer service to administration, and most recently accounting.
Now doing a total 360′ to woodworking. It’s going to be a very interesting year to come, but here goes!
No pivots here clear focus, make enough money to take care of the family, family is always first, what I do to make that happen is whatever it takes for it to happen , never had a career and maybe that would have changed it or maybe I was meant to do what I did so the family can happen
spent 11 years working to be a pharmacist then 2020 happened during my last didactic semester. I quit at I’m almost a Dr. now I’m between two jobs struggling to make ends meet. I think about finishing my PharmD but I get through part of the planning and start having panic attacks again and think naw. So yea I’m still working on my pivot. I will say man did yo guys help me get as far as I did. my 15-30 minute breaks doing 17 hr days were magical thanks to you and other authors.
also I can spell and grammar….I just can’t type for shit and am typing in my voice, it takes a lot ono ile to go back and edit. so eh. good luck reading whatever I comment.
Ich habe über 40 Jahre in meinem Verwalungsberuf gearbeitet und alle technischen Veränderungen als Userin mitgemacht. Mit über 60 Jahren wurde ich gebeten, IT Beraterin für Programme zu werden, die für Online-Funktionen für das ganze Land entwickelt wurden.
Das ganze Land?? Sehr gut gemacht!
so MANY pivots… from the thing i studied (international relations/econ) to the first career in video game distribution – in which i learned everything from inventory planning & sales analysis to category mgmt & product life cycle to procurement & pkg design to finance (ar/ap/budgeting) to product acquisition & contract negotiation to managing a mega P&L ($100Mil+). the 2nd career was medical software but also related to data mgmt. the 3rd is in the supplier diversity space, still in software, and i went from implementation projects to data services to now the product team.
there’s a through line … in my undergrad and grad school i learned to think in systems – how to see the forests and the trees and how they impact one another. i learned how to be curious, and use data to find answers. and i learned a LONGLONG TIME AGO that my brain is happiest what i am creatively bridging quantitative and qualitative analysis to solve problems.
My professional pivot moment was at age 38. I was working at the local major clinic and at my last performance eval was told I had reached the maximum pay rate. No opportunities to transfer “up” as I was already at the highest point for my position – no nothing. I would forever be in the same position at the same rate until I retired. In my personal life – single parent with two boys; one with an diagnosed at the time – 2 rare genetic disorders and the other with neurodivergent conditions.
While I had job security, I couldn’t keep providing for my family and I was “over” my current job responsibilities. I was bored out of my mind and the stress levels with the job not worth it.
Taking the leap (and prayed I landed feet first) I left my secure job at the clinic and started at the local university (I-N-I! iykyk) in the secretarial line (now referred to Office Professionals). Those first 6 months were spent doing my best and hope for a good eval to stay!
Hindsight is 20/20 – I wished I had not been loyal and stayed as long as I did, instead of 4 years and counting to retirement, I could already be retired, with great benefits and pay. But 4 years is a blink of the eye, love my job and my colleagues. Now only if Kid 2 would hurry up get that Master’s finished. 🙂
Didn’t have a true pivot, but left academic research groups for a mostly boring job in science lab support. Still in academia but at community college level instead of university. Interestingly, it was not only much better paid, but better benefits and far more flexibility. Best of all though, it was a stable position. All of which were becoming far more important to me at that particular juncture. So it was both very good and not so good. Which can probably be said for most life decisions.
An interesting post, thanks!
Oh god, I’ve pivoted a few times..all in business world, but 2 years ago I decided to do a software start up (so totally not my background but ended up in it due to burnout). My god does it have ups and downs! And it’s ongoing. Reason for pivots- the wish to fix things and make them work, therefore proving myself. Not sure if I would do same stuff again if I would go back in time.
I was an artist and worked in sales to make money and felt unfulfilled. Retrained at 40 to work in construction. I now manage heritage conservation projects. It took me time to figure out who I was and time for society to allow me to work in construction. In high school I was told to be a nurse or a teacher. I prefer building things.
Ilona, I feel you could pivot to yarn art fashion easily. your yarn projects are awesome!
I’ve had to pivot a lot due to companies being bought out, resulting layoffs, etc….but honestly I started pivoting long before I started working, so changes (planned or unplanned) never got me down.
I started out in high school absolutely sure that I wanted to be a journalist. I even won a very competitive scholarship (only one was awarded per state) for journalism….and then, in college realized that I love to write but I absolutely did not want to be a journalist (or even write for a living.) I don’t think this was because of the profession at all…more likely due to the stress of trying to live up to winning the scholarship.
So, instead, I dropped out of school and got a job in an insurance company, which led to going back to school and getting a job as a computer programmer (there were few women in the field at the time,) which led to getting a job designing computer systems as a Business Systems Analyst, which is where I stayed until retiring after 40 years of working. To be honest, I did not love it, but I was very good at it and it paid the bills nicely.
But now I am pursuing my TRUE dream ‘jobs’ as a retiree: taking classes and creating art, raising money for charity via entry in 5k races, expanding and perfecting my lifetime love of cooking and baking, teaching children to love reading and books (via a reading program where I read to kindergarteners), etc.
Most of what I do now is done via volunteer work so no salary, but I can share my true loves with many others and I have never been more highly paid or happy in my life.
And can I just add: when things change, it may seem like the change was unplanned (and maybe unwanted) but you never know….that may just be the pivot that is needed and may be the best change you’ve ever experienced! 😁
Watching project Runway too. Maybe it’s because the “Young and Fresh” buy the most clothes. My Mother was a clothes hound when she was older; I was one when I was younger.
after 40 years in the construction field I went to Real Estate school at 70 to help my dsughter
I can’t imagine anyone NOT pivoting at least once. I first pivoted from insurance claims review to nursing. 10 years later I decided to go to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. Retired now, and earned every bit of it.
Concert pianist. Bookkeeper. Analytical chemist. College professor. Harpist. Full-time stay-at-home mom. High school Chemistry teacher.
I’m just started student teaching last week. It’s a little rough. Post-Covid school is not what I’m used to; I’ve seen better behavior in a 1st-grade classroom. The worst part though is the computers. I used to be a computer expert. But that was in a previous century. Now I’m a computer idiot and my ego is rather bruised.
Teacher here. Loved my school, but did not like the long commute. so I thought I should work closer to home. But it turnes out not every school is like my old school. Told myself to give it a full year. That did not work out. So I went back to my old school and am very happy ever since. Something about the neighbours grass? 😉
I got laid off / early retirement from 26 years in Telecom as a wireline project implementation specialist. I then moved to another state, and I got a job as a project planner for Dell services, but it wasn’t computer work! It was as a third party insurance program/client support. Covid happened, I got laid off after being assigned to answer calls, for the state of KY for unemployment and stimulus checks. Worst experience ever…l now work as a Federal Aid admin for DHHS in Nebraska. It’s still dicey with all the recent changes, but I’ve made it 4 years now. Reinvention is painful.
Today I learned that in the U.S. apparently Uncharted Waters II: New Horizons was marketed simply as New Horizons.
…Alright game. Go sit over in the corner with Final Fantasy Legends and Legend of Mana.
It’s not so much how it was marketed. It’s the name we use for it in our house. 🙂
Hahaha. Yes. Got a degree, couldn’t get work in that degree. Worked in healthcare and thought I’d like to be a nurse. Got into nursing school and HATED it. I probably should have finished but just the thought of working in nursing brought anxiety. I decided to quit and immediate relief.
Got a job in a call center to make money while I figured out what to do with my life but ended up doing some projects on the side which grew into more projects and promotions.
Now I’m in a career that has a lot of parallel toward my original degree (which I find interesting and kinda funny) but in a different field and I absolutely love it. I never would have that my customer service role would lead me to where I’m at now.
I left health care after 30 years and went into hazardous waste disposal in my mid-50s. It was a great choice for me, with better pay, better benefits, better hours, and much less physical stress.
Boy did I pivot. I went from a part-time worker/stay at home mom to becoming a consultant for part-time money to a divorced, single mom with unengaged ex (being kind). 5 ears later, next partner died, suicide. I took over his business and had to manage several hundred independent people, none of whom respected my ability to do anything. I handled it, grew into a much more rounded person. Today, at 68, grateful to be able to live off of very little income because of my loving children who let me build an ADU on their extensive property. Life is full of twists.
I was a psychiatric nurse in Canada. I loved it. I felt like I was really helping people. I moved to NC in the US and the care was terrible. I felt like I was just spinning my wheels. No one was paying any attention to my observations or the type of care I felt these people needed. However I met some Nurse Anesthetists who came up to do ECT and they were happy. confident and respected. I pivoted to that career and never regretted it.
I went from working for 10 years in a library, a job I loved, to working as a pharmacy technician for a LTC (long term care) pharmacy. I made the switch because I was in a position that was wasn’t full time but was more than part time and I needed full time. I moved to pharmacy with zero training and was thrown into a situation where the pharmacy in question was in a rough spot (which pharmacy isn’t?) but they were behind and opening a new location at the same time. It was overwhelming and I almost quit so many times. But I stuck it out and I’m now 7 years into my pharmacy career and I’m not regretting making the change. Though, I would have stayed at the library if I could have.
I’ve pivoted so many times due to economic reasons that I’ve got whiplash! A big one was to leave internal auditing in a healthcare company to open a licensed home daycare business- and do it for 20 years. Decided my patience with other people’s children was shot, shut up shop and moved 9 hours away to start over. No one wanted to hire me. Apparently everything I did as a small business owner didn’t “translate.” It took about 18 months for a library to take a chance on me and hire me for a part time floating position. I was in heaven as a librarian. I had found my peeps. All of my old friends said they always knew I’d end up as a writer or librarian. Covid hit, libraries closed, job cut. This time I pivoted to working for the SC Bar Lawyer Referral Service, able to assist callers with much of the same information I assisted library patrons with (phone numbers for all kinds of emergency assistance) and help callers clarify their issues and direct them to the correct type of attorney if needed. I then pivoted to retirement because life is short and sitting at a computer all day on the phone wasn’t good for my health. Now I take the dog for half hour walks in the morning, attend aquatic classes at the local gym, volunteer at the State Library reading magazine articles aloud to be recorded for the visually impaired, drive friends to doctor appointments, and read. I occasionally vacuum because the dern dog sheds quite a bit. My 3 year old granddaughter spends most Sundays hanging out with me. Every pivot I’ve had I’ve learned from and has enriched my life in some way. Yay for scary changes! Yay for pivots!
I went from answering calls at a call centre and studying for a uni degree in Media Communications to driving trains. I finished my degree (first person in my family to graduate from university) but I don’t use it as I’ve kinda stuck with the train driving. It wasn’t the pivot I had planned or was expecting (goodness knows it certainly has it’s challenges) but I do enjoy driving trains.
I’ve pivoted a few times in my careers thus far. I worked a lot of different retail through college and university. Then a car service department, then a book store. I wanted to do something with my hands and I was handy so then I certified as an appliance repair technician. I enjoyed most of that but I got hurt and was concerned for my safety in that environment so I left. I got a job answering phones for tech repair, Then a secretary, then office manager for a crane manufacturer. A merger caused a staffing redundancy and I was laid off so pivot time again. I went back to school for medical office assistant and I’ve been working in a hospital for the last 15 years now. I love working where I am now and the crew we work with are amazing. I think it’s less important what you choose to do but enjoying what you do and feeling supported and needed are so important to personal fulfilment.
Went into the U.S. Army (single, no kids) SPECIFICALLY to be in satellite communications. Came out with the training, husband with the same training, and 1 2yo child.
Since satellite comm is a 24/7 365 days/yr business, I chose to be the one to pivot to working in a full service video broadcasting studio (editing, live in the field shooting, etc), where I could be 9-6, Mon-Fri.
When the company when bankrupt, I pivoted to audio/visual services at an university (vacation/days off once we had 2 elementary school age kids). After 8 years of that, I moved into more general administration at the university.
16 years later, the top brass dismantled (sorta) our department and I pivoted (i.e. created my next job since they didn’t have a plan for me) to support administration for academic assessment and accreditation.
Deliberately retired 8 years later for my next pivot which is primary care overseer for my late 80s mother, and back up support for my single mom daughter and grandson.
Some of these pivots have been chosen, and others have been shoves from the Universe… but the important thing is to know that you can and will be successful at the next thing.
i begun as accountant, and then went to work in a starbucks and now am a medical secretary, don t know where i am going but i m going^^ i ve got 20 years to last.
Well, not even 30 but did all kinds of various jobs that were all different. got a law degree. got traumatized by a vile boss. opened my own consignment store to be surrounded by pretty clothes and my own boss. Maybe I’ll try a different job later, an admin job with good money and benefits, for now I enjoy being poor but fabulous
I pivoted a number of times. Initially a registered nurse, then I worked at two radio stations, an accounting firm, became a travel agent, a commercial copywriter, and then an overseas operations manager.
I finally found my niche as an author. All of those pivots, crazy as they were, played into what I do now, taught me needed skills.
Changing directions can lead to strengths you never knew you had. And the chance to do new stuff in case you have a low boredom threshold like some of us. 😉
My professional life ended up in two parts with having kids in the middle. My degree was in housing and design and became a custom kitchen and bath designer. Worked through my first pregnancy then went part-time. When younger one came along childcare wasn’t worth it so I became a SAHM until the youngest started school. I took one more design job before realizing I needed something else. I had worked at the college library and loved it and was lucky enough to get a job at my local library. Went full time and ended up being a manager. I loved that job and most of the people I worked with were the absolute best colleagues and friends I ever had. Having two careers gave my life more balance.
My degree is in marketing and then became a veterinarian after 10 years.
I went from being a professional secretary to a vineyard manager. That was a pivot!! But I loved it for 13 years until my knees gave out from arthritis.
My pivots are what I call left turns. Got a Bachelors in Nuclear Engineering — worked for law firm on nuclear litigation — pivoted to another firm and worked in general litigation — went to law school — passed Bar — moved to CA to work as project manager for semiconductor company — worked in semiconductor for several years — left turn to medical device company regulatory affairs — radiation and particle therapy devices — considering next left turn to head up dental office. Cheers!
I have been quietly famous in three different variations on the theme of support staff. Yes, I was that good. I could prove it.
My count of grant proposals done correctly was around 50 BEFORE word processing was a thing.
During the 13 years I did data entry for a research lab at UCLA, my mistake rate (not the ones I made – the ones that got past me) went from about one a quarter to one a month, AFTER the workload doubled and then tripled and then doubled again.
And I was the secretary who could make my last boss do the paperwork right the first time.
You are the wind beneath many wings!!
When the people at UCLA wanted to give me a promotion, it ended up a whole new job category. I was the very first Data Management Assistant the UC system ever had.
I loved that job, actually – it was the first I had where I didn’t find out what I was worth from hearing what the person who replaced me got paid.
I never pivoted in my career but my sister did. She first got a bachelor’s degree in English Lit. and she taught English for a while but eventually decided she couldn’t make enough money this way so she started over and studied unbelievably hard and got an MDD degree in dentistry. Hard pivot and took her years of hard work but she says it was worth it. It of course would not have been possible without financial support from my parents for her new path.
After 25+ years in the same business field working for big companies, I was pretty sure my company was going to let me go. So while I waited for the ax to fall, I did a career change workshop which helped me see I didn’t want to re-train or pivot to a new field — I just needed a new environment. So after collecting my severance package, I moved from a company of 30,000 employees to one with 3 (including me!). Doing the same type of work, but more under my control. When I reflect, the real pivots were 3 life changes that came the same year. At age 52, my first marriage, first dog, and first time working from home full-time — eating lunch with new husband and walking new dog every day. There are many ways we change — a career change can be the least of them.
You are so inspiring! I’m 52 now too and never married-am open to it but the right partner is ??? I feel less alone with this now, so THANK YOU! CONGRATULATIONS!! And also, am walking my first dog this year. May our pups live long and get many cuddles. Cheers!!!
I started out young, my family raised and trained Quarterhorses. Then my folks divorced. That was a pivot for my Mom and I. She learned to be a Cosmotologist, and I downgraded to plain student. We were able to keep our personal horses (2), and Mom remarried. Life was interesting from then; the folks took a job managing a very small lake resort, and I became a trailboss for the horses.Then there was another pivot; a shortish period of moving to another state, subsisting rather than living, and back to our home state.We found a good home to live in, I began life as a college student ( drama and film making) and did work on actual films. Several more pivots,( a nanny, a bodyguard, met the love of my life) and I worked in a twist drill factory, which made me physically ill, changed some things, but stayed essentially “me”.I had joined the Society for Creative Anachronisms back in 1982, aspiring to be a knight. Fought in real armor for several years, but tore my rotator in my right arm. End of Knight dream, but kept teaching and learning, and here, 43 years later, I am now a Peer of the Society ( called a Pelican) for service to my Kingdom. I have been blessed to have been able to travel a good deal of the Western Europe, and Egypt which I had/have studied my near-entire Life. My marriage has now crossed the 36 year mark, Life is now a lot slower and I need to have my knees replaced! 🤣🤣 What’s next? I’m only 66, so I don’t know, exactly, but I’m anxious to see!
“Only 66”…..Amen to the “only”!!!! (Me too!)
As I keep telling my 24-year-old daughter, 66 is just my chronological age. It has NOTHING to do with how old (young) I actually am! 😁
So so many pivots! Except they brought me full circle. When I was a kid I dreamed of being a horse trainer like my riding instructor and of riding in this magical style called Dressage (There was a book…the White Stallions of Vienna 😉 ) But, I couldn’t afford my own horse & had only ridden Western. So I decided to get into Hospitality and learn how to run a High Service resort-like an upscale dude ranch. Got my hospitality degree, went to work at 5 star dude ranch & a few others at that level doing housekeeping & waitressing. Became year round admin staff, got promoted, got promoted a couple more times. New manager talked her way into a job she couldn’t do & then made it her mission to get of anyone who ‘made her look bad’….. Went home to lick my wounds & worked in basic hospitality. Got bored. Still found ways to ride & improve my skills. Went back to guest ranching but as a horse guide. Improved my skills & had a blast. Worked on a cattle ranch for the winter. Had a blast since I worked with two really cool guys. They showed me how to do all the stupid fun stuff I had never tried as a city kid as well as old school ranch maintenance tricks & cattle work. Went back to the guest ranch for the summer & decided I didn’t like moving every 6 months. Went back to high level hospitality (Hint: Kitty cat & blue). Moved around taking different jobs within the same hotel over an 11 year span. Rode & improved my skills on the side, including Dressage. Got to ride upper level movements on a friend’s Lippizan (same type as in the childhood book). Moved to riding (still part time) at a high level Dressage farm. Got recruited! Quit the hotel on April 1 because why not? Was funny!!!! Have been working at the Dressage farm for 11 years full time now teaching humans & training horses (& mucking stalls, fixing fences (yeah cattle ranch!), raking leaves…so so many leaves!, building pastures, wrangling goats & whatever else comes up. So I guess you could say my pivots eventually added up to 360 degrees
Armani started his fashion brand at 40 also!
Ilona, I love your creativity with fiber arts.
My big pivot is going from engineering to teaching math to middle schoolers. It is a passion project that consumes much too much of my energy.
this thread is so interesting, because I’m approaching a time when I could pivot… I’m relocating due to family reasons, so I am looking at a definite change of roles – not sure yet whether I’ll continue to do similar things or change to something completely different!
you love Project Runway too? I am as addicted to that show as I am to your books. and that says a lot!
when I was 49, I was laid off. I found I could paper an entire room with my job denials. so after a year, I took advantage of ObamaCare and went back to school at the Golden age of Fifty. Walking into class that first night was the hardest thing Iv ever done
Sitting in a classroom with a bunch of teenyboppers who couldn’t care less was the second hardest! Those kids were just there because their parents told them that’s where they needed to be… I was there cause I HAD to earn a living.
In the end, I graduated with straight A’s and walked right into a job. Most of those kids couldn’t pass their clinicals and never got a job .
I’m not bragging, just stating a fact. I’v come to believe that holding off a few years before going to college can be a good thing
I was a stay at home homeschool mom for 11 years, and before that ran an inhome daycare. Husband’s job change meant I had to work outside the home for the first time since I was 22. Now I work as a paraprofessional at a behavior school. I never imaged I would love this job or be really good at, but I do and I am. I still miss being a SAHM but loving my job makes the change easier to deal with.
My career change occurred when, as an Air Force wife, working at the base golf course, I decided to try for a civil service job. I did this at the encouragement of my co-worker, a lovely lady named Joan. Joan told me, “Kid, if I had to do this again, I would go Civil Service…the pay is better and I would have a retirement”. Joan had over 25 years working at the golf course, and was beloved by all. Her words lite a fire under me and I started applying for every job I could at the Civilian Personnel office on base. (This was back when each base hired the federal civilians locally and there was no internet or USAjobs website.).
It took 2 years but I eventually was hired into a federal job, working for the Air Force. When my husband was reassigned to another base, I was exceptionally lucky and was able to be hired at his new assignment.
As a civilian in the Air Force, I have worked for as a clerk, worked in finance, worked for civilian engineering (CE), and ended up working for Supply. I worked myself up from a clerk to being Supply Specialist managing orders across the AF.
I have retired after 36 years working for the AF, and am extremely happy I took Joan’s advice.
However, the most enjoyable job I ever had was still working at that Golf course in the Pro shop. It was wonderful talking to people who wanted to have fun and helping them. My co-workers and customers were wonderful and I have stayed in touch with them.
It just did not have any career possibilities.
I made a slight adjustment in my career path. I started as a production stage manager for theatre and now I’m pursuing directing and playwriting. It feels more like an evolution of my craft than a true pivot. Sorta like I have given myself permission to view myself as truly creative. I still have some moments of doubt but my community keeps me up.
From restaurant manager to nurse and now an NP. I don’t regret a single change.
When I left school (year 12 in Australia), I went to work as a seamstress. It was a pretty dead end job and did a year of night school to learn about computers (yes I’m that old), this led me to a receptionist job and then doing finance at a charity (one of my night school courses was bookkeeping). I gave a try at an accounting degree but I found it very boring. Now I work for government making data readable and doing procurement (my finance background at work). Not sure if I’ll pivot again, kinda cruising towards retirement where maybe I’ll get to cruise a lot …. pun intended 🙂
I pivoted out of banking and finance about 11 years ago through need. We had moved to a mining town and there were very few jobs in finance in the area I was experienced in. I ended up returning to uni and studying libraries records and archives with a practicum in conservation. It was a good pivot. Humans seem to be very good at making more and more records and paper and books! (bdh is very chalant!) so I think I’ll be doing something in this field til I retire. Now to go figure out SharePoint.
Fourth career here. Army for four years, elementary substitute teacher for 7, worked in a grocery store for about as long, now working in an ER as a patient caregiver. Two degrees ( BS education and Medial Assisting) and now I am using them both. I not only do the hands on work in the ED but am teaching others to do it. I teach a bi-monthly class on Crisis Management that is mandatory for all in patient care (How to Descalate a Situation and Not Get Hurt is my private nickname for it). I also am retraining CNAs and NAs to our new Network’s scope ( they have to learn to draw blood and do EKGs, which they haven’t done before). I LOVE my job in the ED. It is the perfect garden for my AuDHD to grow in.
Lots of pivots to different places and different positions within the medical field.. one of the great things about being a nurse is how many specialties there are. If you get tired or burned out in one area, there are so many other things you can do, without having to go back to school. That being said, hubby and I have made a lot of pivots.. 4 different states and 8 different communities.. the biggest pivot is that we own and operate a bison ranch. We offer tours by appointment and so far have had visitors from 6 continents, more than 50 countries, and 46 states.
As a kid all I wanted to do was hang out with animals – ideally on horseback. All my babysitting and petsitting money went to horses. The closest barn was too far for me to get to more than once a week, so no one was going to pay me to ride their horse. And for my family, the only acceptable career in the horse industry was veterinarian. So I headed to college hoping to go pre-vet (Pivot 1).
Student advisor told me vet schools don’t even look at your college transcripts – only your high school ones. He wasn’t being evil; just an idiot. As an aside, please don’t counsel kids about something you know nothing about. Anyway, I hedged my bets by majoring in animal science. Paid my way through school working animal care for the vet science department and vet assistant for the local emergency animal hospital (my mother only believed in paying for my brothers’ college; my sister and I were on our own).
Unfortunately this required working about 60 hours a week, which didn’t do much for my grades. I dropped out and got a job with benefits in the state animal health lab. After a year there, I went back to school and got a part time job as a vet tech for USDA (Pivot 2). This shifted over time to a full-time job, and part-time classes. Eventually I realized I was making as much as the average newly graduated veterinarian, and I wasn’t in the hole for tuition. Plus I was engaged, and my fiancé was unenthusiastic about me going to vet school. So I gave up on the vet school idea, and got married. Pivot 3, and a mistake that would take me decades to fully recognize (the marriage, I mean).
Had two great kids, went part time for a year after my second was born, and then quit to be a SAHM (Pivot 4). All through the years I had continued to ride as much as possible. Local barn started recruiting me immediately when they heard I had quit. I told them I was going to stay home with the kids. After six months of that I was ready to get out of the house. I started teaching in their program a couple nights a week, and eventually some during the day.
Found I really love teaching and training. I love to see progress, and I love to solve challenges. The barn was my safe place as a neurodivergent kid. People are drawn to horses, in many cases, because horses fill some need or another for them. Animal assisted therapy works for lots of needs, for lots of reasons. I loved providing those benefits to my students of all ages. Built a barn, built a reputation for building solid basics and partnerships for students and their horses. Pivot 5, and full circle to something like I would have chosen for myself as a kid.
After 20+ years of running my own program, a huge trauma bomb dropped on my family. Divorced, stayed where I was for 18 months to get my bearings, then moved a hundred miles from the community that had sustained me for half a century, to be closer to my family of origin. I’ve been here two years now, and am still trying to find a new way to be who I am. Pivot 6 and counting.
I wandered around for awhile after high school. Did secretarial work while going to college part time. First job was working in a museum centered around whales, great job in the beginning of my work life. Ended up doing secretarial again after moving to the city, but keeping my love of animals and wildlife. Worked for a magazine, which was also fun, again secretarial position. Ended back in the community where I’d worked at the whale museum and ended helping out with an oil spill response. Ended up at a non-profit working in oil spill response, cleaning up oil, rescuing birds, training people to do all those things, managing equipment, and doing secretarial and accounting. Did that for 30 years, then due to situation out of my control had to pivot. Ended up doing secretarial for a local government park district protecting local woods. In between all that I studied and performed as a physical clown, which was a lot of challenge and fun. At one point I went back to school and got my degree. Had hoped to move into counseling, but didn’t have the money or support to get my advanced degree. Now I am retired and spending time getting rid of the detritus of a lifetime, writing, playing with my dogs, and creating through art, poetry, journaling, baking, crocheting, gardening, and maybe after I get my ankle fixed I’ll do some physical comedy again! Oh and hoping I’ll have a grand baby to watch over one of these days.
No, no, no… you didn’t just ask that… I could write a “Shogun” length story about the pivots in my professional career.
Now, that being said, this post made me laugh out loud.
When you described, “…the more you work on a book, the more you learn how to write that particular book better. Just when you feel you’ve gotten the hang of it, a new book comes along, with a different world and different characters, and everything you’ve learned goes out the window.” — That pretty much sums up my professional (non-writer’s) life.
I haven’t given up yet, so wish me luck on my next adventure, because there is going to be an adventure, I can tell you that! (I’ll figure it out eventually…)
Take care. Good luck on the next “chapter” of your writing life.
Toodles!
I did some pivoting but within substantially the same career. I learned a lot of different parts of the basic career and then specialized in one single area later on. It did kind of involve reinventing myself but it was more low risk than an entirely different career would have been. Worked out very well for me, though. I managed to use some essential nerdiness to have myself a successful career. Grateful for that!
Reading this thread has been fascinating! BDH sure thrives in novelty in careers. I pivoted from a career in shipping brokerage to customer service to doing tech product development before it was a thing to MBA now after several years in corporate quit to focus on self and family health now thinking of next pivot.
At the age of 42 i left a 20+ year career in the NHS as a healthcare professional to go work in a corporate role at a pharma company.
It’s still healthcare but so far removed from my previous role (although my knowledge is a huge benefit) it’s been a big career change.
I did something similar. After 10 years in practice as a neurologist, I went to work as a medical officer in the US FDA. I’ve moved around a bit over the past 18 years here and am now a clinical team lead. I wouldn’t have ever predicted this when I was a kid or a med student. All I ever dreamed of was taking care of patients but it wasn’t a good fit for me long-term.
I am still young at 26 but I fell like I’m sitting at the edge of a Pivot that I dont know if I’m brave enough to take. I have always been artistic, with higher than normal aptitude in both writing and art. but attempts to explore this as a child was met with disdain from my parents because we live in a third world country and there’s no market for either of things.
So I abandoned my passion for years and focused on school. they kinda forced me into architecture but I fell in love with it. I started writing again and worked as a ghost writer for years (family became more receptive when I started to make money from it) I learned about publishing and recently made the decision to write for my self and self publish. I am also having a gap year of sorts as I decide what tk study for masters.
I want to go into cinematic/video Game architectural design. this will be a semi-hard pivot from pure architectural design for real world to projects. This is the one direction I saw that would let me combine my writing, art, and architectural skills. I am so scared of going into this because again, third world country, resources are almost non existent.
Everything is all over the place but everyday that goes by the more I know I would regret not going in this direction. But I am so scared. about everything from how to fund my masters abroad to how this project will be received by my country. I dont know if my writing will be able to support while I spend years getting off the ground but Im scared and excited. I just thought I should share this.
You can do it! Look at it this way: there is no rule that says any changes you make have to be permanent. You can always pivot in any direction you want to.
Just look at all these wonderful stories from the BDH for inspiration…good luck! 😁
I’ve recently had to pivot in my professional life. The outcome is currently undetermined. There are so many possibilities with each job application submitted. It’s like a child deciding they could be a fireman or astronaut when they grow up. (Only with slightly less dramatic choices.)
I went from Royal Air Force typist to secretary/typist to trademark paralegal to local council employee (no legal work in sight) and finally back to being a trademark paralegal. I’m currently counting down to retirement at the end of October and flirting with a possible move to taking up a position as councilor with the local town council with a bit of creative writing thrown in for good measure….
Just “pivoted” about two months ago. Finally got out of higher education (teaching/tutoring), after a few years of trying. Started a new position as a legal proofreader (at 47), and it’s working out well (aside from the early mornings, part of which is having a new high schooler, and the “100% in office” set up). But, the pay’s significantly better and the benefits . . . exist.
Wow. I get bored with focusing on one thing and pivot off to something else. I started college thinking I wanted to be a (pure) math professor, the got fascinated with the mathematics of biology. My first job out of college was supporting a project trying to figure out the equations for how plants exchange gases with the atmosphere. Picked up a masters degree in that, but, since microcomputers had just come on the market ended up using them in the research and built home brew computers on my own. Took a job writing operating systems for a nascent personal computer company. Then switched to communications, writing software for what became mobile phones. Switched to digital communications systems (developed routers, a network management system, then an international network). Got into computer security, then consulted on computer and communications systems for the government. Invented a bunch of things including a 2005 version of a large language module (predecessor to AI). Retired a few years ago and am having fun sailing, drinking wine (and tea!), and reading.
At 57 I’ve pivoted from being an Administrative Assistant to getting my Masters in Counseling and PPSC. I’m going to start working on my 3000 MFT hours so I can get fully licensed.
Worked in auditing at a bank in S. Florida after Steve & I got married (44 years ago,) had a child and knew we didn’t want her in schools there and couldn’t afford private school so we moved home to western NC. I went back to school and finished my education degree at age 30, taught middle grades math for 7 years before moving into ed administration, 2 more degrees (at WCU, HA’s alma mater – Go Catamounts!) and now, though officially retired, I am doing the most important job I’ve ever had: caring for my husband through a rare, stage IV cancer. Never wanted to be a nurse, but I’ve had a wonderful and rewarding life so far, and am grateful for all the pivots.
I went from Ceramic Engineer to Chemistry and Physics teacher. I was the best thing I ever did regardless of all the naysayers. You have to follow your heart.
I made the jump from boarding school history teacher to now working at a financial advising firm. I definitely miss the history and the kids. But not the 2:00 AM ER visits and 11:00 bedtimes I needed to check. Leaving at 5:00 and having none of my own homework has been amazing for my mental health and work life balance. I can read and pursue hobbies with the free time and double salary. Definitely not a pivot I saw coming. But one I appreciate and has made my life better.
I pivoted, too, in my professional career. After 33 years in healthcare, I took a much needed emotional and physical “time out” to rethink my career choices. I realized how much I loved skincare so I attended esthetics school for a career in skincare. Pivoted after graduation to working in the esthetics school helping students and grads find employment in the industry and to seek ever higher in their chosen career.
Haha! I started over at 50! I now import french wine!
Yes, I have pivoted. I was a Reading Specialist in an elementary school for the first half of adulthood. Then we moved to a foreign country where I did volunteer work at the Humane Society, When we came back to the US, it was take care of both mothers for many years. Out of the blue, when I was 66, a friend called and asked if I’d work in her yarn/craft /fabric store. Three years later, I’m back full circle, teaching knitting. This is the best job of all!
I spent 25 years in education, teaching, subbing, teaching, and subbing again. I spent all of that time trying to find where I fit in. New states, different schools, subjects, and grades. When my last contract wasn’t renewed it was time for a bigger change. A year ago in May I started to learn a new field, and this summer I got hired. Education is still involved, but now I work from home creating learning that others will teach. It’s a better fit, and the commute is awesome!