

Mary Beth Barrett-Newman is President of 2nd Career Consulting, She spent almost 30 years in the corporate world and brings her experience, expertise and enthusiasm as she coaches clients on their journey to a new position. Mary Beth is a frequent contributor to the iRelaunch blog and podcast and is a moderator of the the iRelaunch Return to Work Forum on Facebook.
Spring is a time of change, especially here in the Midwest, where I live. The grass starts to turn green again (finally!), the buds start appearing on trees and the early flowers like daffodils begin to appear. Perhaps this is the reason, many of the relaunchers I’m working with have also been talking about making a change; pivoting to a new career.
A common question that relaunchers have is “Should I return to the type of industry, field or job that I worked at in the past, or is this an opportunity to pivot to something new?” Great question! Let’s explore how to answer this.
One of the advantages of taking a career break is that you’ve had an opportunity to be involved in things that you didn’t have time for, or exposure to, earlier in your career. Perhaps you became involved in a nonprofit organization in your community, volunteered at your children’s school, or became an advocate for a person with a health issue. Your eyes were opened to areas you hadn’t previously been exposed to. If you, like many others, find yourself having these questions swirling in your head, how do you determine what to do?
Exploring! This period of relaunching your career can be a great opportunity to investigate various jobs or fields that interest you, as well as researching the job or field that you were in prior to your career break. Given the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on so many businesses, many roles and fields may not look the same as they did 2+ years ago. While some may no longer exist, others may have been created.
Thinking of this phase of your job search as a large research project can help provide a framework. Here are some basic steps to take in your exploration:
Change can both be scary and exciting. Your relaunch may provide a unique opportunity to pivot to a new career path.