Some pivots are easier than others. Depending on the career field you’re in now and the one you want to work in instead, you might need to add some more education, experience, or soft skills to your resume before making the leap. But it’s possible to make the transition easier if there are shared skills between the two industries.
A common myth about pivoting is that you have to essentially start over in the new industry, beginning with an entry-level job before moving up to where you want to be. That may be true in some industries, but not all. It’s possible to actually leverage a pivot to move up in title or salary.
When Entry Level is the Right Move
Sometimes it’s worth the temporary setback of taking a pay cut for an entry-level job in your new field. Take tech for example—IT, cybersecurity, help desk, coding… these are all areas in tech that see fast growth and promotion from entry-level to higher positions. If you want to get into tech but the majority of your experience is in another field, it can be a hard sell to get into an intermediate or advanced-level position.
It feels backwards, but if you can afford the pay cut to start over at entry level, you could very well have a raise compared to your last job in just a year or two. Entry-level work in your new field can also reduce the pressure and imposter syndrome of being a newbie in the industry until you’ve gotten the experience to trust that you belong in the new role.
However, you don’t have to start back at entry level when you’re making a career pivot.
Case Study: Purchasing to Marketing
When I graduated with my Master’s in Education back in Ye Olde 2011, I applied to over one hundred jobs in my field. I got a handful of phone interviews and a couple of second interviews, but no offers. I ended up registering with a temp agency and got a part-time role, doing admin for a real estate office, and then I got my first full-time job… in a completely different field.
I was hired as a purchasing manager for a specialty chemical manufacturer. Definitely not in the Higher Education and Student Personnel wheelhouse my master’s program had prepared me for… but I nailed the interview, got the job, and even got a higher starting salary because of my degree. I made $40,000 a year—which, adjusted for inflation, would be just shy of $60K today, in 2026. That’s a pretty respectable salary for a first job!
As I continued to work at this job for the next three years, I also picked up freelance work as a product, blog, and social media copywriter. I’d always had good writing chops and was quickly able to increase my freelance rates as I picked up more clients.
When I was ready to leave the chemical job, I knew I wanted to do more writing, so I searched for marketing roles and found one that seemed like a good fit. From the very beginning, I put my best marketing foot forward. I applied with a cover letter that I formatted as an email newsletter that caught the hiring manager’s eye. When I interviewed, I was offered the job on the spot by the company owner.
In this example, I was able to actually move up in my career, getting a raise compared to the purchasing role I was leaving. That’s not always a guarantee, but it helped a lot that I had spent time honing the skills I would take to the new role.
If you want to make a pivot without having to start over in an entry-level position, spend the time you have left in your current role building skills that will help you take the leap into a new industry.
Working on a Pivot?
We love to coach on career pivots! Learn more about our career coaches Liora and Caitlin here, and book a vibe check if you’re ready to take the next step.
