5 Must-Follow Tips To Make a Career Pivot in 2021… and The Best Free Job Site To Use

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The past year may have thrown your career goals for a loop. 2020 didn’t look anything like any  of us expected it to, especially if you were looking to make a career pivot. In fact, hiring fell by 30% between February and May of 2020 but there is good news! As of November, hiring had returned to pre-pandemic levels and it seems like it’s only going up from there. This is great news for companies and job seekers alike! 

If you’re looking to make a career change or pivot in 2021, here are 5 must-follow tips for taking your career where you want to go! 

5 Must-Follow Tips To Make a Career Pivot in 2021

1. Use ZipRecruiter.

Looking for jobs and opportunities online can be exhausting. Many times it feels like your resume and hard work end up landing in an abyss, never to be heard from again. Their tagline — “Job searching shouldn’t be a full-time job” hits the nail on the head for us. It shouldn’t feel like a full-time job!

ZipRecruiter has the #1 rated job-seeker app that uses smart-matching technology to identify qualified candidates. Thanks to millions of users, the technology is constantly becoming more refined to help match employers with qualified candidates.

For businesses looking to hire new employees who post job listings on the platform, ZipRecruiter’s proprietary algorithm is able to provide at least one qualified match within the first day for 80% of new listings. This means businesses spend less time searching for the right candidate leading to an increased recruitment ROI. If you’re looking to hire, sign up to post a job listing here.

That said, ZipRecruiter also makes the job searching process easier for the millions of job seekers using that platform every month. You can search for a specific job title or general keyword like “writer” in a specific location. They show how many people have applied for the job and also let you message the job poster directly. Plus, when you’re searching, they have handy keyword suggestions like these below:

This makes it easier to refine what you’re looking for in a new role. Plus you can find more in-demand skills to strengthen your profile as a job seeker.

If you’re using the app to search for a job, you’ll be notified when your resume has been viewed or given a “thumbs up” by a hiring manager. This kind of feedback helps you know you’re on the right track. Employers can also reach out to you directly to apply for a position based on your skills, experience, and expertise.

They’re also able to help job seekers identify which employers need to hire sooner rather than later. And, you’ll have more insights on jobs that are the best fit for your skills, experience, desired location, and more. 

If you’re looking to pivot your career this year, I highly recommend making a ZipRecruiter profile — you’ll be one step closer to finding the right fit for you!

2. Refresh your resume with in-demand skills and numbers.

Many employers are looking for specific hard skills, like these for example in the tech industry. If you’re trying to pivot to a career in tech, it’s very unlikely that anyone cares that you have HTML knowledge. This is generally considered the very basic and bottom of the barrel skill you would start with.

To find what skills are in-demand and needed now, take an in depth look at job listings. What skills and areas of expertise are they asking for? That might even be the bare minimum they are looking for so take it a step further in your own career. How can you learn that skill and show that you can successfully implement it? Having an in-demand skillset makes you an invaluable asset

I personally don’t even think you need formal job experience to learn and show you’ve implemented these skills. Think outside of the box here. There are so many online learning platforms that we have access to these days that allow us to learn directly from experts. For example, sites like Skillshare, Udemy, Google for Education, Masterclass, Harvard Extension School, and more, allow you to learn valuable skills on your own time. ZipRecruiter will also suggest possible online courses to you.

But don’t stop there! Once you have learned a new skill or technique, implement it in a small project or challenge of your own. For example, when my husband was younger and interested in working in a tech field, he built his own app that he could showcase to recruiters. Not only did it show that he had certain knowledge and skills that the company was specially looking for, but it showed he was motivated to implement those skills and see a project through. 

On top of that, make sure you are including numbers and metrics as often as possible! For example you may have led the team that was instrumental in your department exceeding its revenue goal by 100k — make sure you are including those things! 

3. Look at what other people with your job title and experience are doing.

Have you ever searched for your job title on Zip Recruiter or LinkedIn? It’s fascinating to see the career paths other people in your industry and role have taken. If your current role was a past role for them, what did they do next? What skills do they list that you have? Which don’t you have? 

These profiles are essentially resumes that contain a wealth of information that can help all of us reach our career goals and pivot in our career paths. Do not copy their profile, but let it inspire you to think outside of the box when it comes to your own career.

Many times we are so close to the work that we do that it’s hard to know objectively what other people might care about when looking at your profile or resume. Are you listing all of the skills you have, the things you’ve accomplished, and the successes you have contributed to? 

Sometimes brainstorming these figures can be hard. It can even be hard to know what metrics you should be aiming for, especially if your current team doesn’t provide you with good feedback. Knowing that you’re doing well or what numbers to aim for can be especially motivating in your career pivot. 

I find it’s helpful to keep a running list of accomplishments, stats, and numbers that I can pull from when necessary. It means I’m not racking my brain at the last minute and can go into meetings and negotiations prepared. 

4. Stay in touch with your network.

This is probably age-old advice but in my opinion, always needs to be included! Your network — AKA who you know, both in your career and outside of it — is a powerful resource for your next career move.

Let others know you’re looking for a new role or what you want to pivot to. Chances are someone in your network has a good opportunity for you. Even if it doesn’t lead anywhere, it will likely open doors to new connections and possibly new opportunities for someone else. Don’t let chances to connect with other people pass you by!  

Connect with past and current colleagues on LinkedIn. Leave them endorsements and recommendations where appropriate. It’s also a great opportunity to leave genuine comments on what people are sharing. Leave a positive impression and they’re more likely to think of you for opportunities in the future. And share things of your own! The platform and psychology works both ways — you’ll be more likely to remember and recommend them, too. 

5. Keep your online presence up-to-date.

Especially in the remote job world many of us have found ourselves in, your online presence is extremely valuable real estate these days. 

If you have a website and social channels that are career-focused, keep them up-to-date at least once a month with your relevant career information, including launches, pivots, and projects. 

Also use other people’s websites and social media presence to support them in their careers. It’s a way of networking in the digital world and acts as a touchpoint we might not otherwise have the chance to connect over now. 

Many industries also use Twitter to stay up-to-date on industry trends and news. Plus, it’s an easy way to join conversations with hashtags. You can search for your industry, like #PR for example, and add people and accounts to lists for organization. I see Twitter as a more real-time way to update and connect on things that are happening day to day.

Especially if you are applying for new positions online, work remotely or work online, a website and online presence can really support your work, value, and connections.

So there we have it — five must-follow tips if you’re looking to make a career pivot in 2021. I personally think it’s important to continuously grow in our careers, and pivoting is a great way to do that. Don’t forget to make a ZipRecruiter profile here, and good luck! 

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