Are you seeing this historic COVID-19 “career quake” as an opportunity to make a creative career pivot? If yes, you are wisely capitalizing on an unprecedented post-pandemic labor market. Here are six steps that build on each other, increasing your efficiency and ultimate success.

Step One: Look Ahead

Trust your understanding of your industry, function and field. Take inventory of the likely evolution of your career (and your competition) in the near term and down the road. While you don’t have a crystal ball, you do have knowledge and experience. Use your imagination and observations to predict both the opportunities and possible pitfalls in your occupational future.  

• Identify trends lines.
• Notice what is expanding and contracting.
• Evaluate the emotional state of your colleagues and competition.
• Search for role models who are making great decisions.

Step Two: Position

Decide where you need to strategically position yourself for optimum growth and satisfaction. Focus on your strengths, both from a competitive and a talent perspective. Identify prospects others may have missed or are ignoring. Remember, every crisis holds opportunities, but only for those who actively are looking for them.

Step Three: Learn

No one can stop you from learning what you choose to learn. This fact holds great power. You can separate yourself, either as an employee or as business owner, from the pack by choosing to be a thirsty learner.

Over the past few months, I have been taking my own advice. I’m learning as much as I can about Instagram, YouTube and all the other social media channels. I’m making lots of mistakes and hitting roadblocks along the way. It’s not always fun, but it is prudent. I’m choosing a unique path that is not crowded by others in my field. This is a strong position fueled by learning.

Step Four:  Connect

Notice I have asked you to do a great deal of homework before I encourage you to interact with other people. People are being bombarded by advertising, e-mail and Zoom calls so be superbly prepared.

• Prepare a clear, compelling pitch focused on your ideal target market.
• Give, give and give more value.
• 
  Develop content or products you can offer when you are networking.

Note my focus is not on outlining what you do or the services you offer. That will become evident soon enough. Hone in on the needs and concerns of the people you are connecting with. This will make you memorable and trustworthy.

Step Five: Test and Adjust

In each of the steps I have mentioned, you will be gaining knowledge and running into some dead ends. I know you’d like to skip the dead ends part but, if you do, you will limit your creativity and your growth potential. A creative career pivot is, by definition, messy.

Make the necessary adjustments along the way. Limit the cost of your exploration. If it’s clear that your positioning or your connecting is not working, adjust.

Step Six: Use Your Courage

Creative career pivots have always been available but they have never been so scary. The levels of unknowns in a post-pandemic labor market are staggering. For most folks, the unpredictable future is putting them is a “wait and see” mode. I don’t advocate for that approach. Even small strategic steps can make a big difference.