What is the Smartest Career Pivot in 2026?
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Key Takeaways:
- A career pivot may be necessary if you have long-term career misalignment or burnout, not after a single bad day. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward meaningful change
- Certain industries and skill sets are increasingly seeing changes in demand, with AI, clean tech, and sustainability-driven sectors experiencing growth
- You don’t need to start from scratch to pivot, as transferable skills, upskilling, and targeted education can help you transition into growing, future-proof industries
The start of a new year can bring more than fresh goals—for some, it raises a quiet but lingering question: Is this still the right career for me?
Whether it’s stalled growth, feelings of burnout, a declining industry, or a nagging sense that your skills could be better used elsewhere, it’s not uncommon to feel this way.
The good news: a career change doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch, you can build on skills you already have to find a new, more fulfilling path.
Today’s professionals arguably have more pathways than ever to pivot careers; whether through strategic upskilling via short-term certificates or online courses, or by enrolling in one of the many degree options available at business schools.
The key challenge is knowing where to pivot. Amid developments in AI, geopolitical uncertainty, and economic challenges, choosing an industry that’s ripe for sustained growth is vital for future-proofing your career.
With this in mind, we spoke with career experts to identify where you can expect opportunities to expand in the coming years, and which skills will likely rise in demand. Plus, we’ve provided some practical tips on when you should consider making a career pivot, and how to switch without losing momentum.
Should I Make a Career Pivot?
When it comes to considering a career change, the idea rarely stems from a single bad day at work. It builds over time—often driven by a growing need for change or a desire for something new. Understanding the difference between temporary dissatisfaction and a deeper misalignment is the first step in deciding whether a pivot is necessary.
According to Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, professor of organizational behavior at Babson College, a lot of dissatisfaction at work stems from what an employee is doing day-to-day. Often it’s not their co-workers fueling it, or their place of employment, but their line of work at the basic level, she explains.
“Signs could be anything from dreading going to work in the morning to fantasizing about doing other things to finding excuses not to do the work,”Jennifer says. One of the clearest signals, she adds, is looking ahead at your future and not liking what you see.
“If you look at the people who are five to 10 years ahead of you in your current career, and don’t want to be them, it’s time to consider a pivot," she explains.
Katty Hsu, inclusive entrepreneurship and research lead at Erasmus Center for Entrepreneurship, understands these signs well. When she was a junior employee she came to the realization that something needed to change.
“I was not feeling challenged and got bored with my tasks easily,” she explains. “When I became more experienced and confident in my role, but felt more emotional and easily agitated than usual, I realized that I should start considering a career pivot to get my 'spark' back again and handle challenges with a more optimistic and constructive approach.”
Katty recognized the signs and began to look elsewhere.
Am I Experiencing Burnout or Career Misalignment?
Work-related exhaustion doesn’t always signal that it’s time to switch careers. Temporary burnout often comes from short-term pressure rather than a fundamental problem with the work itself.
“Sometimes we feel burnout because we’ve had to push on a deadline or experienced a bottleneck where a lot of things had to happen at once,” Jennifer says. “It’s unsustainable over the longer term, but also temporary. So, we can get through it and move on.”
A more fundamental issue, however, is harder to shake. “A deeper misalignment comes when we can’t consistently answer why we’re doing our work,” she explains. This can include having questions around purpose, compensation, recognition, or long-term growth.
Sometimes burnout and misalignment go hand in hand. As Katty explains: “It's difficult to distinguish the two as I personally think they go hand in hand. Signs of work-related burnout such as lack of motivation and high emotional sensitivity also indicate that you aren't aligned in your career path. For my case, I only realized I wasn't feeling aligned after burning out last year. It was only after I decided to pivot that the recovery started.”
Workload also plays a critical role. A recent Gallup poll found that an unmanageable workload and unreasonable time pressure are among the top causes of burnout. Either way, it may be time to pivot.
When is a Career Pivot Necessary?
Career pivots are often driven by a mix of internal and external forces. When deciding for yourself, Jennifer says to look at a mixture of factors.
"A career pivot can happen for reasons that range from ‘push’ factors to ‘pull’ factors,” she explains. “Push factors are about wanting to get away from a current career because of factors like burnout, disengagement, and feeling plateaued, like there’s no more learning or no more career growth.”
Pull factors, on the other hand, are rooted in possibility. “Pull factors are about the allure of something new, the thrill of personal reinvention, maybe going after something you’ve wanted to do but never pursued.”
For some, recognizing these pull factors comes after a period of reflection and personal experience.
“Based on my burnout experience, when I lost myself as well as my passion in my work, that's when I realised it was necessary to pivot. Something had to change to get me out of that dark place,” Katty says.
Together, these forces can signal that a career change isn’t just desirable—it may be necessary.
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Career Change Tips: Which Areas Should I Focus on?
Realizing you want to make a career change is one step; knowing where to go is another. As we look ahead at the start of the year, certain industries and skill sets are increasingly seeing changes in demand.
According to Chloe Chambers, careers consultant and Weekend MBA lead at Imperial Business School, “Managing change, communicating complex information clearly, and—no surprise—the ability to work effectively with AI are all highly valued. Employers are increasingly impressed by portfolios of work that showcase both breadth and stretch across different contexts.”
Chloe notes that while growth can vary by region, demand is consistently rising globally in several key sectors:
- Sustainability sectors: Agritech, precision farming, and supply chain optimization
- AI and digitalization: From implementation to ethics and governance
- Healthcare and digital health: Digital transformation, health data science, telemedicine, health tech, and patient experience
- Clean tech: Renewable energy and carbon reduction technologies
- E-commerce supply chain: Last-mile delivery and logistics innovation
More generally, it’s impossible to ignore the growing role of AI within the workplace, something that should be a key consideration when evaluating your options.
"The easy answer here is something AI-adjacent or something AI-proof,” Jennifer says. “We need people who are good at working with AI output, whether generating it, validating it, or otherwise putting it to use in a way that helps.”
By contrast, however, human-centered work is also thriving. “We’re seeing a return to craftsperson types of work, baking, anything handmade— and trades that everyone needs and can’t easily be AI-substituted,” Jennifer adds.
She adds that not every career choice needs to be driven by AI; people can often build meaningful work by following their interests.
How can I Switch Careers?
Making a career pivot can feel daunting, especially without direct experience in a new field. Start by approaching the task strategically, talking to people already in the field to understand what’s rewarding and challenging.
“Before making the decision, it's important to talk to people in the field and learn from their experience to see if this is the right choice,” says Katty.
Chloe adds that successful pivots often start with three critical actions: conducting informational interviews, auditing your network, and challenging your “why”.
“Where are your motivation and drive for change coming from?” she asks.
A key step in the process, and one that can be a difficult barrier for career pivoters to overcome, is crafting a resume or CV that showcases your readiness for a career change. Chloe emphasizes that positioning yourself effectively is vital.
“Many pivots happen through the hidden job market, but always have a CV ready. When writing it, consider yourself as a marketer positioning a product. Lead with your strengths and transferable wins. Employers considering a pivot hire are investing in your capabilities and potential, not ruling you out for what you haven't done yet.”
Upskilling is another important step. Chloe recommends acknowledging gaps and addressing them through targeted training, courses, and enthusiasm. Short courses, certifications, and online programs can help.
“Focus on transferable skills like problem-solving, stakeholder management, analytical thinking, and adaptability. These matter more than you think, especially when paired with authentic eagerness to learn,” she says.
If you’re planning on formal education to achieve a career change, elective modules, practical projects, and extracurriculars offered within your degree can help you explore new areas, demonstrate commitment, and bridge your knowledge and network gaps.
When you have the chance to speak with recruiters or hiring managers, it’s vital when making a career pivot that you start by demonstrating motivation and genuine interest—curiosity, confidence, and commitment go a long way.
By combining transferable skills, upskilling, and having a proactive approach, you can navigate a career pivot with confidence. And once you’ve successfully made the jump, make sure to give some recognition to your achievement.
“Don't forget to take a moment to celebrate before jumping straight into the learning curve,” says Katty. “The transition period is different for everyone but taking small moments for myself between the chaos of changing career paths has helped.”
