One of the hardest things about pivoting into a new career field is competing with other job candidates who have more experience than you because they’ve been in the field longer. Hiring managers may look at your resume, not see any relevant experience, and understandably look you over.

That’s why I encourage workers to consider the power of pivoting in place. When you pivot in place, you look for opportunities within your company to move into a different line of business or learn a new skill set without actually quitting.

Here's how.

Be honest about your desire to change fields or departments

Start with your manager and be open and candid about your interest in possibly transferring to a different department or shadowing a colleague to get a feel for another role. If they resist the idea or shut you down, take your request to your human resources department, especially if they have an employee development leader on staff.

The smartest business leaders know how important professional development is to retaining employees. It’s simply poor management to expect a worker to be forever happy in a singular role without advancement or opportunities for new challenges.

Get insights from peers at your company before you make the switch

If you work for a large company with many different types of roles, you’ve got an excellent opportunity to poke your head into other people’s cubicles (or Zoom rooms) and ask them about their field. Don’t take this for granted.

Finding other professionals in the fields that my career coaching clients are looking to switch to is often the biggest challenge for them. When you already share an employer and can easily search internal employee databases to find names and email addresses, you’ve got a big leg up. Invite them out for a coffee or see if you can join them at their next team meeting to get a better sense of what they do.

Ask to regularly shadow other colleagues

One of my previous direct reports raised a hand and asked to shadow a colleague in a different department because she was curious about the field. We agreed she could work out a schedule with that colleague to piggyback on a few of her routine meetings and have 1-on-1 conversations about her career. It was an informal arrangement that made it possible for her to still complete her daily tasks but also dip a toe into new waters.

Tell your colleagues you’re looking to pivot

Don’t make it a secret with your colleagues that you are looking for a change or are interested in a different field. They can help be your eyes and ears at the company when new openings pop up and potentially vouch for you if someone questions your lack of experience.