The Best Advice for Making a Career Pivot

Figuring out how to progress your career can be one of life’s toughest obstacles — especially if you decide to change things up a few years in. And it’s especially difficult to figure out how to pivot from the field where you have experience into something you’d enjoy more. But we spoke with the experts and great news: Not only is there hope, but there are also options. Dr. Cicely Brathwaite, who owns a psychological consulting practice that focuses on career and life coaching, and Maggie Mistal, a career consultant and executive coach, gave us the blueprint for pivoting your career like a pro.

1. Utilize your existing network. The most difficult part about a career pivot can be figuring out where to even start. “This is a time to go back to the basics,” says Brathwaite. “Use your network, including alumni connections, to set up informational interviews with people in the field you are interested in.” According to Brathwaite, this is the first step of identifying potential openings — and gaining access to the people hoping to fill them.

2. Consider a bigger role at a smaller company. “When considering potential job opportunities, look for a place that is smaller, where you can engage in multiple job tasks,” says Brathwaite. “A small start-up can provide a great opportunity to do both grunt work and higher level work which could be a stepping stone to an ideal job.” In other words, smaller companies may allow you to step outside of your experience. While this may result in an initial pay decrease, it has the potential to lead to a career that’s much more in line with your goals.

3. Find new uses for your existing abilities. “First, you’ll want to understand what it takes to be successful in a new chosen field,” says Mistal. When you’re going on those informational interviews, make a mental list of the skills you think you’d bring to the table based on your past experience, and make sure you ask about current challenges. That will give you the context you need to talk up the abilities you’ve developed in your current role and the ways they’ll be a good fit in your new field.

4. Don’t just consider the skills you have — consider which skills you enjoy using: “Take the best of the past forward into new territory that matches who you really are and go from there,” Mistal says. In other words, consider which elements of your past work you really enjoyed, and to play those up on your resume. You’ll have a higher chance of finding a new career that you truly enjoy.

5. Start a side hustle to gain experience: If you’re not having a lot of luck finding a new, more fulfilling role, Mistal advises her clients to consider starting a side hustle. She suggests volunteering as a potential option or setting up a small business. For example, if you’re trying to pivot into graphic design, setting up an Etsy Shop to sell resume designs would build out your portfolio and bring in some extra cash.

RELATED: How to Recover from a Job Interview Fumble

(Photo via Getty)

Ever dream of globetrotting the world while getting paid? That's not a rhetorical question. Now you can turn your wanderlust into real cash with Ramada by Wyndham. The global hotel brand is on the hunt for its next "CEO," AKA Chief Eats Officer, a dream role for anyone who loves food and travel and well, a paycheck. One lucky adventurer will be paid $15,000 to travel to Ramada’s most coveted destinations, curate a list of must-eats, and share their travel highlights on social media. Learn how to enter below!

Decameron Club Caribbean Runaway Bay, Ramada Jamaica

From Thailand to Turkey and Seoul to Santa Barbara, the CEO trip will include up to seven global destinations in a three-week itinerary next spring. With hotels in 75 countries around the world, Ramada by Wyndham is perfect for travelers looking for that bucket-list experience!

Hunan, China, Ramada by Wyndham Chenzhou Dongjiang Lake

For a chance to be the next “CEO,” travel and food enthusiasts can visit Ramada.com/CEO by October 22 and submit a short, 1-3 minute video through TikTok (tag @RamadabyWyndham, #RamadaCEO) or email makemeceo@ramada.com that shows your passion for travel and discovering amazing eats.

Prize Details:

  • $15,000 reward, including a $10,000 travel stipend to cover airfare and travel expenses, plus $5,000 cash
  • Paid hotel accommodations for up to 21 nights at Ramada properties around the world
  • A Wyndham Rewards® Diamond membership for one year

Ramada Resort by Wyndham, Bodrum, Türkiye

How to Apply

To apply, post a public video on TikTok explaining why you are the best candidate for the job, tagging @RamadabyWyndham, using the hashtag #RamadaCEO, and following @RamadabyWyndham on TikTok.

Your TikTok account must be publicly viewable for the duration of the contest (through November 2024). Alternatively, you can email your video submission to makemeceo@ramada.com.

All video submissions must be between one and three minutes in length and should include your country of residence.

If applying via email, be sure to provide the handles for your active and public personal social media accounts.

All entries must be submitted and received by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 22, 2024.

Additional Qualifications Include:

  • Applicants must be a legal resident of the 50 United States or Canada (excluding Quebec).
  • Availability to travel for up to three weeks between April 1, 2025, and June 30, 2025.
  • Active and proficient on various social media platforms (TikTok and Instagram preferred).
  • At least 21 years old with a valid passport through December 2025.
  • Self-confessed travel lover and foodie.
  • Comfortable working remotely and on deadline.

Ramada by Wyndham will select the winning CEO on or around the week of November 14, 2024. No purchase is necessary to enter. For more details, including official rules, visit www.ramada.com/ceo. Good luck!

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The early 2000s were true teen drama royalty like we'll never see again, and One Tree Hill's Hilarie Burton (who played Peyton Sawyer for the first 6 seasons) loved shows likeGilmore Girls and The OC as much as you did. But as she remembers it, One Tree Hill didn't always feel as beloved as it is now.

"We were the nerds," she jokes. "Like, you would see every other chick get beauty campaigns and things, and we were just kind of the stepchild."

Warner Bros. Television

Despite the fact One Tree Hill might not have been considered the golden child at the time, the series has garnered a cult following since its on-air days, drawing fans to Wilmington, North Carolina for its anniversary celebration, and nearly breaking the internet when news of a sequel series leaked online.

"It's very, very early development," Burton says. "And so what has been really cool for us? And when I say us, I mean the entire cast, like everybody and our old crew, they're all really proud of the work that we did back then too. And so to see the public support this little show we made 20 years later, that's so special and it's so rare. And I love that, even though that news was leaked, Netflix gets to see that public outpouring of support. That's cool. So, fingers crossed we'll make it to the next step."

Warner Bros. Television

Burton was in her twenties for the majority of OTH, and while she (alongside other female cast members of the show) have since vocalized the mistreatment they experienced from showrunner Mark Schwahn, the challenges of her twenties don't overshadow the accomplishments.

"I was not afraid to say difficult things in my twenties," she says. "And what I can tell other people in their twenties is that the long game will pay off. If you say the difficult thing and you say the truth, and you don't mask and you don't make up an alternative narrative, people will eventually realize that you were right."

Although the people pleaser in all of us might not want to rock the boat, she praises young people who refuse to accept toxicity: "We definitely have a feistier generation coming up than what I grew up in."

Getty Images for Netflix

With her fiery attitude and sharp sense of humor, I have no problem believing Burton was one of the feistiest women of her generation, and she now finds herself advocating for a new phase in her own life: perimenopause. The actress is currently partnering with OLLY for their new Mellow Menopause supplements, bringing awareness to a conversation that should have been happening all along.

Burton never really had a menstrual cycle until she started birth control, which messed with her hormones and led to a Xanax prescription she never needed. And as she aged, she moved from having pain during her period to having it during ovulation. "I felt like there was something really wrong with me because no one had explained that could happen," she says. "So the more we can throw out what the symptoms are, I think the calmer people will be in their exploration of their own bodies."

Knowledge and education are power, and Burton firmly believes the more you understand your body, your hormones, and your emotions, the safer you'll feel. But that's only one silver lining she's found.

Hilarie Burton/Instagram

"I've talked about the feminine rage that I feel like I've earned," she says. "That Kesha song 'Joyride' came out this summer. She says, 'I've earned the right to be like this.' And I was like, 'Yeah, of course.' I think we spend our twenties experimenting. We spend our thirties kind of, like, establishing our careers and what our goals are. And then our forties are about knowing who we are and owning it. And if biology wants to come out swinging, I think we're in a place where we can control that and we can handle it."

That isn't to say perimenopause hasn't come without its unexpected moments, like having to convince others she really was experiencing perimenopause, despite being "too young." "The more research I did, and then in talking to my doctor, my instinct was right," she reveals. "I was beginning the [menopause] journey, and rather than try to hide it or treat it like a deficit, I get to own it. Now I get to treat it and I get to help other women navigate it. And that feels so much better when you're going through a bad thing, but you know that you're helping someone else through it. It doesn't feel as scary."

Mat Hayward/Getty Images for Ketel One

But while it's important to be vocal about our experiences, I also can't help but point out how it feels like men never have to talk about aging — they just get to do it and no one bats an eye. "Yeah, I think it's important to act like a man," Burton jokes. She remembers when her husband (actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan) embraced his natural gray hair, no one in the industry considered him too old for Hollywood.

"In fact, people thought he was hotter," she says. "So I wanted to act like a man in that journey [and embrace my own gray hair]. And so the different reaction I had was a little bit startling, but also made me laugh...I want to treat this chapter of my life as my expertise chapter. I know what I'm doing. I've been training for 20 years, 25, it's been a lot and I wanted to acknowledge that I know what I'm doing and when I talk about my body, I want to know exactly what I'm talking about."

And part of that expertise is knowing herself inside and out. On the days Burton doesn't feel like herself, whether because of hormones or mental health, she emphasizes how important it is to actually communicate those feelings. "It has been vital for me to communicate, not just with my husband, but with my teenage son," she says. "I want him to grow up to be the kind of man that's supportive of the women in his workplace and the women in his life. You know, we all talk about how we need to educate our daughters, but we also need to educate our sons."

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

And looking back on her own teenage years, Burton reveals her experience with perimenopause has actually reinforced the values she identified during that period in her life. "I think being a teenager and seeing these people who were gods [in the industry], seeing how insecure and unhappy some of them were really tipped me off right away," she says. "Success is being okay in your little bubble, being okay in your bedroom at night when you're alone by yourself. And so my goals have always kind of centered on, 'Do I feel okay when I'm all by myself?' and menopause is one of those things that can rattle that safety for people."

"It's about knowing who you are so much that no one else can take it away from you," she continues. "And whether it's your work or a sh—ty boyfriend or whatever, you have to know yourself so well that no one can take it away, and menopause can mess with that sometimes. And I'm gonna fight like hell to keep who I am."

Loveall things OTH? Check out This One Moment Proves Brooke Davis Is The Best Character On One Tree Hill.

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In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward. Here, we meet Rita Suzanne, a marketing strategist for health and wellness businesses who learned to network, connect with other entrepreneurs, and build her business online and IRL.

What's an unexpected business challenge that you've had to face and how did you overcome it?

The hardest thing for me was my sister passed away and I ended up taking custody of my nieces. I ended up being a single mom of four kids. This is the thing that transitioned my whole entire life. I stopped doing web design and started my podcast Mom Owned and Operated. I wanted to reconnect with other moms and figure out how they were able to run their businesses and raise a family and take care of themselves because I wasn't able to do all three at the same time. Through that journey, I realized that I really needed to connect with other people and how important it was for my business. It helped me to create that community that I was yearning for that I didn't realize that I needed.

What's a recent small win for your business?

For me, the win was just pivoting back to something that I actually wanted to do. Also, I’ve started to say no to things that I no longer want to do.

Who is a woman in business that you look up to and why?

I have always admired and looked up to Amy Porterfield [author of Two Weeks Notice]. I listened to her all the time when I was starting out. I think that she's amazing and I love her stuff. She just seems like a very genuine person.

Is there a resource that has made an impact on you as an entrepreneur?

I listen to a lot of audio books. One of my favorites that has been huge for me is You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. I was told when I first started my business, by a friend who was a business coach, that I have a mindset problem. Ten years ago, I had no idea even what “mindset” was. Sincero’s book helped me to see what she meant by “mindset” and helped me adjust that mindset and fix some of the things that I didn't realize were broken.

How has the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program helped propel your business forward?

There are a lot of things that I have loved about it. There are local networking and training opportunities, and that has been great, and the online training is very valuable. It's a great resource. I find that marketing needs a three-tiered approach, meaning you need to network it locally, socially, and then also have a very comprehensive online approach to your marketing. One of the Verizon Small Business trainings that I took was all about taking advantage of your local resources. I found that to be extremely valuable because often people think they need to just focus on social media. I don't think that people focus enough on their local community.

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Rita Suzanne.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces

Blake Lively and Taylor Swift are the ultimate best friends and apparently Travis Kelce is also on best friend terms with Blake Lively — at least, he's teasing her like a true BFF! On a recent episode of his New Heights podcast, Travis and Jason Kelce watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants — and praised it like the true piece of cinema it is.

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The movie stars Lively alongside America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn, AND served as Lively's film debut. “She did absolutely wonderful as Bridget,” Jason said (via People), while Travis agrees, "I thought Bridget’s story was the most relatable and most fun.”

Bridget's arc (going to soccer camp, hooking up with her coach, and finally having to face the reality of her mom's passing) is actually really mature, and something a lot of readers could relate to. But there are also plenty of moments that make you smile as a viewer — like that early morning run to "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfeld!!

“A lot of the movie is just Bridget running,” Jason says. “I gotta admit, not the best run. Blake, I love you, it does not strike me as a star athlete run.”

“But it was impressive,” Travis added. “She has good endurance, though, because running like that and to be talking? I would be f—ing gassed and would be way worse at trying to spit my lines out."

The brothers also admitted they were confused about the pants of it all, considering they didn't think the jeans had much to do with the actual story. Well, Blake Lively had something to say about that, and dropped the wildest piece of Traveling Pants news I've ever heard: the pants weren't part of the original draft.

Blake Lively/Instagram

"@jason.kelce being a natural investigative journalist sniffing out the hidden truth," she jokes. Apparently, in the era of Harry Potter, author Ann Brashares had been advised to add a magical element. "She used the pants as a tangible item to illustrate the sometimes inexplicable magic of the female bond. One that invisibly connects us, near or far."

It's funny to think what the title could have morphed into had Brashares chosen a different trend. "Sisterhood of the Traveling Jeggings didn't quite hit. Now it would be Sisterhood of the Printed Jean Pajama Bottoms," Lively adds. "I'm here for all."

Sisterhood forever!!

See Blake Lively Revealed The One Millennial Trend She "Will Be Buried In" for more news!

You may remember Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis from their That '70s Show days, but they're just as known for their nine-year marriage! They started off as a cute couple and cemented themselves as philanthropists to watch over the years. As with any celebrity relationship, they've faced ups and downs that thrust them into the spotlight.

Recently, the pair has all eyes on them given their defense of Danny Masterson and Ashton's friendship with P.Diddy. Despite the controversy, Ashton and Mila share plenty of history together, though. Here are the key moments that define their relationship over the years. (And yes — we're here to talk breakup rumors, too!)

A Full Relationship Timeline For Ashton Kutcher And Mila Kunis

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

1998 — Ashton Kutcher And Mila Kunis Cross Paths During That '70s Show

No one can forget how magnetic Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart were on That '70s Show. We rooted for them to stay together — so much that we swore Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were soulmates in real life. When they had to kiss for the first time, Mila and Kutcher admitted they felt butterflies. "I was like, ‘Oh, he’s so cute, it’s the Calvin Klein model," Mila said before sharing she "had the biggest crush on him," (via PEOPLE).
Ashton couldn't tell she felt that way because he was more focused on how "nervous" he was. "I was the one with the butterflies in my stomach. I mean, here’s this little girl, and I have to kiss her. It was nerve-racking," he admitted.
Still, the couple's romance didn't start there — Ashton married Demi Moore while Mila Kunis began dating Macaulay Culkin. However, things began to heat up for them once those relationships ended.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

January 2012 — A Chance Encounter Leads To A Reconnection

The two didn't officially reconnect until the 2012 Golden Globe Awards (via PEOPLE). She was checking someone out...only to realize who it was once the person turned around! "I see this guy and I see his back and he’s really tall. Then he just turns around and it was literally like if we were in a movie, the music would start playing and the violins would go. I think for the first time ever he took my breath away – I was like f—, he’s good-looking," she shared.

Eventually the two decided to see what would happen if they started hooking up. Mila appeared on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast where she detailed what actually happened. "We were like, ‘Let’s just hook up. Let’s have fun. We’re both single. We both trust each other. Everything’s great.’ None of us wanted tension. OK, great. We hooked up for three months,” she admitted.

However, things took a turn when Mila realized Ashton was seeing someone else. She decided it wouldn't be a good idea for them to keep up their friends-with-benefit situation. "I was like…‘Oh, my God. I love this man, and I have to walk away because this is not the agreement that we had. And so I’m going to speak up," she said.

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April 2012 — Ashton And Mila Say Goodbye To Casually Hooking Up

That didn't last long because it was apparent these two were smitten with each other. Mila really did try to set that boundary and break things off. "I was like, you know what, I actually care about you. I don’t want to mess anything up so I’m just going to walk away before it becomes too much," she said. But Ashton wasn't having it — instead he asked her to "move in," signaling he wasn't as serious about the other person he was dating (via PEOPLE). They've been together ever since!

February 2014 — Ashton Pops The Question To Mila

Most details about Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' relationship were in the dark, besides the fact they'd been dating for two years in 2014. Ashton eventually decided to propose to Mila, which obviously made her super excited. "The best day of my life so far was the proposal. I cried. I was a mess. Not to discredit any relationships in my past, but this relationship is different," she said at the time (via ABC News).
However, the actress didn't really wear the expensive engagement ring Ashton got for her. She said, "My engagement ring is in a safety deposit box. I'm like, "I can't wear this because someone's going to chop my hand off for it," (via ELLE Australia).

Harry How/Getty Images

October 2014 — Baby #1 Makes Her Debut

Later that year, Mila happily announced she and Ashton were pregnant with their first baby while talking to Ellen DeGeneres. "We actually were able to hide it for a very long time," she said.

Their daughter, Wyatt Isabelle Kutcher was born at the beginning of October, according to Irish Examiner. The outlet highlighted the heartfelt statement Ashton wrote on his former website. "Mila and I would like to welcome Wyatt Isabelle Kutcher to the world. May your life be filled with wonder, love, laughter, health, happiness, curiosity, and privacy,”

July 2015 — Ashton And Mila Jump The Broom

After the couple got settled in as new parents, they decided to get married at the beginning of July. PEOPLE reports their wedding was intimate and only featured those closest to the couple. A source said the couple was "so happy" and "so in love."

Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize

November 2016 — Baby #2 Is Born

Baby Dimitri Portwood Kutcher was born November 30, 2016, making him Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' second child! Ashton couldn't stop gushing about his son when talked to Ellen DeGeneres and even joked about how their daughter Wyatt felt. "Wyatt thinks the baby is her baby, and at some point I’m going to have to explain to her it’s not really her baby. I don’t know how I’m going to do that. She loves the baby so much," he said (via E! News).
He also gave insight about Dimitri's little personality by saying he "loves everyone," but he circled back to Wyatt's habits. "I went through a phase where I had to keep Wyatt alive, and then I went through a phase where I had to keep her from killing herself, and now I’m going through a phase where I have to keep her from killing the other baby," he said.

December 2017 — Ashton And Mila Walk The Red Carpet

The couple arrived on the red carpet for the Breakthrough Prize Awards at NASA Ames Research Center and they were all smiles! Ashton wore a classic black tuxedo and black bowtie while Mila wore a stunning strapless gown.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

February 2021 — Ashton And Mila Star In A Commercial Together

The couple continued to maintain their low profile until they appeared in a 2021 commercial together. They hadn't acted together in a while, so it was fun to see them in the same frame. Mila even shared the hilarious reason they agreed to do the commercial.

"It was quarantine, and we were stuck with our children for nine or 12 months at this moment," she said (via Entertainment Tonight). All she could think about were the "two days" the couple would have a break which prompted her to say, "'Yeah, okay, let's do it.'"

2022: Ashton And Mila Agree To Reprise Their Roles From That '70s Show

The next year, Ashton and Mila decided to reprise their That '70s Show roles for That '90s Show. Though the plot focused on Eric Forman's (Topher Grace) daughter Leia, Michale Kelso and Jackie Burkhart's son makes an appearance as Leia spends time with her grandparents during a break from school.
Ashton told Variety, "It was really nostalgic to be back on the set. It's all the same folks that made That '70s Show..."

David Livingston/Getty Images

January 2023 — February 2023 Ashton Gets Back To The Silver Screen...With An Exception!

It seems Ashton got a taste for acting again because he appeared in Your Place or Mine alongside Reese Witherspoon. Apparently he and Netflix agreed for filming to take place in California as opposed to Georgia because he had "young kids" that he liked "spending time with," (via Esquire).

As Ashton and Reese Witherspoon begin make their press runs, it became noticeable that they weren't actively leaning in to the rom-com aspect of Your Place or Mine. It got to the point Mila brought it to their attention. Ashton detailed how their conversation with during his time on the Chicks in the Office podcast (via Elle). "She [Mila] texted Reese and I together, and she’s like, ‘Guys, you gotta act like you like each other.’ And I’m like, ‘What is going on,'" he revealed. He then explained why he wasn't being publicly affectionate with Reese as they promoted the movie.

"Here’s the thing, if I put my arm around her [Reese] and was all friendly with her, I’d be having an affair with her... Like, the rumor would be that I’m having an affair with her. If I stand next to her, I put my hands in my pockets so there’s no chance that like that could be the rumor, the rumor is we don’t like each other," he said.

Reese even shared her side of the story when she talked to Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush-Hager. "She even emailed us last night. She goes, ‘You guys look so awkward on the red carpet together. Why are you just not—’ It’s just fun. When you know a girlfriend so much, it was just fun to get to know her significant other because I’ve loved her for so long,” she said (via TODAY).

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October 2024 — Mila Shares What Makes Her And Ashton's Relationship Amazing

Mila recently opened up about why her and Ashton work together as couple as she promotes Goodrich. "I still feel like we're very young and we feel very young. I think that's where the spark is," she said (via E! News). However, she's not super in awe of how long they've been together. "It’s not really that long. I look at my parents, and they’ve been together for 50. That’s long," she added. However, don't expect her to talk about anything related to Diddy's scandal despite Ashton being friends with now-disgraced music mogul.

There have been rumors that Ashton and Mila are headed for splitsville, but a source close to them said they're "absolutely ridiculous and false" claims (via PEOPLE). Another source also wants to set the record straight about Ashton's perceived knowledge of what happened at Diddy's 'freak-offs.' "Ashton has no involvement in any of this. He doesn't belong in this conversation about Diddy. Ashton has only seen Diddy in a handful of social and business events, all of which have been documented by the media."

The rumors are probably also due to the fact that Ashton and Mila wrote a supportive letter for former That '70s Show co-star Danny Masterson (via PEOPLE). It caused a ripple effect that resulted in them releasing a public apology for seemingly defending what Masterson did.

As a result of all this, In Touch Weekly is reporting the couple is thinking about leaving the flashy life behind. A source said, "Ashton’s so exasperated that once again he’s being dragged through the mud because of his past associations." Between Masterson and Diddy, Ashton feels "convinced that there are way better places out there to live..."

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