#2: Why You’re Not "Starting Over"—You're Leveraging Your Skills

How to reframe your experience and make your career pivot work for you.

The puzzle pieces come together when you work on them (Source: Pixabay)

When I decided to leave chemical engineering, I felt like I was throwing away years of work.

I had spent so much time building expertise, earning a degree, and climbing the career ladder — was I really about to walk away from all of it?

It felt like starting over.

I didn’t have a concrete career roadmap.

I didn’t have formal training in marketing and copywriting.

But I had:

• Problem-solving skills

• Analytical thinking

• Ability to break down complex ideas into something digestible

…and the desire and will to make things work.

It took me a while to realize that a career pivot doesn’t mean discarding your past. It means leveraging your existing skills in new ways.

The Myth of Starting Over

The idea that changing careers equals starting over is a mindset trap.

It discounts the years of experience, problem-solving abilities, and transferable skills you’ve built. You may be new to a specific role, but you're not new to the professional world. Your skills don’t disappear just because you’re applying them in a different context.

What Are Transferable Skills?

Soft (or transferable) skills are abilities you’ve developed in one role that can be applied to another. These include:

• Communication: Writing, presenting, active listening.

• Project Management: Planning, organizing, and meeting deadlines.

• Problem-Solving: Analyzing situations, critical thinking, and decision-making.

• Leadership: Team management, mentoring, and conflict resolution.

• Technical Skills: Software proficiency, data analysis, and digital marketing.

Think of these as your professional toolkit.

The tools remain the same; you’re just using them on a different project.

When I transitioned from chemical engineering to freelance writing, I thought I was starting over.

But when I took a step back, I realized my skills were just evolving.

🔹 Engineers build systems. I build content strategies.
🔹 Engineers optimize processes. I optimize messaging for impact.
🔹 Engineers make things run smoothly. I make content work as a well-oiled machine.

I realized that even before my engineering career, I had already developed communication and marketing skills as a fashion blogger, where I built a personal brand and connected with audiences.

Later, when I moved to the corporate office, I learned to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders — something I now do when writing about complex B2B SaaS topics.

At first, my experiences seemed unrelated.

But when I reframed them, I saw the throughline:

• Solving problems

• Optimizing systems, and

• Communicating effectively.

So, if you’re thinking about pivoting careers, remember—you’re not starting over.

You already have the skills. You just need to reposition them.

How to Identify Your Transferable Skills

1. Audit Your Current Role. List your daily tasks and responsibilities. This includes both formal duties and informal tasks you’ve taken on.

   Example: If you’re a customer service rep, your tasks might include responding to inquiries, resolving complaints, and tracking customer issues.

2. Identify Core Skills. Break down what abilities these tasks require. These could be soft skills (like communication) or technical skills (like using CRM software).

   Example: As a customer service rep, you’ve built skills in active listening, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and relationship management — all of which are valuable in roles like account management, sales, or HR.

3. Map to New Role. Compare these skills with job descriptions in your target field. Identify where there’s overlap.

   Example: If you want to move into marketing, your customer service experience can translate into roles like community management (engaging with audiences) or content marketing (understanding customer pain points and writing helpful resources).

4. Reframe Your Experience. When updating your résumé or LinkedIn profile, use language that aligns with the new industry. Focus on the impact you made, rather than just listing tasks.

   Example:

   Instead of saying: "Handled customer complaints"

   Say: "Resolved customer issues, improving retention by 15% through proactive support and clear communication."

Final Thoughts

You are not starting from zero.

Your skills, experiences, and insights are valuable assets.

A career pivot isn’t about erasing your past; it’s about building on it.

So, shift your mindset from "starting over" to "strategically transitioning."

You’re not a beginner—you’re an experienced professional bringing fresh perspectives to a new space.

💬 Let’s Talk!

What’s a skill you didn’t realize was transferable until you switched careers? Comment below!