Should you change careers or industries?

Let me tell you about Sarah, one of my most prestigious clients.

Sarah was 42, a marketing director at a tech startup, when she got the email: “Your position has been eliminated.” 

For weeks, she oscillated between panic and paralysis. “Do I fight for another marketing role? Do I pivot into something completely new? What if I hate it? What if I fail?” Sound familiar?

Sarah’s story isn’t unique. In my 5+ years as a career strategist, I’ve seen thousands of mid-career professionals wrestle with the same question: Reinvent or refine? 

Do you overhaul your career entirely (reinvention), or double down on your existing skills in a new context (refinement)?

This isn’t just about finding a job. It’s about reclaiming agency in a world that often makes us feel like passengers in our own lives. Let’s cut through the noise.

Reinvention vs. Refinement: What’s the Difference?

First, definitions matter.

• Reinvention = Starting over. Think: A teacher becoming a UX designer. A finance executive launching a wellness brand.

• Refinement = Leveraging your core skills in a new lane. Think: A retail manager moving into e-commerce operations. A journalist transitioning into corporate communications.

Neither is better. But one is likely better for you right now.

Let’s figure out which.

The 3 Questions That Will Save You Months of Indecision

Before you rage-apply to jobs or enroll in a coding bootcamp, ask yourself:

1. What’s Really Broken Here?

Most people mistake industry dissatisfaction for skill dissatisfaction.

A client of mine, James, hated his job in pharmaceutical sales. He assumed he needed to leave the industry entirely.

But after auditing his strengths, we realized he loved building relationships—he just hated the rigid corporate structure.

Instead of reinventing, he refined. He joined a health tech startup where his sales expertise thrived in a flexible, mission-driven environment.

Ask yourself:

• Do I dislike my day-to-day tasks, or the environment/culture I’m doing them in?

• Are my core skills transferable, or do they feel obsolete?

2. Can I Afford the Identity Tax of Reinvention?

Reinvention isn’t just about learning new skills. It’s about shedding an old professional identity. That’s hard.

When Priya, a lawyer, transitioned to becoming a career coach, she struggled with feeling like a fraud in networking spaces. “I went from introducing myself as ‘Priya, Esq.’ to ‘Priya, Coach’—it felt like starting middle school over.”

Reinvention requires:

• Time to rebuild credibility.

• Financial runway (you’ll likely take a pay cut short-term).

• Emotional resilience to handle imposter syndrome.

Ask yourself:

• Am I willing to be a beginner again?

• Do I have the savings or support to sustain a 6–12 month transition?

3. What Does the Market Actually Want From Me?

Passion matters, but so does pragmatism.

I once worked with a client who dreamed of leaving IT to become a chef. But after analyzing the job market, he realized his cybersecurity skills were in skyrocketing demand.

Instead of reinventing, he refined. He launched a side hustle teaching cybersecurity while pursuing his culinary dream. He kept his salary and fed his passion.

Ask yourself:

• Are my dream industries/skills in demand? (Check LinkedIn Talent Insights, Bureau of Labor Statistics.)

• Can I bridge my existing expertise into a new space?

The Reinvention Playbook: How to Pivot Without Face-Planting

If you’re leaning toward reinvention, here’s your roadmap:

1. Start with a Parallel Experiment
Test-drive your new career before you quit your job. Take a freelance project, volunteer, or shadow someone in the field.

2. Build a Skills Bridge
Identify overlapping skills between your old and new roles. For example, a teacher pivoting to instructional design can highlight curriculum development and stakeholder management.

3. Rewrite Your Story
Recruiters hate gaps. Frame your pivot as intentional: “I spent a decade in finance, but my passion for sustainability led me to pursue roles in ESG consulting, where I can merge analytical rigor with purpose.”

The Refinement Strategy: How to Level Up Without Starting Over

If refinement is your path, maximize your existing assets:

1. Audit Your Hidden Skills
List every project, certification, or responsibility from past roles. One client realized her “useless” event-planning side gig had given her project management chops—which landed her a role in operations.

2. Reposition Your Industry Expertise
Your deep knowledge of, say, healthcare regulations isn’t limited to hospitals. Pharma, health tech, and even fitness startups need that expertise.

3. Solve a Pain Point in a New Industry
Research companies in your target industry. What problems do they face that your background equips you to solve? (Example: A former journalist’s research skills are gold for market research firms.)

The One Trap That Sabotages Both Paths

Overvaluing passion and undervaluing proof.

I’ve seen too many professionals leap into “dream careers” without validating demand. One client left engineering to become a yoga instructor, only to realize she hated marketing herself. Another turned down a VP role to “follow his passion,” then struggled to pay his mortgage.

Passion + market demand = viable path.
Passion alone = expensive hobby.

Stop Thinking, Start Doing

1. Take the 10-Minute “Reinvention Audit”
   Grab a notebook. Answer:

   • What do I never want to do again in my career?

   • What tasks make me lose track of time?

   • What feedback do I consistently get from colleagues?

2. Book 3 Informational Interviews
   Reach out to people in roles/industries you’re curious about. Ask:

   • What’s the hardest part of this job?

   • What skills are most undervalued here?

You’re Not Choosing a Path—You’re Choosing a Future

Sarah, the marketing director I mentioned earlier? She chose refinement. She’s now a brand strategist for eco-conscious startups, using her marketing chops in a space that aligns with her values.

Another client, Diego, chose reinvention. After 20 years in oil and gas, he’s now a renewable energy consultant.

Both succeeded. But first, they decided.

Your career isn’t a sentence—it’s a story. And you hold the pen.

What’s your next chapter?

Stay Connected

Until next time…

If this was helpful, share it with a friend who needs a career boost.

And don’t forget to:

• Follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter/X 

• Listen to the My First Layoff podcast here.