Change can be scary, especially big career changes that come with a level of risk. In fact, at least one-quarter of workers across a range of industries agreed that “it’s scary to leave a job you’re familiar with,” according to a 2023 job seeker survey by Career Builder.
On the other hand, the same survey notes that one-in-four professionals are on the hunt for new opportunities this year. So, nerves or not, when is it a good time to make a leap?
According to a panel of MSL students and alumni who came together for this fall’s Industry Associate’s Night – a twice annual career panel hosted by the MSL – there is no precise methodology for knowing when it’s time to make a change. Each person is different and a right move for one person may hit completely differently for another. While each of the panelists had their own barometer to help them gauge the right time to make a career change, insight from the group of professionals pointed to a common thread: how each of them had taken a non-linear approach to their careers.
During Industry Associates Night, each panelist shared their professional story, describing the twists, turns, and opportunities that led them to their current roles. Despite all they had in common in their approach to seizing opportunity, the panel represented a variety of industries and roles, and included the following individuals:
- Rachel Dreikosen (current online student) – Director, State and Local Government Scale Strategy, Intel
- Stephanie Fine (current online student) – Founding Partner, SE3 Partners
- Christine Mayer (current online Student) – Program Manager, Alphabet Regulatory Response, Investigations, and Strategy (ARRIS), Google
- Stephanie Pulliam (MSL ‘17) – Marketing Manager, New Product Planning, AbbVie
- Dujon Smith (MSL ‘22) – Co-Lead Black Founders Development Program, Senior Manager, Accenture; CEO & Founder, My Block Skin
- Staci Treolo (MSL ’23) – Legal Operations Manager, The New York Times Company
- Jiafan Wang (MSL Online Student) – Senior Product and Regulatory Compliance Lead (Material and substances), Owens Corning
- Andy White (MSL ’19), Associate, Kirkland & Ellis
Career Insights from Fall 2023 Industry Associates Night Panelists
If you’re on the fence about making a career change or furthering your career with an MSL degree, these insights from our Industry Associates Night panelists can help you to decide if it’s the right time to make your move.
Make Decisions That Align with Your Values
Figuring out what’s most important to you professionally can be helpful in deciding if it is right to pursue a new degree or take a pivot in your career, said current online MSL student Christina Mayer. One way to do this is by weeding out elements of your professional life that aren’t aligning with your values or ambitions. For example, do you find yourself going along with company decisions that don’t seem practical or wise, but at the same time, you don’t have the experience or credentials to weigh in? Are you longing for a seat at the decision-making table, or more cross-functionality in your role, but don’t know how to get there?
Once you figure out which elements of your current role are holding you back, it should be easier to identify your next step forward. “Determine what you want it to be and write your own path forward,” Mayer said.
Be Willing to Take Risks
“Risk is an inherent part of life,” said Stephanie Fine, Industry Associates Night panelist and pharmaceutical consultant for SE3Partners. While each person’s comfort level with risk is unique, making a leap is sometimes necessary to move forward – a sentiment shared by most of our Industry Associates Night panelists. In fact, several of our panelists spoke about the impact of pivoting or making jumps when the right opportunity arose for them, even if it was uncomfortable at the time.
Make Informed Jumps
Stephanie Pulliam, who has a PhD in microbiology, an MBA, and an MSL degree, calls herself a “jumper,” someone who is unafraid of trying new things; however, she always makes sure to look before she leaps.
Pulliam, who now works for pharmaceutical manufacturer AbbVie as a product marketing manager, stresses the importance of ensuring you have knowledge or a skillset to take with you from your old role into the new one. This approach can make you more competitive with your new employer, help to mitigate the perceived risk of change, and provide a sense of continuity as you progress in your career.
Willingness to Adapt
Dujon Smith, entrepreneur and founder of My Block Skin, a sunscreen brand for people of color, acknowledged the option of pivoting backwards if a career choice isn’t working. “It’s not a one-way street,” he said. Being open to change and maintaining the capacity to return to your former path can provide a sense of security when exploring new opportunities.
Seek Support and Broaden Your Network
Finally, the panel encouraged individuals to think broadly about who can help them along their journey and where they can ask for help. Navigating mid-career changes often requires leaning on a network of mentors, peers, and friends who can provide guidance and support – this is one of the built-in benefits of the MSL program.
The Bottom Line
“I really do believe that things turn out the way that they’re supposed to,” Pullium said.
As you consider the next steps on your own career journey, remember that it’s not just about finding a new job or achieving that next pay bump; it’s about finding your way down a path that makes sense for you – even if it’s not linear.
If you’re looking for additional insight on how an MSL degree can impact your career and allow you to navigate your professional options more freely, check out our 2023 10th Anniversary alumni series, featuring in-depth profiles on graduates from each year of the MSL program.
