A meaningful change in a person’s work direction, role, industry, or occupational identity in response to opportunity, disruption, personal goals, economic necessity, and/or changing labor market conditions.  A "pivot" recognizes that modern careers are often shaped by multiple transitions rather than one steady progression which is traditionally aligned with the concept of a fixed career pathway.

Career pivots may involve moving to a new field, applying existing skills in a different context, returning to education or training, combining work with caregiving responsibilities, reentering the labor market, or shifting from declining occupations to emerging ones. Some pivots are planned and strategic; others are reactive responses to layoffs, automation, health issues, family needs, or changing economic conditions.

Successful career pivots often depend on access to reliable information, career coaching, professional networks, affordable learning opportunities, and the ability to translate prior experience into new forms of value. In an economy increasingly influenced by technological change and AI, the capacity to pivot has become an important dimension of career resilience and mobility.

A growing body of research suggests that careers are increasingly defined by pivots rather than predictable pathways, highlighting the need for stronger public and institutional systems that support ongoing career navigation throughout life.