Adaugo Nwankpa: What a Career Transition Taught Me About Starting Over

One year and two months ago, I took a career pivot. I moved from being a digital media professional writing stories, articles and shaping narratives to becoming an analyst in the energy sector, working across the oil and gas and renewable subsectors.

The journey across these two industries that are worlds apart has taught me lessons on starting over

You are never really starting from scratch

No matter what you are starting over at or what you are getting into, it is important to realise that you are never truly starting from zero. Where ‘zero’ means the state of having nothing: skills, experience, network, intelligence, and others. While it may indeed appear that you do not have the things you consider as being critical to starting over, you actually have what you have: the knowledge, skills and experiences that have shaped your life and marked your journey up to this present moment, and this is invaluable.

Also, having a strong knowledge of yourself is also an incredible resource when starting over, as it helps you to discern and differentiate challenges that are due to your personality, and challenges that are due to the circumstance of starting over.

Your ‘Next Best Move’ is hidden within your network

When we think of network, it is easy to limit it to close friends, relatives or even acquaintances. This is quite a restrictive and limiting view of the concept of network. Your network also includes ‘strangers’ and your internet community.

In my case, I knew of the opportunity in the energy sector through a friend whom I had met on Instagram. It gets more interesting. By the time I was preparing for my first interview, I knew that I had zero knowledge about the current state of the sector. Thanks again to Instagram, I reached out to someone I followed who I knew worked in the sector, and she offered a free virtual coffee chat. I went into the interview more confident in what value I could offer and what mattered for such a role.

Transferable skills are invaluable

Prior to my career pivot, my only exposure to the energy sector aside from buying fuel and gas was a seminar paper I had written in my final year investigating annual shifts in fuel pump prices. However, I audited my skills and qualifications and noted that I also had highly transferable skills. I had communication, business development and a good knowledge and expertise in using Canva. For you, it could be international exposure, multiple languages or something else you think is insignificant. 

No matter what you are starting over at, you have something that can be transferred from where you were to where you are or where you want to be.

Adopt a growth mindset

In today’s world, flexibility, adaptability and agility are your currencies for greatness. A critical part of thriving through a transition, a pivot or when you are starting over is to be honest about your limits. These could be the limits of your existing knowledge, expertise, and others. 

However, recognition alone is not enough; you need to have a radical belief in your ability to grow. As you seek to start over, it is imperative that you understand that every industry, sector, phase or environment has its own unwritten rules of engagement. Develop cultural intelligence, build on the skills you need, and take the posture of a student: learn, unlearn and relearn from everyone and everywhere. Reframe failure as a learning curve and continue to chart your own unique course in your life’s journey.