The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention

Reinventing Your Career

The rules of the workplace changed with the recession. Companies and workers face rapid technological change, shorter business cycles and innovative competitive forces. You must take an adaptable, strategic approach to managing your “portfolio of skills” and matching your expertise to changing trends in the business world. Instead of being loyal to a company, “Reinventors” pledge their allegiance to opportunities for personal and professional growth. Abide by the following 10 laws to reinvent yourself and your career:

1. “It Starts with a Vision for Your Life”

When executive producer Bruce Irving lost his job in 2006 after 17 years with the Public Broadcast Service TV series This Old House, he heeded his “inner pilot” and recast himself as a renovation consultant. He now coaches, coordinates and advocates for homeowners undertaking major home renovation projects.

Irving’s experience illustrates the purpose of the first law of career reinvention: “Your career must serve your life, not vice versa.” Uncover your talents and diagnose the skills you lack so you can fill in crucial gaps. To find the critical intersection of ...