A big part of career pivoting is reading, learning, and borrowing wisdom from others who’ve navigated change before us. I’ve shared this before on social media and even in some older Medium posts, but Leaving Academia: A Practical Guide by Christopher Caterine, PhD was one of the most formative books for me early on. I recall feeling a sense of optimism after reading it because it gave me a clear roadmap how I would make the next steps out of an academic career into something more fulfilling and practical for my family and I.
That said, while browsing my own bookshelf recently, I was reminded of another book recommendation worth sharing in the newsletter.
In Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next Move, Jenny Blake introduces the Pivot Method a structured, four-stage approach that helps you navigate career change by grounding in your strengths, exploring opportunities, running small experiments, and confidently launching your next step.
What’s interesting is the way that Jenny Blake uses basketball to illustrate the idea of pivoting, as shown below in the newsletter below (:
Note: If you’re interesting is reading these two books on your own, you can purchase them on Amazon. After Your PhD LLC was not paid to promote these books, but if you buy them from Amazon with the links above After Your PhD will receive a small commission.
Basketball as a Analogy for Career Pivoting
This analogy of basketball as an analogy for career pivoting works because it shows that a successful pivot is both grounded and intentional, not impulsive.
Like in basketball, you stay planted in your strengths while actively scanning for opportunities and waiting for the right moment to move. It reframes pivoting as a skillful, controlled action rather than a risky leap into the unknown.
#1 – Plant: Set Your Foundation
Planting your foot means grounding yourself in what does not change: your values, strengths, interests, and constraints. This foundation keeps you from making reactive moves based on burnout or fear. A strong plant ensures that any pivot builds on your existing experience rather than abandoning it.
Example: A fifth-year PhD identifies that they value autonomy, enjoy explaining complex ideas, and want geographic flexibility before considering any new roles.
#2 – Scan: Read the Court
Scanning the court is deliberate exploration of possibilities while staying rooted. This includes researching adjacent roles, identifying transferable skills, and talking to people who already work in those fields. The goal is to expand your options without committing too early.
Example: The same PhD conducts informational interviews with people in UX research, consulting, and science policy while mapping how their research and communication skills translate.
#3 – Pilot: Take Low-Risk Shots
Pilots are small, low-risk experiments that let you test a direction before fully committing. They provide real-world feedback on whether the work fits your skills, interests, and lifestyle. Pilots reduce regret by replacing speculation with evidence.
Example: They take on a short-term consulting project and complete a UX research certificate while still finishing their dissertation.
#4 – Launch: Make the Play
Launching is the moment you act with intention and commitment. With evidence from pilots and clarity from scanning, you pull the trigger on applications, offers, or new ventures. This is a decisive move, not a leap of faith.
Example: Confident in the fit, they apply for UX researcher roles, accept an offer, and transition full-time after graduation.
This framework is cyclical, much like basketball itself, you often have to reset, re-scan the court, and pivot again before the right opening appears.
Career transitions rarely move in a straight line, and repeating steps is often what leads to a successful outcome. When I transitioned from academia to SEO, I went through multiple rounds of informational interviews and seriously considered UX and data science before finding the right fit.
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Ryan Collins PhD is an SEO Strategist at Go Fish Digital. Ryan completed his PhD in Media Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington in 2021. During his time at Indiana University, Ryan eventually pivoted into a career in SEO and Digital Marketing after having informational interviews with working professionals in SEO, working on side projects, and gaining industry experience.