Problem: You took a break. Or changed sectors. Or walked away from something that didn’t fit. Now you’re back — but stuck in the story of what you left, not what’s next.

Solution: Your career isn’t a perfect ladder. It’s a narrative. And if you don’t own your pivot, the market will write its own version.

How To Address It:

• Name your pivot confidently: “I made a conscious decision to…”
• Tie your transitions to values, not failures
• Focus on continuity: what stayed consistent in your impact and values?
• Use your LinkedIn summary to reframe your journey forward
• Bring in career development coaching if you’re struggling to craft a future-facing narrative that doesn’t sound like defence

Own your plot twist — or it’ll own you.