"I know I can do more than media… but no one seems to see it"

Today I’m analysing the situation of Daniel.

Daniel reached out to me because he’s been thinking about making a career move for about a year now. He’s spent a long time in broadcasting and media, and he knows he has a really strong skill set. He knows how to write, how to shape a story, how to pitch, how to understand what people care about, and how to create content that actually lands.

But he’s reached a stage in his life where he wants something different. He wants a role where he feels seen and valued for what he offers. He wants to do meaningful work. And he’s starting to ask a very real question:

Is it too late for me to pivot?

What’s the challenge?

Daniel is not short on experience. His challenge is that he’s trying to move into spaces that don’t immediately understand how valuable that experience is.

That’s what happens in a career pivot.

You know you can do the job. You can see the overlap. You can see how your skills translate. But the people hiring are often looking for someone who already speaks their language, has their titles, and ticks their boxes in the exact way they expect.

So Daniel ends up in that frustrating middle ground where he’s clearly capable, but he’s not being read that way on paper or in interviews.

How can he move forward?

He needs to stop thinking about this as “starting again” and start thinking about it as a translation exercise.

Because this is not a case of having no relevant experience.

This is a case of having loads of relevant experience, but packaging it in a way the next industry understands.

That means getting clearer on the roles that make sense, tightening the positioning, and being far more strategic about how he markets himself.

My advice

1. Stop spreading yourself too thin

If you’re applying for everything, it gets very hard to build a clear story.

Daniel needs to narrow in on the types of roles where his background makes the most sense and where his experience will actually be valued.

2. Translate the experience

Most big pivots fail because the candidate is speaking one language and the hiring manager is speaking another.

Daniel needs to take everything he’s done and reframe it in the language of the world he wants to move into. Same skills. Better translation.

3. Build a proper plan

This kind of move needs strategy.

What roles make sense? Which companies would value this background? Where is the overlap between storytelling, media, digital content, communications and brand?

Once you answer that, the job hunt gets much easier.

Daniel does not need more experience. He needs a clearer plan, a stronger pitch, and a way of showing people the value that is already there.

And honestly, that is very fixable.

If Daniels' situation resonates with you and you would like help in your job hunt, the Creative Career Level Up might be the right thing for you.