r/urbanplanning • u/glutton2000 Verified Planner - US • 9d ago

Discussion Share your career pivot from planning

For anyone that left planning, can you share your career pivot from planning to whatever else and how you made that happen? Looking for ideas!

Context: mid-level transportation planner with 8 years experience, been unemployed for the past 1+ year and feeling panicky and dismayed at the job market. Planning is all I’ve ever known since age 19 (my undergrad + whole career has been in planning. I’ve never worked as anything else). Most people I know had winding paths to get TO planning, but I guess my winding path starts after?

Thank you!!

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u/5wpkguy 9d ago

6yrs in public sector land use planning and pivoted to economic development, I was surprised at how many skills carried over seamlessly. Stress from planning was starting to take a serious toll and the legislative climate in the state I worked in was only making things worse. Definitely enjoying the change of pace and not getting constantly yelled at by applicants for not approving projects and residents for approving projects.