If you had to choose just one meal that for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Some people love this question, but others find it baffling: one meal? What about variety? For many, being restricted to ‘just one thing, and one thing only' - even your favourite thing - is the worst thought in the world.
Do you instead see the world like a big pick-and-mix full of fabulous things to experience - and you'd like to try them all at once? You might say: "I get intensely enthusiastic about a new topic/project... but then I drop it when I find something else."
If this sounds like you, then I'm betting that one career path, moving in the same industry, up the same ‘ladder', every day for years is a terrifying thought. And I'm betting you feel your ‘I want lots of things' outlook is bad, that your indecision is childish and that should just ‘knuckle down' and sort out your one true career.
STOP! Don't take one more step into the world of the one-track, one-thing-at-a-time career! You're wired differently. If you're filled with a fantastic capacity to move between things, have multiple interests, learn quickly, multitask, why waste that by pushing yourself to work in the same way that everyone else does? There is another way - the brave new world of Portfolio Careers.
What is a portfolio career?
A Portfolio Career means doing several paid activities at the same time. It might involve working part time in an office, and tutoring kids in the afternoons. It could combine corporate consulting, with a cupcake baking business, freelance writing, and running guided walks. Or, as you may be guessing, whatever you want.
Portfolio careers have been popular with the 45+ age group for some years now - as a lifestyle move - and for mothers - who can use portfolios to more effectively juggle their time - but this type of career is also starting to gain popularity more generally for people in their 20's and 30's.
For people in this age group, a portfolio career is all about self discovery. It gives you the opportunity to experiment with several types of work at the same time, and you can keep ‘editing' your portfolio to get the mix that's right for you.
Importantly, a Portfolio career should not be seen as being in a ‘holding pattern', doing several less-than-attractive jobs until you find your one true path. A good Portfolio is your true path - and you take responsibility for filling it with things that are right for you.
Where do you find a portfolio career?
Everywhere and nowhere. No one will ‘hand' you a portfolio career - you have to be creative to make one for yourself.
Look at your skills and abilities. What have you been paid to do in the past? What skills do you have that you think you could be paid for? Can you spot any growing trend that you think you could tap into? Try some of these out.
Look at various structures for your portfolio - do you want to be fully independent (freelance, working for yourself), or do you want a mix of regular part-time work?
Practical advantages
The Portfolio is attractive in the recession. Firstly, you spread your bets - if one thing goes down, then you have several more going on anyway. You are not relying on one income stream alone. This is an invaluable advantage in the current climate.
Secondly, since you're not tied to one job or company, you have the flexibility to take advantage of new trends. Big companies can be lumbering behemoths when it comes to radical change... yet we are moving into new unknown territory in 2009-2010, and the ability to move rapidly is an advantage. In a portfolio situation, you can really capitalise on your ability to notice new trends and opportunities, and take action there and then.
What is it like having a portfolio career?
Let's be honest - first up it is hard work. You have to be on top of everything. You need to be prepared to try new things, not give up when things fail, and take responsibility for everything you do - there's no boss to fall back on. You also have to be prepared to deal with fluctuations in income, and a lack of stability.
But secondly, it's incredibly rewarding if you're a multi-attention person. You do so many things - and all of them chosen by you. You can make almost anything into part of your career (provided it works in terms of time and income!).
Thirdly, flexibility. A large part of your portfolio work is likely to be for yourself - and that means the flexibility to structure your own days. One day you may take the morning off to go for a long walk, then the next day you may get an intense surge of energy about a part of your portfolio and stay up until 3am working on it. This allows you to work far more effectively, because you're never sitting in an office daydreaming.
A few tips for a successful portfolio career
One question you may have is sticking power - if you invest a lot of time and money into building up a part of your portfolio, suddenly letting it go isn't going to be an option.
The secret to a good portfolio career for ‘multi-interest multi-taskers' is to hedge our bets. This means not including anything that requires full time dedication, but ensuring that all elements of your portfolio can continue to ‘ride' as your attention is on another element for a week.
Another sensible approach is to keep one ‘regular' income stream - for example a part time job, or a long term freelance contract. That can help to smooth things out as you pursue new ventures or ideas.
Most important of all, don't kid yourself. If you're a pick-and-mix rather than a one-meal-only type of person, accept that, and work with it. Don't start any element of your portfolio thinking ‘this new venture will stick and become my sole new career', instead look at each element for what it is: a wonderful venture for now - but when you're ready to move your attention elsewhere, you'll have plenty of options around you. And that's a fantastic thing.
Copyright © Marianne Cantwell, Career Revolution, March 2009
Marianne Cantwell helps professionals decide on, find and get new careers that are right for them. To arrange a call to find out more, email marianne@careerrevolution.co.uk
Marianne runs career change coaching organisation Career Revolution (www.careerrevolution.co.uk) and writes popular career blog Free Range Humans (www.freerangehumans.blogspot.com).
Are you ready to change career but don't know where to start?
Then the brand new Careershifters Guide is designed for you.It will take you step-by-step through the career change process with practical exercises and expert guidance on how to figure out the career that suits you best through to the practicalities of making the change happen (even when you have a mortgage to pay and family to feed!).
By a_makowska
By Selina Barker
That's why Careershifters started in the first place - we'd all been through career changes and knew that while one-to-one coaching can be great, it's not affordable for everyone - that's why we set out to create FREE and AFFORDABLE career change guidance and support for the masses. We've now got generous coaches like Marianne, offering their expert advice for free on the website, we have workshops that start at £40 and the new Shift Club Online and Careershifters Guide...coming soon.
But there's good reason why coaches charge anything up from £100. Career coaches don't just get on the phone and have a natter with you for 45 minutes. They have often spent years training so that they can give you exceptional service in those 45 minutes and often spend a good amount of time before and after the call to give you the best career change guidance they can.
But don't feel like you're missing out if you can't afford one-to-one coaching right now - the Careershifters site is packed with some great career change guidance and practical exercises from some of the UK's top career coaches and they are all completely free!
best of luck, Selina