It is believed by career forecasters that before long people who work one full-time job will be in the minority. As management guru Peter Drucker put it, "Corporations once built to last like pyramids are now more like tents - You can't design your life around a temporary structure." In this article I discuss "Portfolio Careers" -- what they are, the pros and cons, where to find one, and when to start building one.
What is a "Portfolio Career?" To become a portfolio person, we must stop thinking in terms of having or not having a job. We need to take control of our life, make flexibility our credo, and develop a portfolio of different items. Rather than working for one company, you take on various projects and cultivate several clients. A successful "Portfolio Career" fits together bits of work in our life to form a balanced whole. There are different possibilities and different types of Portfolio Careers which include:
Why have a "Portfolio Career?" I have pursued a Portfolio Career for more than twelve years and love it. During that time I have had from three to nine different careers in my portfolio at a time.
The pros in my case are the flexibility, the variety of working on many different tasks, being able to pursue careers that I love -- but don't pay enough to do full-time, the excitement that accompanies change and taking risks, and having creative control over my future.
The cons are what every free agent, independent professional, and freelancer face: a lack of the stability afforded by a full-time job, paycheck, and benefits; feast and famine - being so busy it is overwhelming to having no set project lined up; having to deal with constant change and continual marketing and networking; and hearing friends and family say, "When are you going to get a real job?"
Where do I find or search for the careers to fill my "Portfolio?" We need to be flexible and confident about trying new careers. Areas of opportunity are all around us! Questions to ask yourself are: