Have You Considered a Portfolio Career?

Finding a full-time salaried position that offers a chance for growth, learning, and advancement would probably be the number one wish of most job seekers. However, more and more people are taking on temporary contract work or multiple freelance projects – often simultaneously in different career areas — to gain experience and bring in income.

If nothing else, by wearing many career hats, you can help expand your portfolio and meet new connections in your industry while you continue to look for the right job. And, you can position yourself as a go-getter who used his or her unemployment period to seek new business ventures and develop new skills when you’re on job interviews.

The career advice portal, Careerealism.com called portfolio careers a top trend for 2014. “Many employers are laying off full-time staff and rehiring key talent in consulting roles. In fact, by 2020 more than 50% of employees will work on a project basis,” predicted the site.

In other words, if you’ve only been looking for full-time work and coming up short, there’s nothing wrong with seeking opportunities that are related to your skill set that could help you strengthen your personal brand while you continue your search. For instance, someone with a journalism background might teach a class or two as an adjunct professor while freelance writing and offering tutoring services on the side.

You might even find that you enjoy the flexibility that multiple, short-term projects allow, provided you can deal with the unsteady, and sometimes unpredictable income stream. If you do want to give this type of career path a whirl, or use it to discover where your true passions lie, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

Treat each project and client with the attention it requires.

If you take on too much or things that overlap, you could end up spreading yourself too thin, or have a conflict of interest situation on your hands.

Line things up.

Secure enough steady income so that you can stay afloat financially while you try your hand at different types of work.

Broadcast your goals.

Let your connections know that you’re available for part- or full-time employment if an opening should become available. Many independent contractors end up being offered a salaried position if they make a good impression with the company. If they like the way you work, you could go to the top of the hiring consideration list. But that will only happen if you make your availability and interest known.

Push Brand “You.”

Continue to market yourself, keep your resume and portfolio up to date, and actively seek jobs that match your qualifications.