LAUNCH A SIDE GIG
Since time for a part-time entrepreneur is always scarce, Dani Babb, an entrepreneur and author of The Accidental Startup says use available “floating holidays” for essential business appointments with bank representatives, attorneys or clients, but try to squeeze them all in on one day.
“Unless you are starting a bookkeeping firm, should you really be doing your own bookkeeping?†asks Mitchell. “Any entrepreneur needs to look at how to streamline on a day to day basis. Ultimately a business can’t survive if you are doing everything by your self. Ask yourself are there other ways to get these things done.â€
Be sure not to break the employment guidelines and don’t work on your business on company time, says Babb.
“Determine when is the right time to let the boss know. This may be never – or it may be early on,†she says. “Sometimes your boss can be your best ally if he/she likes your idea and wants to support you as a person and not just an employee. This is tricky though, so tread lightly.â€
SWITCHING DEPARTMENTS
Launching a business is not for everyone. Some people are comfortable working in a corporate environment. Returning to school is usually the first option to consider when seeking a change of pace. However, it is an alternative that extends the timeline for obtaining the dream job and it can be costly.
Switching departments within the same company–like from research and development to marketing –can provide a fast track into a new career without tying up weekends and evenings or requiring a huge school loan. Mitchell advises that you first have to convince the company that reassigning you to another department is within their best interest.
“At the end of the day it has to be a win for the company in order for them to give you that opportunity,†says Mitchell. She advises that before you approach the company first consider if a transfer makes sense. If your department is understaffed, or if the other department is overstaffed, then the company won’t go for it. Make preparations to train somebody who can step seamlessly into your position, and outline how your transfer will impact the bottom line for the company, Mitchell advises.
Each of the career transitions above will have their own advantages and disadvantages, but Mitchell and Babb suggest that those will be different from person to person. A clear direction will follow only after you assess your life and goals to determine which method will address your particular needs.