When I've talked with friends and coworkers about the role the day job plays in their lives, one question often arises: when does it make sense to postpone a dream in order to acquire the skills or qualifications needed for a better day job?
Some jobs make it relatively easy to bring in the bread and still have energy left over for Life. But what if your day job pays minimum wage without benefits, and as a result you have to rely on public assistance to an uncomfortable degree? Or if your job leaves you so drained that, no matter how many precautions you take, by the end of the day you can't do anything but slump onto the couch and stare vacantly at the TV? Or the hours are so long (say, 7:00 am to 8:00 pm or beyond, not unheard-of in management jobs) that you literally have no time for anything else?
If you're in one of these situations, it may make sense for you to spend a predetermined length of time in a focused job search or training program. Begin by simply asking yourself whether your paying job is helping your dream, hindering it or is neutral. And if it's a hindrance, how long has this been the case? Is it always a drain or only at certain sporadic times? Have you tried all reasonable remedies?
If you like a more structured and definite approach to problem-solving, keep a small notebook with you on the job for a week or two, and jot down actual time spent, activities, income and expenses or any other factors that may be a problem. If you confirm your impression that the job itself is a problem and it's not likely to change, it may pay in the long run to set aside the novel or guitar lessons and find a new means of livelihood first.
If you're really floundering, pick up a copy of Richard Bolles' What Color is Your Parachute? and get to work. If it's easier for you to do things in groups, with feedback, see if the nearest community college offers career planning workshops.
If you decide that all you need is a skill upgrade so that you can apply for positions with higher pay, check out free or low-budget sources first. Your library system may offer its members the chance to enroll in free online courses offered by Ed2Go or some other online education site. Through the same library, you could borrow tutorial books, DVDs or download courses that teach hands-on skills such as software - the Idiot's Guide and For Dummies books are especially helpful. About.com also offers online courses where lessons are emailed to you. The local unemployment/job security office (now called WorkSource in many places) may have public computers with self-guided MS Office software tutorials.
Bolles' book includes a skills inventory, an exercise that helps you locate specific gaps between your current skills and what is required for the job of your choice. If you're even slightly foggy about exactly what you need to learn, I strongly advise doing a skills gap assessment first; if you can pinpoint exactly what you need, you could save hundreds of dollars you would have spent on tuition for unnecessary courses.
However, be extremely careful about playing the "going back to school" card. Unless you want more formal education for its own sake, or unless the degree is an absolute requirement for doing your dream, it could be a long and expensive detour around your dreams. This is the fallback position for adults who are stuck in bad jobs, and it's often presented as the solution to career challenges: just get that extra degree and you'll have it made! Many people go back to school without checking whether they really need that additional piece of paper or if a few new skills would suffice.
As Barbara Sher notes in Wishcraft, school is a big business, with an investment in getting you enrolled in yet another degree program. If you're serious about your dream and want to get back to it ASAP, do your homework before signing away two years in school.
Finally, set a deadline for achieving your goal, whether it's finding a new position right away, picking up a few skills or completing a full program. The deadline will help you stay on track. Be very clear with yourself that this is just a short detour, one that will get you to your dream more quickly in the end.
Because that's what your double life is all about, right?
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