The Benefits of a Portfolio Career for Older Professionals
When you have been working for a couple of decades, you will likely have developed a varied skill set across various functions and industries. Time to consider a portfolio career for older professionals?
Not every corporate job will call on every aspect of your experience, and you may only truly enjoy 20% of what you are required to do. As you grow older and wiser, you understand that this isn’t enough. You want more from your working life. This spectre of redundancy looms nearer with every passing year, and you wonder if there is more to working life than wondering when a younger model will replace you.
If you lose a high-flying role at 55-60, getting a new role on similar terms will be tough.
That is why so many 50-somethings are now embarking on portfolio careers.
With the rise of flexible working, many senior professionals are exploring second or third strings to their earning potential. They may take on a non-exec position, do some executive coaching, build a stable of interim consulting clients or embark on a part-time writing career. These activities and many others can take place alongside core employment. They offer a smooth transition into working life with multiple revenue sources.
Portfolio careers come about gradually – test the water before you change too much.
Portfolio career test
Is a portfolio career for older professionals right for you?
Are you ready for a new challenge? Our careers wax and wane in phases of activity. A portfolio career could offer fascinating possibilities if you want more flexibility and control over your career direction. If you excel in what you offer your target market, you will find many potential clients who are no longer fixated on making full-time hires.
Do you have the aptitude to succeed? Enjoying a successful portfolio career is not just about proficiency. Flexibility is required to juggle multiple jobs, resilience to deal with the inevitable setbacks and budget cuts, and an interpersonal spark to develop relationships with total strangers. Your offering needs to be compelling to earn a regular income.
Can you handle failure? Failure is a part of a portfolio career in the early years. It takes time to build a reputation. You cannot afford to seem desperate when chatting with potential clients. You could explore options alongside your primary role to give some financial security. Or not. Belief in your abilities will help you break through the fear of failure.
For an experienced professional who wants to make the most of their talents and interests at a later stage of their careers, tapping into multiple income streams is an excellent way of taking control of your work life, expanding your horizons and enjoying a freedom that is impossible within the confines of a 9-5 corporate existence.
Most that take the plunge never look back. Spread your risk and find out what work-life balance means for you. Portfolio careers for senior executives will soon be the norm.
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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists.
Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).
