Sick of your work? Tired of all the pressure to produce numbers that just aren’t happening? You may not have the luxury of taking time off for your hobby, but what if you could actually find a career in your area of interest/hobby? A dream come true? Sure. But it’s not as easy as all that. It can be as tough, or tougher, than any other job. Yet, if you work on it, you could see it becoming a reality in a reasonable span of time. Here are some steps to march towards it:
1. Do your spadework: Every hobby has scope for work in some way or the other. The challenge is to find the right way to match your skill sets and opportunities with the work that is possible. First list all the hobbies/interests you love and figure out which ones you are the most passionate about. You could highlight multiple ones. How much do you know about these? Are you really keen on spending all your working hours on your chosen one, even if it means making less money initially?
2. Get your info: Do some research about your area of interest and related careers and courses. Basic as this may seem, getting down to brass tacks will help you see the practical side of things. Here are some examples of careers linked to hobbies:
Travel: Travel writing and journalism, wildlife photography, writing hotel/tourism reviews, archaeological research, being a tourist guide or a tour operator.
Reading: Research for companies, writing book reviews, being a librarian, organizing reading/storytelling events.
Cooking: Catering, being a chef, photography for food magazines, writing for food magazines/books/portals, or running a restaurant.
Once you have spotted a few job descriptions that have your pulse racing, you need to figure out what the qualifications for the job are. Do you need experience in the field? A degree or diploma? Special skills?
3. Equip yourself: Just being passionate about something doesn't automatically make you ready to take on a job you have little experience with. There are people out there who have been trained in the profession. So find out if you need to take a course to learn more about the profession. Try looking for a part-time/distance education course that you can do while continuing your current job. If you can handle quitting your job and taking up a full-time course, that would be even better.
Talk to people in the field. That will give you an idea of what qualifications will be expected/valued, and what the work involves. For example, if a distance-education course is not likely to be valued, you may have to consider doing a full-time one. But if skills and interest are more highly prized in the field, you may be able to get by with a short-term course.
Figure out what skills you would need. Do you have them? Are they skills you can work on and improve? If you just don't think you have the right skills, look for a related profession that does not require those skills.
Can you get experience on the job or is there any other way to get it? Consider taking up a part-time internship arrangement, or volunteer to help at an organization to get a feel of the work.
4. Be mentally prepared: Switching careers can be quite tough. For one, you are moving into a new area and carry some uncertainty that it may not work. You are also probably leaving a job where you have more experience, and taking up a new job as a novice. You may have to take a massive pay cut when you begin. But if you are really passionate about making your hobby your career, remember that all the setbacks are temporary. In the long run, you will find your new career extremely rewarding, because there is no substitute for passion and conviction - critical qualities for achievement and success.
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