Multiple professions: how they can help your career
Over the past few years, career paths have become a lot more diverse. People have changed their perspective: Pursuing passions and making an impact has become more crucial. In this blog post, I discuss several reasons why pursuing multiple professions is advantageous for your career.
My experience with multiple professions
All of us have probably heard this question before: What is your profession? For me, this is always difficult to answer: I have multiple professions in different fields. Explaining my career decisions was something I had to get used to. If you don’t have good arguments for career choices, employers could perceive you as indecisive or insecure.
While I started my career as a graphic designer, I had other interests in the back of my mind. I wanted to unlock career opportunities, meet new people and grow. That’s why I took a leave from my job in 2017 to get a degree in business informatics. Arguably, a very different field. In fact, I have struggled because they don’t necessarily go together. Coming off as indecisive and the need to explain decisions have been bothering me.
Nevertheless, I am still convinced that multiple professions can help your career. Here is how:
#1 You will unlock hidden potentials.
By following a routine and staying well inside our comfort zone, it is harder to grow personally and professionally. Stepping into a new career path where you are suddenly no longer an expert, but a newcomer will challenge you beyond your imagination. Tapping into unknown fields can help you to unlock hidden potentials, and is a great way to grow your personality. Multiple careers are your chance to discover new strengths and passions. Platforms like Skillshare or Udemy are great ways to discover new skills.
#2 You will have many options.
Our economy is constantly changing and evolving. Especially the global pandemic has accelerated a shift in the workforce. According to a 2021 McKinsey study, the trends of remote work, e-commerce, and increasing automation will lead to an additional 25% of the workforce potentially needing to change their jobs.
Technologies like artificial intelligence or blockchain will fundamentally change our work-life. With multiple careers, you will most certainly always have fallback options. A wide range of skills makes you more resilient to crisis, especially since you have already proven your flexibility.
#3 You will build bridges.
Multiple professions can be beneficial when you work together with people from different fields. Learning the language of another discipline can help your career in many ways. With a unique skill set, you might be able to bridge gaps that only a few can fill. You will also have different circles of friends with various skills, and you can build a network across disciplines. Find more information about the long term benefits of networking in the Forbes article: 10 Reasons Why Networking Is Essential For Your Career
#4 You will stand out.
Last but not least. Multiple professions will help you stand out from the crowd and possibly give your CV a bit of extra spice. Numerous career paths show that you can quickly adapt to new skills and not be afraid to challenge yourself. It shows that you are ok with not being the smartest person in the room and willing to take risks. Recruitment Expert Pegah Gol reveals even more ways to make your CV stand out in her article about 10 tips to get hired right now.
Let’s be honest: The times of steady career paths are over. While our parents had to choose a career and stick with it, the modern economy requires much more flexibility. It is a little bit of a paradox. On the one hand, combining different skills can be a huge advantage. On the other hand, it can make you look indecisive and insecure about your goals. However, as long as you have good arguments to support your decisions, multiple careers can be a massive advantage in your professional life.
