One Person Multiple Career Book Summary I Slash v/s Change -

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Book – One Person, Multiple Career

Author – Marci Alboher

Genre – Self-Help Book

Published in – 2007

“The major difference between changing careers and slashing is that slashes don’t abandon their primary vocation”
Marci Alboher

Side hustle and gig-economy are new trending words and more people are looking at work differently than the nine to five office way.

Technology has made it possible to work from home or anywhere giving us time and freedom to pursue things we want.

Leaving a career behind isn’t the only way to reinvigorate after reaching a plateau; One may choose to shake up a career by adding a new one, rather than replacing an old one.

And Marci shows the way how to do just that.

About the Book –

Marci claims that in today’s increasingly elastic workplace, people with curiosity, vision, and a streak of independence can reject a conventional job and custom-blend all their skills and interests into the slash careers of their dreams.

The book is divided into two parts. 1) Getting Started, and 2) Succeeding in a Slash Life.

Here are the excerpts from the book.

Part I – A Slash Career Getting Started

1) The Slash Mindset –

Even if you work for someone else in some areas of your working life, building a slash career means you are taking charge of the mix of things you do.

The major difference between changing careers and slashing is that slashes don’t abandon their primary vocation.

2) Why Slash Career?

Many people take on a slash to provide extra income or security while chasing a dream, pursuing a creative endeavor, or working in a low-paying but rewarding field.

The key is to build enough skills and contacts so that if you ever wanted to shrink your working hours, you would be able to negotiate a part-time arrangement with an employer or you could work for yourself as a consultant.

3) Ways to Begin Slash Career –

Figuring out which parts of your job you can give up while remaining at the top of your game is an important step in making room for something new.

If you can imagine negotiating a part-time arrangement to spend more time with your children, why not imagine doing that to make room for some kind of work?

The key is to build enough skills and contacts so that if you ever wanted to shrink your working hours, you would be able to negotiate a part-time arrangement with an employer or you could work for yourself as a consultant.

4) Writing, Teaching, Speaking, Consulting as Slashes –

There is always exhaustion, boredom exists beyond a point in any singular work, whereas juggling between the right vocation makes all work better.

Writing, teaching, speaking, and consulting are four slashes that go with any other kind of work. Think of them as the black pants of a slash wardrobe.

5) Anchor Work & Orbitors Work –

Anchor works are the one that requires physical presence or are otherwise fixed in some way, the Orbiters on the other hand can be done more flexibly.

Look for a combination of anchor work and orbiter work. One with a more fixed schedule and the second with more flexibility and manageable around anchor work.

It is advisable to keep one anchor work that provides steady income and put slashes in orbiter work where you have more flexibility about work and what to do and what to remove.

Part II – Succeeding In Slash Life

1) Negotiating Work Schedule for Building Slash –

Believe that it’s possible. To succeed in creating, negotiating, and implementing a unique arrangement, you must first believe it’s possible.

This may require replacing outdated “work happens in the office/during business hours/Monday–Friday” paradigms with the possibilities that exist if you think creatively.

Whether or not you’re out in the open about your various slashes, think about whether your employer could have a reason to object to any other work that you do.

2) Overcoming Naysayers and Slash Stumbling Blocks –

That idea of creating a work/life that suits you so well that it doesn’t feel like “work”—is a sentiment many slashes share.

It’s also why even though they are often putting in long hours, they tend to say that they do not feel overworked.

By stepping away from a paradigm in which success is tied to measurable output, one also learns to enjoy the process of self-discovery.

3) Slashes For Parents –

The idea of creating a working life that fits around the way you want to parent is a common attitude among satisfied slash parents.

Marci shares a few tips for parents for juggling their slashes with parenting.

Figure Out Your Childcare and Your Backup Childcare.
Set Up Your Home Life in a Way That Supports Your Work Life.
Bring All of You to Work, but Know Where to Draw the Line.
Parenting Skills Are Transferable.

I have also created a video of a few quotes from the book. Please do subscribe to the YouTube channel for self-help books quotes- Myread4change –

Conclusion –

Marci will open your eyes to the possibilities of adding more career in life at the same time, rather than changing it. She will also equip you on how to be part of building this more fulfilling life.

You may download the One Person, Multiple career free E-book from here.

If you feel that you don’t have time to look at any other work, you may consider reading the book 168 Hours.

Thank you for reading. Hope this book summary helped you in some way and would appreciate your comments in the comment box.

Wish you great success in your Slashes.

Muzammil