What to Do When You're in Between Careers

 What to do when you’re in between careers? First off, being in-between careers doesn’t have to mean scrolling aimlessly through social media 24/7 while waiting for the next opportunity to fall into your Dorito bag. It may feel like you’ve hit a pause on your goals but never a complete stop. There is always something to do or something new to discover that can make your off-time worth it. While this break from work may not be voluntary, using this time to your advantage can do wonders for your next job opportunity.

Having time off from normal obligations can sometimes feel like a dead-end. Not having work obligations keeping you busy all hours of the day can make some people feel stagnant. However, it is how someone spends their free time that tells whether or not they are truly being complacent. There are several activities that can not only keep you busy but also ensure that you continue nurturing useful skills to land your next job. These activities fall under the label of self-development. 

Why skills and experience matter.

If you can make time for it, this is something you should consider. Self-development is really about improving what is already there. Important areas of development to work on our skills and experience. By learning a new skill, you can expand your knowledge on a topic that perhaps you’ve been putting off due to lack of time or disinterest. Another way to gain knowledge is through experience. Volunteering in your community is a great way to give back as well as gain experience that can be valuable towards your next career. Both of these activities are excellent ways to ensure that you remain active and productive when you’re in-between careers.

After learning a new skill, you may want to think about starting a side hustle, or small job. Some people start self-regulated shops on websites like Etsy or Red Bubble with the intention of growing their businesses. However, there is merit in starting such a shop with the intention of simply trying something new. It is important to know what you are interested in before diving full body. Monetizing a hobby or skill is a great way to learn more about business in general and can be a nice way to challenge oneself. And if all goes well, you may even start to think about incorporating it into the next activity—planning your future or finding your passion and purpose.

Take time to plan your future.

This is probably the most obvious activity to do during your downtime. Taking the time to rethink your plan of action and what professional path you want to take is important to do every so often. Sometimes, ideas change and what you once thought was your destined career path may have changed since you started your journey. Talking to friends or past coworkers about their professions and where they are is a great way to get ideas about where you could go. It is also a good way to brush up on your connections and make sure you’ve maintained your network ties. Sometimes, networking can be the deciding factor in whether you land your next job. Being aware of your industry of choice is important, but making those in the industry aware of you is even better. Connections are valuable in any field and should be your priority, especially during a time of realigning your professional self.

The advantages of taking a real break.

We should also mention that taking a real break is never a bad thing either. Every once in a while, spending a day or two doing nothing but watching TV or catching up with friends is just what we need. If you never take a moment to relax, you may overwork yourself later. And that’s not good. Being a hardworking person doesn’t mean you have to work yourself into the ground. Taking care of your mental and physical health is important because you can’t be successful if you’re not in your best shape. Being in-between careers is not a stopping point but an opportunity for rest and reorganization. I hope you find some of this useful in knowing what to do when you’re in between careers!