The idea of having multiple careers might seem like a recent phenomenon; however, this trend has been brewing for years, as exemplified by the fact that American author Marci Alboher's book was published more than a decade ago. The pandemic and the subsequent recession shifted the spotlight towards having multiple careers, as many people were out of a job and had to rely on their skills and acquire new knowledge to find a side job.

Unravel the Meaning of Multiple Careers, Aka "Slash Career", Coined in 2007

In 2007, Alboher coined the term "slasher" when writing the book "One Person/Multiple Careers." When it comes to someone having a slash career, this refers to the multiple slashes in their name that refer to the different job descriptions they possess. For example, one person is a CPA/journalist/artist. 

The traditional workplace setup looks like this: you have one role within the organisation you're working for, and you're expected to clock in 40 hours per week. This isn't what the current job landscape looks like anymore. A slasher career opens up more opportunities to earn through different side jobs and gives people more flexibility in when and how they work.

Pros and Cons of Being a Slasher

Slashers have been in the job landscape for some time. But is a slash career a good or bad thing? Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of having multiple careers.

Pros of Being a Slasher

1. Work-Life Balance

As mentioned above, a slasher career does not require you to clock in 40 hours a week like a traditional day or desk job. You have more flexibility to work within your schedule.

This setup offers a greater work-life balance, which also explains why it is a growing trend in the job landscape. Many of those who have this type of career report having an increased level of satisfaction with their job.

2. Increase Your Income

Taking more than one job delivers the apparent benefit of having multiple income streams. Unlike a traditional job wherein you get one paycheck per month, having multiple careers give you more income sources – and a higher overall income.

It also gives you more security with your income source because even if you lose one job, you can still tap your other income sources to provide a living.

3. Try Out Other Careers

Pursuing multiple careers or jobs gives you the chance to do what you are most passionate about. Therefore, it is an excellent opportunity to test-drive new career options before committing to them. It allows you to see how efficient you are at this job and the earning potential that comes with it.

Cons of Being a Slasher

1. Lack of Performance Control

The possibility that your work's quality could decline is a real issue you must learn to face when taking on a slash career. You must be responsible for quality control to ensure you can maintain the highest level of performance. Otherwise, you could lose out on potential job opportunities if you fail to deliver on your promise of quality work.

2. Minimal Opportunity for Career Development

Another potential downside to having multiple careers is that there might not be career advancement. Unlike in a traditional work setup wherein you can elevate into the career ladder, you don't get that same opportunity in this kind of work setup.

3. Possibility of Fatigue

Working on multiple jobs gives you the flexibility and control to work in your schedule. However, it could also put you in the position to experience fatigue since you are managing several work responsibilities at once. If you lack proper time management skills, it could also lead to more stress – or a lack of work-life balance.

How to Embark on a Slash Career

If you want to launch a slash career, you must know the different elements that must work together to ensure you experience success in this career path. 

1. Assess Whether It's the Career That Suits You 

Why did you consider a slash career? Is it because of the flexibility it offers to your work schedule or the high-income potential? Or perhaps you don't know what career path to take yet? 

You must know the reason why you want to pursue a slash career before you get started. That way, you can gauge if it’s the suitable career option moving forward.

2. Define Your Career Objectives 

Handling multiple jobs and careers is ambitious. It's not for everyone. If you pursue this career path, make sure you have a clear goal in mind of what you want to achieve. Having a goal will help you build the milestones to get to where you want to be and provides additional motivation when work overwhelms you.

3. Establish Your Career Slowly

According to Alboher, who coined the term "slasher" about having multiple careers, the secret to success is building on one career first and then mastering it. Once you have mastered that career, you can start gaining new skills and develop other careers.

Many people fail in this kind of career development because they split themselves too much, and so they lack mastery in any of the skills they offer. Make sure you are an expert at one aspect of your career before venturing into another.

How Can Offerings of Serviced Offices Help People Develop Multiple Careers?

Anyone with a slash career or a side job requires flexibility in their schedule. Therefore, flexible workspaces are an ideal solution that can meet the ever-changing demands of this type of career.

CoWorking Resources, an online informational portal for coworking spaces, in 2020 revealed that an estimate of nearly 5 million people would be using coworking spaces by 2024. 

But what are the benefits of flexible workspaces for those pursuing a slash career? Here are some of them:

•    Cost-effectiveness – You can access dedicated workspaces and IT tools while reducing costs. It also gives you flexibility in terms of the length of your lease.  
•    Versatility – You can quickly scale up or down your use of the coworking space based on the demands of your career. 
•    Productivity – You have access to a fully-equipped space for work to allow you to focus on your work and increase productivity. 
•    Enterprise-grade IT Infrastructure – You can access advanced and reliable IT and connectivity tools previously available only to corporate enterprises. 
•    Security and Protection – You can expect a high IT security level to secure your files and important data at work. 
•    Market Penetration – Flexible workspaces with ample amenities available are normally in locations easily accessible by different forms of transport. You can have sufficient resources to back up your business needs if you start off your chosen multiple careers in flexible workspaces. The range of support provided by flexible office space can consolidate your multiple career advancements, thus paving the way for future market penetration.

Conclusion

If you want to pursue multiple careers, ensure you are qualified for the job. Based on the benefits above, flexible workspaces provide the ultimate solution to help you get your career to the next level. Use this solution to gain a competitive edge in the market with minimal startup on your end, putting you in a better position to excel in whatever career/s you choose.