Cash Flow and Steppingstone Jobs

By Audrey Seymour

One way to change careers is to end your current line of work cold turkey and then dedicate full time to discovering and creating your dream job.

It's an exhilarating approach, but not for the faint-hearted or those without significant savings they can rely on for an unknown length of time.

However, you may find it necessary to leave your current job just to reclaim the time, energy and clarity to choose wisely. Or, you may be between jobs, and need money more quickly than you can develop your dream job.

There are two answers to this dilemma: the cash flow job and the steppingstone job.

The cash flow job is often the quickest solution. As its name indicates, the sole purpose of this line of work is to generate money to fund the development of your dream job.

There are a few requirements for a cash flow job to be effective in allowing you to build both funds and momentum:

1. While the bottom line is that it generate enough income to cover your monthly expenses, ideally it will also provide additional income to build your savings.

2. It needs to be in a field where you already have experience and marketable skills - so that you can walk into the job without investing in training.

3. The cash flow job should not require overtime, so that you can dedicate several hours a week to building your future.

4. It also needs to be time-contained, so that you don't need to give the job any thought or energy once you leave work.

A cash flow job can feel like drudgery at times, especially if it is in the very field that has meant burnout or boredom for you. It is important to remember the connection between this work and your dream career. Find a way to remind yourself that every hour you spend there brings your bank balance one step closer to the future you are building.

In contrast, a steppingstone job serves two purposes - cash flow, and bringing you closer to your dream in a direct way. Usually, the step closer is either in terms of professional skills or professional contacts. But you may also have an opportunity to get general exposure to the industry that you are considering.

For example, one client discovered that she wanted to become a real estate agent. Since we knew it would take a while to get her license and build her business, she used her administrative background to get a position as the office manager at a local real estate firm.

Another client felt burned out as a corporate marketing consultant and was considering the natural foods industry. He decided to form a short-term business partnership with an acquaintance who needed help promoting her natural health care product line.

A steppingstone job presents a chance to be creative, and is a reminder that you don't have to wait until you have it all figured out perfectly before leaving work you dislike or getting started in the direction of your dream.

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