Photo Courtesy of Jule_Berlin (flickr)
Traditional work is changing. It has been changing for many years, but a dramatic shift has occurred in the last 10-15 years. Despite the birth of the Internet, which has created many more possibilities for financial growth, many companies are scaling back on benefits, pension plans, 401(k)s, vacations, salaries, and other “guarantees” many employees have come to expect. My first recommendation is to change your mindset. Because of these radical changes, thinking of yourself as an employee who is trying to “find” work has become an old way of thinking. The new, 21st century, gen-y model is to take your income and your career under control. Be your own boss. Decide where and how you will earn your money without leaving it up to a mid-level manager in some big corporation.
1. Freelance & Personal Service
Did you ever mow your neighbor’s lawn or get paid for doing your friend’s homework? These are both examples of work-for-hire or freelance jobs. Basically, all you do is find a client, perform a service for them, and get paid in return. This can range anywhere from graphic designers and computer programmers, to landscape architects and plumbers. What makes this ideal is that you can generally schedule work when you want to work, and take as many days off as you’d like. As long as you’re earning enough money to meet your personal financial goals, you’re all set.
2. Sales & Direct Marketing
It takes a very disciplined person to make it in sales, but the money is awesome! I have worked in direct marketing before and it wasn’t for me, but it is the best mode of income for many people. Sales jobs are challenging and they are usually commission-based only, but they are extremely rewarding if you’re working with products you love and in a system that works for you. Many direct marketing companies enable you to earn money even when you’re not working for years into the future. If you’re good with people and very self-motivated, give it a shot. The worst that can happen is you don’t like it, and I guarantee you will learn a lot about yourself in the process.
3. Business Ownership & Franchising
Technically speaking, every alternative on this list is a form of business ownership. Owning a business is not what it used to be, thanks to the Internet and the vast resources that exist to help entrepreneurs. In the past you might have needed huge loans, a retail storefront, and dozens of people involved to make a business venture successful, and even then you wouldn’t turn a profit for years. Franchising is similar to this older model, but it’s not as hard as you think to find investors for well-established franchised businesses like Subway or McDonalds. Otherwise, turn to the Internet and explore the millions of ways you could earn money, everything from blogging and podcasting, to selling old shoes on eBay. If you can sell it, someone can buy it.
4. Professional Speaking & Writing
This can be a very lucrative and fulfilling lifestyle for anyone who wants to share knowledge with others. Teachers, authors, self-help gurus, or anyone with a strong passion can begin to spread their message by simply writing and talking about their writing. The secret here is that you don’t have to write a New York Times Best-Seller to make it big with this style of business. All you need is credibility (a book, video, etc.) and a way to share the credibility with others (seminars, webinars, workshops, podcasts, radio shows, etc.). Another secret is that you don’t have to be a great writer or even a great speaker to make this work, you simply need a ridiculous passion you can’t stop talking about, because people are drawn to others who are really excited about something.
5. Consulting & Advising
If you’ve found yourself working in the same industry for a while and have mastered a specific skill set or have amassed sizable knowledge about something, you can simply help others do the same through consulting. Examples of this include one-on-one career coaching, outsourced freelance work, personal financial advisors, professional organizers, human resource executives, and efficiency experts. If you’ve ever seen the movie Office Space you know that consultants tend to be individuals who help clean up shop.
Is it still possible to be an employee, work at the same company for 40 years, and leave the employer at age 65 with a solid retirement package that can easily last you until 100? Maybe, but it’s highly unlikely. I don’t want to deter you from working a 9-5 job completely, but if you’ve ever been curious as to how you could redefine work in your life, these alternatives could get you started.
Additional Resources
For more information about alternatives to traditional work and to help you find your own passionate career, I highly recommend the book No More Mondays by Dan Miller. It’s a fantastic read and it can really help to see other perspectives to the real possibilities of work that exist in today’s world.
The Clueless Graduate,
Jeff Sanders 
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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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