Are you looking to transition? Be it from university life to becoming a self-sufficient adult, or from a dead-end job to an exciting and blossoming career? Either way, a survival job might be the right choice for you. Even though they are careers in themselves, a temporary office job, or a stint in retail might not be right for you in the long term, but a perfect compromise for now. Read on to find out how to properly decide, considering your own situation.
Draw up a prioritised list:
To get started, draw up a list of your upcoming priorities and try your best to rank them honestly. These priorities could include money for travelling, money to move out of your folks place, time to plan your next career move/look for a new job or just time to look after yourself. Once you have your list, you need to plan a timescale: will you continue job-searching whilst working in your local pub, or give yourself a few months? Or how long do you need to save for before you jet off to Argentina? Read on to find out the pros and cons of your particular situation.
So what do you need right now?
Money?
Depending on whether you want to save or survive, the amount of hours you need to work could differ, but a transition job might be your only answer right now. If you’re saving for something big, you’ll need to work a good deal of hours and/or cut back on your daily expenses in order to be able to save enough in a decent amount of time. But keep an eye on your progress. Set yourself monthly goals, and a realistic time-frame.
If you’re just looking to stay afloat whilst waiting for a new job prospect, you need to work out how much you need - if you can find somewhere that pays enough, but allows you to work part-time, then brilliant! If not, a full-time role will give you enough money to play with, but leave you less time to plan your next move.
Advantages: “easy” to find, “easy” to do, you’ll have money, you’ll stay active and social.
Challenges: not as much time and/or energy to search for something new, you might have less money than before, there’s the chance it might not remain short-term, without proper planning you may lose your focus on the long-term.
Time?
Be it time to figure out your next move, or just time for yourself, your portfolio or your family, you’ll never have enough of it. If you’re thinking about an interim job, but need time as well, your best option is to look for something part-time or a flexible full-time position. Consider a role that allows for painless shift-swapping to make that important job interview, or work late nights or weekends so you can head to assessment days. Failing that, develop a superhuman ability to function without sleep.
If it’s yourself you’re looking to take care of, an interim job without take-home work and/or a role that isn’t physically demanding will make less of an impact on your working days, meaning you need less time to recuperate, affording you more you-time (or time for other work, spending time with loved ones etc.).
Advantages: enough money for survival, more time to job-search, stay active and social, little to no take-home work.
Challenges: making yourself job-hunt during your free-time, less disposable income, could become long term.
But remember…
Unfortunately, your days may feel wasted in a job that you don’t see in your future, but don’t let this attitude come across. Not only is it insulting to your employer, but by focussing on how much you dislike your interim situation, you’ll end up feeling less motivated than before (negative vibes won’t breed positive outlooks). In times like these, remember why you’re doing it and focus on your end goal.
