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04/12
2012: The Year To Try Something New
With many people still gripped by the fear of how the on-going economic misery threatens their jobs, it may seem strange to advocate doing something new. However, government figures show that the number of people taking their job prospects under their own control is continuing to grow every year.
With the ending of most final salary pensions schemes, the concept of a “job for life” is rapidly becoming a part of our histories, and not our futures. Also, as salaries in many areas of the private sector have seen no increases whatsoever in the last ten to fifteen years, the work-life balance has never seemed more important.
Add into the mix, the huge advances we have seen in communication technology over the last few years, and you can begin to see the big picture emerging. Even if packing in what you are doing now to go and do something entirely different, is a step too far; working from home is now a possibility that many people want to explore.
If you have been doing the same job for years with no significant increase in your salary, for example a menial office secretary job , you may want to re-evaluate things. Why keep accepting all the pressure and responsibility of a office management position, when shop floor and manual workers now earn a very similar amount without all the baggage that you have to carry around?
For example, when you see a shop manager’s position advertised, divide the wage on offer by the actual amount of hours that you will realistically end up doing. Then, take a look at how much the workers on minimum wage get for a forty hour week and you may be in for a shock. Is it really worth all the stress, hassle, and weight of expectation for very little extra reward? You may decide to take a job with less responsibility and fewer hours that will allow you extra time to spend on your interests and hobbies, with your family, and with your friends.
With the ever increasing onslaught from the internet, many town centre shops are struggling to survive. However, the fantastic thing is that the internet is that it allows anyone to set up a business in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost of a bricks and mortar shop. Within the day, you can source your suppliers, set up your accounts, open your shop and start trading.
For people with appropriate skills in areas such as IT and writing, there has never been so much opportunity to work as a freelancer as there is today. Even though online jobs, working from home, are often lower paid than their on-site equivalents, think about the time you will save by not having to travel to work. Then, when you work out how much you will save in travel costs, you begin to realise that it may be an irresistible option to pursue. There really has never been a better time to try something new, than there is in 2012.