Taking A Career Detour

Working a full-time, demanding job might be a way of building a financial stash prior to embarking on a new business venture for yourself. As long as you keep reminding yourself what the end goal is, a detour can be the right move.

By Matt Krumrie, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: November 24, 2006 - 11:46 AM

Sometimes in order to land the job or career you want, you need to take a career detour. That means taking a job within an industry or field that can be a steppingstone to the career you really want.

"Remember that many people in the workplace have not made either a traditional or direct path to their current career," says Rachel Hastings, vice president of WFC Resources. (www.workfamily.com), a Minnetonka-based company that helps employers create supportive and effective workplaces.

Working a full-time, demanding job might be a way of building a financial stash prior to embarking on a new business venture for yourself. Or working a part-time or less demanding job might help you when studying toward another career. As long as you keep reminding yourself what the end goal is, a detour can be the right move.

"Detours to gain essential skills, such as taking a job where you might be exposed to a second language or a lot of new software, could be considered paid education," says Hastings.

When embarking on a detour, make sure you are constantly challenging yourself and taking risks, adds Hastings. Seek opportunities to stick your neck out and get noticed, even if your commitment to the job is only temporary. You also need to be proactive about your goals and initiate discussions with your employers, promote yourself, and ask for opportunities to learn new skills or try out new projects.

"Keep in mind the ability to change industries and careers takes considerable patience and persistence, and typically the willingness to work for less income and perhaps in less ideal positions (to get where you want)," says Arlene Vernon (www.arlenevernon.com), president of Eden Prairie-based HRx Inc., and a human resource management consultant and trainer for small- to medium-size businesses.

And of course, use company resources to help achieve your goals.

"If there's a job you really want, call someone in your own organization who is already doing that job and ask if they have time to coach you or give you ideas about how they got there and how you might do it," says Hastings.

Matt Krumrie is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, and has eight years of experience reporting on the employment industry. The first Sunday of each month this column will answer readers' questions. E-mail questions or subject ideas to askmatt@startribune.com.

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