Get a Life, Not a Job
Get a Life, Not a Job: Do What You Love and Let Your Talents Work For You
My personal career mission is to help people find more fulfilling work (whether that means escaping from Corporate America or finding a great job in the corporate world) and author Paula Caligiuri is a woman on a similar mission. As a work psychologist and Professor of Human Resources Management at Rutgers University, Caligiuri knows a thing or two about job satisfaction and how it has changed over the years.
Get a Life, Not a Job provides advice on discovering what motivates you and building a more inspiring career. For me, the most interesting aspect of the book is the focus on structuring a career with multiple revenue streams so you will always be layoff-proof. This idea of a portfolio career composed of multiple part-time income-generating activities is appealing to many, but how do you go about constructing one?
This is a very relevant topic in today’s work world. Speaking as someone who has been able to create a very fulfilling portfolio career that incorporates running a business, teaching, consulting, coaching and writing, I know the financial and psychological benefits of this lifestyle (along with the challenges of juggling multiple careers). I work with many of my career coaching clients to address the question of how to create and balance revenue streams that may include a salary job, part-time consulting work, and a small side business (among other possibilities).
Caligiuri’s book provides some useful exercises and resources for those ready to redesign their careers to be both more fulfilling and more financially stable. She also includes tips on how to identify and develop different “career acts” (her term for simultaneous profitable activities) that will allow you to achieve more balance and financial freedom.
Get a Life, Get a Job is worth a look for anyone seeking support in developing a rewarding portfolio career.
Did you like this article?
Escape Workshops
1 on 1 Coaching
Escape 
Submit Your Story
My name is Pamela Skillings and I'm an author and career coach.
Maggie Mistal
Great review Pamela! I recently interviewed Paula on my SIRIUSXM radio show and also found her book insightful. As a career consultant as well working with clients, doing a weekly radio show, writing, speaking and training I couldn’t agree more with the ideas on getting a life in Paula’s book. People want a career that works for them and its great to see we are all on a similar mission to help them make that happen! My show is on Fridays at 4pm ET/1pm PT on SIRIUS 112/XM 157 if you want to check it out!
Pamela
Thanks for your comment, Maggie. Your radio show sounds great and I will definitely check it out.
Issa
Great review, I’m glad I stumbled upon your blog. I can’t help but laugh on the book’s title. So true! Many are becoming a slave of their own jobs and you just want to say ” Wake up! Get a Life! ” I’m glad I did two years ago and I’m trying to spread the word whenever possible: Follow Your Passion. Cheers!
Shelley
Nothing wrong with this idea, but in a state with severe economic problems, all this just sounds a little fru-fru.
Pamela Skillings
Hi Shelley,
I get what you mean. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to pay your bills. But as a long-term strategy, I think we should all strive to find work that we consider rewarding (at least most of the time…no job is perfect or a thrill every day).
Alan - $100K Small Business Coach
You are so right that your focus should be “get a life” not “get a job.”
You can lose focus of what this is all about.
Top 100 career advice blogs Pingback
[...] 29. Escape From Corporate America – Blogger Pamela Skillings is an author and certified career coach, and she has been quoted in Newsweek, Forbes, Investors Business Daily, CNN.com, the Miami Herald, and ABC News. She has also appeared in The New York Times and several other print publications. Topics range from employment depression and innovative coaches, to entrepreneurs and creativity. Recommended posts: “Banished from Corporate America? Work for Yourself” and “Get a Life, Not a Job.” [...]
Cherry from How To Change Careers
For most people career change really means life change. When the job is so bad that you just have to make a move, then it is often the case that fundamental values are being ignored. I always encourage would-be career changers to review their core values as part of the process and often this means that the whole work / life balance issue comes into play. The idea of creating a working life that allows multiple income streams can be a great way to make that balance possible. But it is a mindset shift that can be quite a challenge for some!
Cherry Douglas
Your Career Change Guide
Laddi
Jobs are created for good life..Life is not created for job.
samantha22
I heard your radio show Maggie…It was great indeed..I love your articles,Keep posting more often..Thanks for sharing..
Job Seekers
Dr. Cris Green
During hard economic times like this, finding a way to create multiple revenue streams is so important. I have also set up multiple streams for various interests of mine that I am passionate about—and what happens is that other opportunities arise from these streams. So I definitely agree with you.