It has been said of the ‘X’, ‘Y’, and “millennial” generations that each one successively rejects and even disdains the orthodox careers that prior generations pursued. A premium is put on personal freedom more so than staying on a career path. For many, working for companies that exercise a culture that they find incompatible with their own values and goals is simply untenable.

But ya gotta make a living, right? Right, and these generations are making a living in ways that prior generations would never have conceived of, nor necessarily found to be possible without the mobility and freedom spawned by the internet.

So what do some of these innovative careers look like?
They might look like a “portfolio career”.

“Portfolio careers are usually built around a collection of skills and interests, though the only consistent theme is one of career self-management.”

It differs from the standard freelance career in that your “portfolio” might encompass two, or even three, widely differing fields. For instance, a web designer who speaks Spanish and is a superb pianist might teach language, piano and do selected web projects. It is very much a renaissance type approach, allowing an individual to wear as many professional hats as he can handle.

“Make a list of all that you’re good at or have an interest in. Select two or three that you might want to turn into part-time ventures and go for it.”

But how do you get a portfolio career off the ground? Aha, here comes your old standby, your peer network. But which career do you market to your peer network?

“I would select one of the things that I do and promote that at networking events…the reason I would only promote one thing at networking events is that, in marketing, too many messages confuse prospects …In my opinion, this sends a confusing, unprofessional message….joining two or more networking groups will allow you to promote one business at one group, and the other business at another group.

Just because you work for yourself does not mean you don’t need to be professional about it. Treat it like a real, full-fledged business; because, that’s what it is. It’s just a business with several arms.”
(source)