Career advice for women who want to clock out on cube life
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
10:41 AM
Before becoming a full-time freelance writer and editor for publications like "Bust" and the Seattle Times, Michelle Goodman toiled as a publicity assistant at a publishing house and did time as the bureau chief for a small newspaper. The rat race wore her down, leading her to go solo -- and eventually resulting in the new book, "The Anti 9-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube (Seal Press, $15)." It's a witty-yet-practical look at what to do if you hit the snooze button repeatedly every workday morning or want to dump a boss who acts like "The Office's" big kahuna. Lynn Thorne talked to her about how to escape a Dilbert drone job without going broke.
Why does your book specifically target women?
We have our own unique set of challenges in the workplace that don't apply to men. We're the ones with wage gap, the mommy track and the glass ceiling. Study after study shows women are more likely to want, and ask for, and use flexible work arrangements. They start businesses at twice the rate of men. I don't think that is a coincidence.
What was the most difficult part of the transition for you?
I didn't make it easy for myself. I didn't do any planning. I leapt without looking. I was mid 20s, when 9 a.m. was the middle of the night for me. I wanted to work for myself. I had no money, no clients, no business savvy. It took a couple of years of learning the ropes. Had I planned it out a bit more, it would have been financially lucrative sooner.
What advice would you give someone who's not happy doing the traditional 9 to 5 but doesn't really know what they want to be when they grow up?
Start dabbling. Start exploring. Get your hands dirty. Figure out, "What would I do if time and money were no object?" "What's the craziest thing I was ever interested in?" Even if it is scuba diving or elephant training, test the waters. Then cross those things off your list.
You're big on volunteering as a way to meet people and network.
Yeah, but don't volunteer willy-nilly. It's great if you can volunteer for a high-profile, one-time fundraiser; it's high stress for a few weeks and PHOTOthen it ends, but it's a great way to make contacts. Then you can say, "Hey, look, I worked on this and did PR for it" or something. It helps you get experience.
What's the best part of your new career lifestyle?
I like to work in my bathrobe. I like the autonomy. I like the fact that I don't have to ask anyone to [take time off]. You can choose who you work for and who you work with. If they're a hell client, you don't have to do it again.
But how do you keep your office life and your home life separate when you work from home?
That's a tough one. I'm guilty of the before-bed e-mail check. Having a separate work space, even if it's a corner of your kitchen or bedroom, is very helpful. You have to be militant about figuring out when you do your best work and try to align that with your clients' hours. Know that sometimes you're going to work longer, and sometimes you can take Fridays off.
You talk a lot about making time for a pet project. Does that really help counterbalance the feeling of being stifled at work?
Absolutely. If you have something to look forward to instead of collapsing on the couch and drooling in front of the TV, you get the extra creative spice and it makes your day job less onerous. When we as freelancers have the whole week open to work, the project might expand to fit the whole week. But if you only devote 10 hours a week to it, you're only going to work that amount, and you won't waste the time.
What do you wish you'd known before you started your career in an office?
I would have been more strategic about staying in 9 to 5 longer to make the contacts and get the skills I needed to work for myself, I didn't do that at all. I wish I took advantage of the resources.
You relied a lot on temp gigs over the years to help with short-term cash flow and health benefits. Is there anything people should know about working temp jobs?
Temporary employers want someone who's already skilled. They want you to know how to do the job. Ask a lot of questions. Figure out the people who can make your job easier. And there are funny cultures where staff people don't reach out socially or professionally to the temp. But that doesn't mean you can't reach out to them.
Do you recommend using flex time or a shorter work week while you're testing the waters as an independent worker?
Yeah. Sometimes people get caught up in the old way of thinking, work until they're 50, and then do what they want. Doing something on the side or easing into it with a transition plan means you can get out of the cube faster. You can build multiple skills while you're at your day job, and you don't have to worry about the money. You have a steady paycheck that is coming in. It's hard to be creative and innovative when you're up at 4 a.m. and worried about paying the bills. And if it doesn't work out, you still have your bread-and-butter gig.