Workin' 9 to 5 (Or Any Other Hours You Like)

When I graduated I bought a bunch of "job search" books -- resume writing guides, occupation finders, interview coach guidebooks. Given the direction in which my life has gone since then, I wish I had picked up THE ANTI 9-TO-5 GUIDE back then.

Author Michelle Goodman has been working as a freelancer for almost two decades, and explores how to look at your career as something beyond a daily, cubicle-driven chase for the next promotion. Goodman eventually struck out on her own in her chosen field (freelance writing), and she wrote the book as a guide to not making the same mistakes she did. There are chapters on optimizing your work to pursue a side gig, figuring out what you might want to do beyond your current job and making the financial leap to working for yourself. The tone of the book is far from the usual didactic, scare-quote-salted text; it's more like having a chat with someone you admire, but isn't so far away from you career-wise that you're intimidated.

I checked this book out of the library, but I have a feeling I'm going to buy it pretty soon as well as Goodman's follow-up MY SO-CALLED FREELANCE LIFE. The one thing I really took away from this book is its conviction that if we want them, we deserve to have careers that are satisfying and that fit our goals as a whole person (not just a worker). I know that sounds like a pie-in-the-sky statement. If I had a dime for every article I've read claiming that "my generation" is unrealistic, lazy and entitled, I would be writing this article from my mansion instead of my parents' house. But Goodman found entrepreneurs, from the part-time park ranger to the craft diva and small business owner, who were able to pursue such careers and still make a living. I can see myself picking up this book when I feel discouraged about my progress and my goals and finding the means to push forward.