Career – Multiple Vocations

Imagine looking at your diary for the week ahead, and seeing that you’ll be able to indulge in a number of different interests during your working hours. If you prefer variety rather than uniformity, becoming a multipotentialite may be your next career mo

“I’m a proofreader, copy editor, voice-over artist, designer, and also do PR strategy development and implementation.” Answering the question “what work do you do?” can never be a one-word answer for Khuthalani Khumalo.

Instead, her response is always an indication that she’s a woman of many talents who refuses to be limited by a single job title.

Khumalo is a multipotentialite. This means she enjoys different interests and creative pursuits, and doesn’t relegate them to weekend or part-time hobbies. Instead of being a specialist or following “one true calling”, Khumalo embraces a career where she can explore her multiple passions.

She’s part of a growing body of modern workers who refuse to let convention dictate their choices.

HOW IT WORKS

Fifty years ago, most women would start a job in a specific sector and dedicate themselves to that one industry, and often, employer. In recent decades, variety has become more common, with the average person changing careers five to seven times in their working life.

Over the past few years, a new working style has emerged – that of women like Khumalo, who work in different careers at the same time. Their choice is different to those who embrace one vocation, and those who have a main and side job. In a sense, multipotentialites have a collection of side gigs that, together, form a unique career.

This ability to self-curate is what makes this career choice work better for some personality types rather than others. Life coach Brenda Dladla says not everyone is well-suited to working variety. “There are different ways to work. Some people feel most fulfilled when they specialise, and are able to build depth of knowledge and

expertise in a single field. They may have hobbies and other interests, and even be good at these. But, not in a way that matches or exceeds their primary passion.” Consequently, such people are able to stick to a single career path. Others, however, may feel unfulfilled and even bored with such a singular focus. “Multipotentialites, most often, tend to be creative types. Rather than exploring depth in just one field, they prefer to build breadth by straddling different jobs.” Dladla believes that some people flourish by being deeply entrenched and knowing a lot about one thing, while others thrive when they’re able to mix it up and know enough about many areas.

PICK, AND DON’T CHOOSE

Khumalo says it took time to discover which career path she was best suited for. She wasn’t even aware that there was an option in life to work multiple jobs and so, when she started her career in PR, convention guided her choices.

“I had many ‘false starts’ in the 23-odd years that I’ve been working. I resigned and tried ‘to do my own thing’ and a few months or years later, I found myself employed again,” she explains.

Eventually, Khumalo decided to take her life and desires seriously. One important moment was recognising and embracing her varied interests. Instead of trying to force entrepreneurship in a single sector by starting what would grow into a big company, she realised that she could work for, and by, herself. Letting go of the original plan meant that she could craft a career based on her needs and interests.

Working in this way means being able to pursue a number of different roles and interests. But, it also implies knowing that you can’t pursue every hobby you’ve ever entertained. You only need to offer the services you know you can do well, Khumalo says. This clarity has enabled her to persevere in her new-found work style, and not feel pressure to go back to corporate employment.

“What keeps me going is that I’m as excited about one skill as I am about another, and I choose to explore them all fully, to find balance and remain stimulated. I understand which of my talents and skills can be leveraged for immediate or long-term income, and try to ensure that there is a mix of both in my life.”

MIX AND MATCH

Chuma Mapoma has also opted to design a working life that reflects her different interests. She is an actor, writer, poet, singer, teacher, project coordinator, script supervisor and theatre director. She has built this step by step.

“While I was still studying performance, I started teaching, acting, marketing and producing whatever stage production I was directing. I realised that the choices I was making were leading me to a multifaceted career path. I loved it!” Despite this experience, Mapoma still followed convention and found employment. It came at a price, however. “My first full-time job was as a lecturer, and my cubicle was in a greyish room where I couldn’t burst into song or do a two-day job (where I’d get paid more). I didn’t have creative freedom.” After leaving the lecturing job on a whim, Mapoma realised that the industry was bigger than she thought, and that she could fit in and embrace her varying interests. “I was able to spend two weeks working on a series, and spend a week writing a piece to perform and record. I was able to make time for rehearsals and hop from city to city on jobs. I also realised that I could travel around South Africa learning, working and making money, and I was sold.”

Having a varied schedule is exciting, but it can get overwhelming. When you’re juggling multiple employers or clients, planning and communication are critical, Mapoma cautions. “The most important thing is to make sure that there is enough time between one job and the next, so that I have time to prepare. I’ve also learnt to be honest with my employers about time frames, so that I’m not chasing my tail and missing deadlines.”

Managing these relationships is important and integral for Mapoma to continue her unique career. She has no plans of sticking to just one job.

“I have found that the paths I have chosen all link and coexist, and that makes my life a lot easier and happier.”