How to turn your hobby into your job
You’ve made the decision - now it’s time to put it into action
Career Coach Karmjit talks through how to turn your hobby into your job.
We’ve worked through the big question: Should I turn a hobby into a job? If you’ve done the thinking, weighed up the risks and rewards, and decided to go for it, here’s how to make the leap in a way that’s sustainable, strategic, and sets you up for success.
Work out your timeframe
What else is going on in your life? Are you moving, getting married, or caring for family? Do you need to get a qualification before you can start earning? Be realistic about how long it might take to get set up, and factor in any big life events that could affect your availability or energy. I was buying a house at the same time that I decided that I could take the leap. For financial, practical, and well-being reasons, it made sense for me to complete the house purchase, move, settle in, and have a regular salary for a couple of months before leaving my job.
Make connections
If you’re moving into a completely new field, like I did, you’ll need to build a network from scratch. Go to events, join online communities, and connect with people already working in your chosen area. These relationships can lead to advice, collaborations, and opportunities you wouldn’t find on your own.
Set clear goals and red lines
Where do you want to be in 6, 12, or 24 months? What does success look like at each stage? Set measurable milestones and decide your “red lines” in advance. For example, if I haven’t reached X by X date, I’ll revisit my plan or explore other options.
Check your financial safety net
Do you have savings you can fall back on if things take longer than expected? A realistic budget can help you see how long you can sustain yourself while building your new career. In my case, I made sure I had 6 months’ worth of living costs in addition to my savings, so even if I didn’t secure one new client in that time, I’d be ok.
Start while you’re still working
If it doesn’t conflict with your current employment contract, start building your new career alongside your current job. This makes the transition less financially stressful and gives you a chance to test whether your new path works for you. For me, developing the Lowdown well before deciding I could monetise this passion really helped me generate an online presence, network and the professional profile in what I wanted to do, outside of my full time job.
Have a plan B
While you’re getting started, could you take on part-time work that’s connected to your new vocation? This can keep money coming in while helping you gain relevant skills and contacts.
Test before you leap
See if there’s genuine demand for what you’re offering before you commit fully. Can you take on a small number of clients or customers now? Do you already have proof of interest and maybe even a small client base? You’ll feel far more confident when you go all in. I would say that for me, this is the best thing I could have done for my career change. It meant that I could set aside some additional income for when I left my full-time role, I could make those silly and at times expensive mistakes when the stakes were lower, and, importantly, it made me feel assured that there was a demand for what I could provide.
Be open to feedback (and mistakes)
You won’t get everything right the first time. Learn from what doesn’t work, ask for constructive feedback, and keep adapting. Treat this as a learning curve, not a personal failure.
Be prepared to self-promote
In a new career, especially if you’re working for yourself, people won’t automatically know what you do. This was definitely on my mind when I made the change. I was known for political affairs and communications, a fast-paced and often competitive and cutthroat space. Whereas my work as a career coach was about supporting, empowering, and nurturing others in their career. It can take time to change those algorithms on social media and for people to see the evolved you. So even now that I am established, I need to consistently talk about my work, my journey, and explain who I help, how, and why I’ve chosen this career. This isn’t bragging - it’s how people discover you.
Turning your hobby into your job is as much about planning and persistence as it is about passion. Take your time, set yourself up for success, and don’t be afraid to shout about what you’re doing.
If you want to explore a career change with a qualified coach who has gone through it, consider booking in a 30 minute, no oblibation, free chat with me on my webpage.
