Vocational Vacations
It could be that you really haven’t started a career yet. Maybe you’ve worked a couple of part-time jobs or tried a few other ones that didn’t work out well. Any working person will tell you – it’s much easier to hold down a job when you truly love what you do.
During your next vacation why not consider making it a working vacation – in the vocation you always wanted. There are contact organizations that you can call to make the arrangements to be just about anything you ever wanted to be – but only for a couple of days. After that, all career-changing decisions are yours.
This vacation will be the most unique ever. You can try your hand at being an architect, a race car driver, a cowboy, or maybe a floral designer. These vocation vacations are arranged according to the career you want. There are skilled professionals in that line of work who will guide you along the way and help you to learn as much as you can, as quickly as possible. Although you likely will not become expert at the vocation in just a couple of days, you can experience enough to get a feel for the business, the work load, and the enjoyment level.
Before committing to the vocation vacation these companies usually allow a free-of-charge consultation for an hour or so with the person who will be your instructor. This not only allows you to be more knowledgeable before making the decision but also gives the instructor a chance to get to know you a little. He or she can get a feel for how much you already know about the vocation and in what aspects you’re most interested.
Although the instructing coaches in these places are usually great at what they do and have much experience it’s also important to have an instructor who knows how to teach. Since there’s much to learn in very little time the instructing coach must know techniques to improve the student’s ability to learn the most important aspects as quickly as possible.
Generally these organizations choose people who are well-known in their profession then select ones from that group who have had teaching experience with their own craft. The professional then attends a series of meetings to prepare him for the coming lessons. Lists of priorities in the field are made, teaching techniques are discussed, and general plans are made for the coming student. Still, it’s a good idea to ask for references before you commit to the expense of this vacation. Find out who manages or owns the organization, who your instructor will be, credentials of both organization and instructor, and other criteria.
One other thing you’ll want to inquire about: will you be the only student? Some people learn more with a one-on-one teaching method yet most of these organizations have groups of students attending the same vocational classes. On the other hand, the old saying, “Two heads are better than one” proves true in that you have the opportunity to view other’s mistakes and seek the opinions of the other students. And, there are other people who can help which is especially helpful if you are wanting to be in a messy or complicated vocation, such as cooking. With others to assist, you’re not going to be stuck with all the dishes and clean-up. In addition, you will meet new people and make new friends – ones who love what you love.
If the group setting simply isn’t for you try contacting the International Coach Federation who offers a free coach referral service so you can find a private coach. This will probably be more expensive than the group class but will offer a much different experience.
Some of the vocations offered by these organizations are: car restoration, choreographer, fashion designer, interior designer, make-up artist, music producer, radio personality, sports announcer, talent agent and wine maker. There are many other to choose from but take into consideration how far you will have to travel to get to the job location. You’ll will probably be required to travel to the professional’s place of business, wherever that may be located.
During your off hours take some time to enjoy other aspects of the vocation. For example, if you’re learning to become a chef visit the nicer restaurants in town and take notes on food, atmosphere and service. Want to be a marine biologist? Go scuba diving or visit a local aquarium.
You’ll love going to work when you finally become what you always wanted to be but if you decide the vocation isn’t right for you after all, what have you lost? You still got to play the role, if only for a couple of days, and you got to meet new people and see new places. And if you really loved the days you spent in your dream career why not consider a permanent change to the job you’ll love to love.
