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So which professions can pull off a laptop hobo lifestyle? Really, any profession in which you can deliver your product or service via the Internet, telephone, fax or mail. As technology advances we will be seeing a growing number of professions that can be conducted from afar. A few I’ve run into so far include:
- Educators
- Personal and Executive Coaches
- Real Estate Managers
- Neuroscientists (who can access scans via the Internet)
- Performers
- Artists
- Tech Professionals
- Web and Graphic Designers
Techie Professions
If you are a techie already you can probably figure out how/if your job can be done away from the office. Meet with your supervisor to discuss the possibility of a sabbatical or of working virtually. If you meet with resistance you may want to be ready with some negotiating ideas. Perhaps you can save the company money by offering to take a cut in pay if you can work from abroad. Alternatively, for some companies it may be a boon to have someone working in a different time zone (ie, “I can be working on the project while you sleep and then you can take up where I leave off in the morning – we’ll have 24 hours of work in progress at all times”). It may also be a boon to have someone scouting a new area or with the ability to make contact with clients abroad. Whatever might work for your situation–use it in your negotiations.
If you are an entrepreneur in technology with your own clientele, begin early to plant the idea that you may be meeting with your clients via telephone or Internet in the future. One way to make the transition is to begin with a move to phone and/or email interaction well before you leave. The move from “in person” to telephone and/or email is actually more major for your client that from “phone in the same city” to “phone/email across the world”. When you take on new clients be clear and direct about the fact that you will maintain your service while you travel. Explain thoroughly how you will maintain contact and deliver your product. Again, be willing to offer incentives for people to stay with you–perhaps a reduction of fees or monetary compensation for bringing you new clients while you’re away.
Service Professions
Many professional services are conducted via conversations (therapy, coaching, consulting, for instance). Check with your professional associations and insurance agency regarding ethical considerations and liability coverage should you choose to provide service via telephone. While some states forbid conducting therapy via telephone not all states are in agreement on this issue. Coaching as a profession has used the phone as a major means of interaction for years. Many types of consulting also have no need to be done in the flesh. Remember that many evaluation instruments used by these professions can now be delivered electronically and results sent directly to you via the Internet. Moreover, teleconferencing services allow for groups and classes to be conducted efficiently. You will find that many of these teleconferencing services are quite inexpensive and sometimes even free.
Educators
Like coaches and consultants who use teleconferencing as a way to deliver products to groups, teachers can use the same technology to deliver classes. Perhaps you deliver and market your own content to professionals. Many professionals are glad to be able to learn new skills or acquire CEU’s by telephone without having to leave their office. University professors? No problem. Universities and community colleges are quickly getting on board with the virtual world. Look to see what academic institutions are starting up online education and apply to them.
Arts Professions
Are you a fine artist, musician, or writer? World travel can be an inspirational experience, enhancing your art form and can be conducted in just about any setting. You may need to bring special equipment specific to your media (although you may find much of what you need in larger cities) but your most precious instrument (yourself) will be with you everywhere. Before you leave, remember who your clientele is and make a plan for how you will get your product to them. Many artists now use the Internet as a major marketing tool, bringing you the world as your audience. As an artist, you are in the lucky position of not being completely dependent on others to understand your spoken language. It may be very possible for you not only to maintain your audience on the home front but to develop a new audience in your new temporary home.
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