Blog: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Career

How to Turn Your Hobby into a Career

Photo Credit: Pexels.com

​If you’re in a job you dislike and are unsure whether you’re on the right career path, it may be time you considered making a change. If you have a hobby and spend most of your free time perfecting your skill, you could contemplate turning your talent into a full-time career. However, as you may well expect – this can often be easier said than done and doesn’t always work out how you anticipated, so you’ll need to do some deep thinking as to how you can make your ambition a reality. Below is a brief guide on how to turn your hobby into a career:

1. Start Slowly

It’s a huge sacrifice to instantly decide to give up your job and decide you’re going to turn your hobby into a career. When it comes to starting up a business, this doesn’t always work out so easily. It’s best to save up for a couple of months to cover the initial start-up costs and ensure you have enough money to live off before the business gets off the ground.

Developing your hobby into a potential career while you’re still in employment will give you a better understanding of whether your new venture will work out. Not all businesses succeed, and this can result in debt. Although working two jobs can be grueling, it’s a smart idea to test the waters before you decide to put all your eggs in one basket.

2. Learn Your Craft

In some cases, you may need to develop your training or education in order to thrive in your desired field. While you may have a natural talent or skill, enrolling onto a course in your niche will provide you with new theories and experience, and you can practice techniques to be the best you can be. Keen sportspeople, for example, very rarely get into the industry without attending university. This fundamental training course polishes their talent and prepares them for the industry. You can visit asmscholarships.com to discover more.

3. Make Connections

Thanks to the development of social media in recent years, it has never been easier to connect with professionals in various trades. Building relationships with like-minded people will allow you to share ideas and pick up helpful hints on how to make your dreams happen. You can meet people in your industry on the likes of LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook.

Do be aware that some people won’t be as willing to offer guidance as others. Remember that these people have worked hard to get where they are today, and if they have any inclination that you’re set to be their next source of competition, they may be stand-offish. It is best to take a complementary approach and allow them to open up to you, instead of constantly questioning them for answers.

4. Be Pro-active

We all have a dream or goal in life, but refusing to take a practical approach won’t make your ambitions happen. You must be pro-active every single day and make the effort to stick to a rigorous schedule. After work, spend 30 minutes each night on your hobby or craft – whether that be making new products, practicing your skill, or researching how to start your business. Being practical will get the ball rolling and give you a vague idea as to whether you would be happy to do your hobby on a day-to-day full-time basis.

5. Listen to Feedback

It can be difficult to hear the negatives about your business idea or future career goals from others. However, friends and family will have a crucial part to play in helping you make that all-important career change. Take a deep breath and listen to what they have to say. You’ll likely receive a mixed response, but taking feedback on the chin will help you see through the cracks and prevent difficult hurdles popping up that you hadn’t even considered. Having discussions with those closest to you and receiving support should give you the fire in your belly to prove what you are capable of.

6. Think About Whether Merging Work and Pleasure is For You

Before you make any final decisions as to whether you’re prepared to give up your current career and turn your hobby into a business, you need to contemplate whether you will still love it when it becomes your job. Because it is difficult to know what you’re getting yourself into for before you do it for real, it may be best to think it through for a while beforehand.

Remember, your hobby has always been your past-time to de-stress and unwind, but now you will be hitting targets and making it your main source of income. If you’re not prepared to lose the fun element of your hobby, it may not be the right decision for you.

7. Research the Market

You must understand what the industry is like before you decide to jump in. The image you have in your head may not be the reality. You need to ensure that you’ll be earning enough to maintain your current lifestyle and whether you’ll be facing too much competition to make a success of your new career. 
You can join small business forums to discuss certain aspects you’re not sure about and learn from others who are currently in the industry. Do as much research as you can to get an insight into what other businesses or professionals are doing to succeed and how you can stay one step ahead of the competition. 

8. Sell Yourself

Working in the creative industries or running your own business simply won’t work without a little bit of self-promotion. If you’re timid and introverted, you may find it difficult to sell yourself when you need to. Having the right attitude and knowing how to present yourself as a leader in your industry will convince others to take you seriously and potentially invest in you, which should, in turn, allow you to make a successful career out of your hobby.