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Vocation Vacations, Part II
I recently introduced you to VocationVacations®, the creation of Brian Kurth. The concept came to Kurth while he was stuck in Chicago traffic. Daydreaming while staring at the countless brake lights in stand-still traffic ahead of him, he imagined what life might be like as, oh I dunno, a winemaker. Or maybe a dog trainer. He thought it would be fascinating to explore such occupations through short-term internships taken as vacation time. A little research verified that no company out there was offering such internships.
The dot.com startup Brian was working for gave him a pink slip a few months later. To clear his head and examine his options, he took a six-month road trip across the U.S. and Canada. It was during this exploration that he realized that there was no time like the present to launch his one-of-a-kind business.
Next came a move to Portland, Oregon. After exploring his fantasies of being a winemaker through a vocation test-drive of his own, he launched VocationVacations in January of 2004. Today he is a widely recognized authority on vocation and lifestyle exploration. A book is in the works, and Brian has also signed a TV deal.
A real career catalyst
The folks at VV are quick to point out that test-driving a different job is not intended to be a quick fix. It is not a placement service. In other words, if you want to do something different right now, this is not for you. They view their service as an important step in a deliberate long-term plan to shift the direction of your life.
So who uses VV? Name a category, and you probably wouldn’t be wrong—attorneys, IT planners, teachers, clerical workers, people in insurance work—to name a few. The point is simple. Exploring a dream job is an option available to anyone. All it takes is the gumption to overcome the inertia of your present situation. And come to think of it, it really shouldn’t be that big a deal. Remember, you’re committing to nothing more than a few days of your time.
Many of the seekers who come to VV are just entering the workforce. Rather than just take something to be employed, they have a different strategy: Get it right the first time.
VocationVacation in your future?
Only you can answer that. But why not? It seems to be a high-benefit, low-risk adventure that just might change your life. The costs of a VV vary, of course, with the nature of the vocation you want to explore. They usually start at about $350 and range up to $2,000 for some of the more exotic explorations. Trips are one to three days, and you are responsible for arranging your own transportation and accommodations.
The VV website is an excellent planning tool, and you’ll discover far more detail there than I can offer in this limited space. On the site you’ll find an alphabetical list of their Dream Job Holidays and another list of VocationVacations in the making. There are also search functions, opportunities to “meet” their career coaches online and lots of other services, including testimonials from former vocationers. Looking for an ideal travel gift for the hard to please? This might be it. Gift certificates are available.
To visit VV on line, log on to www.vocationvacations.com. You can also call toll-free 866/888-6329 or e-mail them at info@vocationvacations.com.
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