What is a portfolio career?

Built around a collection of skills and interests, though the only consistent theme is one of career self-management. With a portfolio career you no longer have one job or one employer, but multiple jobs and/or employers within one or more professions.

Benefits of a portfolio career

  • Better work/life balance
  • Variety and use of multiple skill sets
  • Autonomy so that they - rather than the NHS - control their fate
  • Freedom from Trust/organisation agendas and politics
  • Follow multiple passions for personal growth and fulfilment 
  • The pace and constant change
  • As a second career after retiring early from full-time employment, seeking new challenges and greater fulfilment.

What to consider when developing a portfolio career

Think about the HEE SCAN Career Planning Model:

  • Self-Awareness: supports you in considering what is important to you in your career
  • Career Exploration: lets you consider resources and strategies needed to inform the decisions you are making,
  • Arriving: at your decision allows you to weigh up the options
  • Next Steps: this helps you plan the actions you need to take to submit a good application to specialty or other post-foundation options. 

Find out more about the SCAN Career Planning Model 

Transferable skills you will gain include:

  • Communication skills
  • Empathy
  • Problem-solving
  • Coping with pressure
  • Professional integrity
  • Team working
  • Decision-making.

You will also develop skills for career progression, including skills in:

  • Teaching and education
  • Medical journalism
  • Research and innovation
  • NHS leadership and management
  • Advancing clinical practice
  • First contact practitioner.
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