What is slashing?
The concept of slashing has its origins in the English word "slash", which is used to separate two simultaneously practised professions. Introduced in 2007 by Marci Alboher in her book "One Person, Multiple Careers", the term "slasheur" quickly spread and became a trend in France.
Within different companies, this approach to work and career involves the accumulation of multiple jobs and/or activities. It's not simply a matter of holding several jobs out of necessity, but rather a deliberate desire on the part of the worker to :
- evolve,
- explore different fields,
- master various skills.
Slashing is therefore often a conscious and voluntary career choice. Slashing can take many forms. You can combine a full-time weekday job with occasional evening and weekend activities. You can also opt to combine a permanent contract with a complementary freelance activity. There is no predefined formula, and every slasher is free to arrange his or her schedule as he or she sees fit.
Is slashing for you?
According to Marielle Barbe, slashers all have one thing in common: they're almost all curious, enthusiastic people. They're quick to explore a variety of subjects, and comfortable making connections. Above all, these multipotentialists pursue the ambition of self-fulfillment, prioritizing personal development over material security.
Slashers are adept atself-assessment, constantly learning and able to assimilate new notions quickly.
The main fear of slashers is feeling trapped, which leads them to question their career path. However, these people are more prone to boredom and can easily lose focus. That's why rigor becomes an essential quality. Do you fit these characteristics? If so, perhaps you should start slashing.
If theidea of becoming a slasher appeals to you, here are a few simple tips to get you started. First and foremost, take the time to identify your needs, expectations, strengths and, above all, what motivates you. Get to know yourself! This will help you lay the foundations for your different activities and understand why you're doing them.
Take pride in your profile and your multiple skills. Being a slasher means embracing diverse sensibilities and possessing several strings to your bow. Be consistent in your work choices. It's better to have a common thread that guides all your activities than to go off in all directions to gain experience or make money.
If an activity or assignment doesn't meet your expectations, don't force yourself. Consistency, patience and logic are the keys to slashing. The main objective is to build a career path that suits you.
Adapt your CV to reflect your slasher activities clearly and honestly. Don't hide or lie about your experience and skills. Highlight your career path so that your interviewers can understand your motivations.
Be confident in yourself at last, and don't forget to network with companies and other customers! Being a slasher means staying alert everywhere, believing in multiple trajectories, professional reconversions, trials... You also have to go through failures, which are sometimes necessary to move forward.
What are the advantages of slashers?
The advantages of slashing are closely linked to the diversity of the activities involved. Slashing gives you a degree of financial stability. Slashing can enable you to combine a regular salaried job with a more variable freelance activity. You can reconcile a job that is often essential to your financial needs with a passion, while protecting yourself against the risks of unemployment and inertia.
This type of work is particularly interesting for those considering a career change. The slasher can try out a new activity while limiting the risks, thanks to the security of his or her main job.
Slashing is also a smart strategy for merging specific skills and versatility between two types of job. It allows you to bypass boredom in your life and expand your professional network, demonstrating your flexibility and ability to evolve in two distinct fields.
Through slashing, you take control of your schedule and the way you work. This organization facilitates the balance between professional and personal life, especially as remote working possibilities are more accessible. What's more, this organizational autonomy enables the slasher to acquire new skills through ongoing training, particularly as a self-taught person.
Slashing: what are the risks to avoid?
Although attractive, this way of working is not always an easy road to travel. From the outset, you need to choose your assignments carefully and avoid overloading yourself with work. The first risk is to give in to the temptation to take on too much for fear of not generating enough sales. But don't compromise the quality of your work, because only in this way will your activities and assignments be regularly renewed.
Start small, but work steadily. Gradually, you'll find your own rhythm. Only in this way will you build your confidence and take on more work. The temptation to procrastinate should also be taken seriously. Although slashing gives you the freedom to work whenever you like, don't get so carried away that you forget or accumulate your work assignments.
When you become a slasher, you can often find yourself alone at work, as opposed to being part of a team or company. Isolation can set in quickly: so find people who are also slashing like you. If you aspire to this way of working, surround yourself with others. Being alone is one of the biggest pitfalls to avoid.
To cross this boundary, the slasher can join specific communities where people with multi-potential profiles meet, understand each other and tackle their own challenges in the corporate world. This does a world of good and opens up new horizons. Working in coworking spaces, where other slashers are present, or simply meeting another freelancer in a café to motivate each other can also help.
Written by our editorial expert
January 25, 2024
