Need a New Job? Go On Vacation
'Vocation vacations' can help you find a new career in your time off from work.
Nov. 13, 2006 — -- As the holidays approach, there's been a lot of chatter lately about vacation packages -- not your typical cruises or European adventures, but rather clever gimmicks designed by savvy business people to capture our attention and our money.
You might have heard of a vacation in which you can dabble in a new line of work that you're considering. Vocation Vacations allows people to "test drive" the jobs of their dreams. And the best part? There's no need to quit your day job -- just sign up for a personal vacation doing what you think you'd like to do professionally.
From spending a week running a doggie day care center before you open your own to working two days as a radio personality before pursuing a permanent position, the company offers more than 75 different career experiences -- all while your boss thinks you're off sunning yourself on some sandy beach.
At hundreds or even thousands of dollars a pop, such work-while-you're-vacationing experiences don't come cheap. But it's probably a small price to pay to gain realistic insight to a new line of work before dumping your current job.
Vacation for Procreation
Then there's the procreation vacation. Marketing gurus in the hospitality industry have developed packages for couples looking for a very special type of fun in the sun. Instead of promoting perks like free breakfast or high-speed Internet service, these packages tout on-site sex doctors, exotic meals and erotic elixirs, as well as romantic advice and coaching to increase fertility and get lovers in the mood for, well, love.
All of these vocation and procreation programs are part of a new wave of services of convenience designed to help ease the stress of busy, overworked professionals. But wouldn't the best form of true relaxation and contentment be an ordinary vacation -- one where there's no agenda and, perhaps most importantly, no performance anxiety?
Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor on "Good Morning America" and the CEO of Women for Hire. To connect directly with Johnson, visit www.womenforhire.com.
