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Manage your portfolio career

An increasing number of people build their careers by combining several paid activities at the same time. This offers the opportunity to carry out different kinds of work, use a variety of skills or combine paid and voluntary work. A portfolio career can also give you the flexibility you need to balance work and family responsibilities. Use our guides, books, articles and links to find out more about portfolio careers as a career option.

What's on this page?

  • eBooks
  • Online articles
  • Useful links
  • Books and articles from the library

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Featured article

Exploring the rise of the portfolio career
Economia, 3 November 2016

Discusses the rise of the portfolio career and the opportunities and challenges it presents to accountancy professionals.

Career confidence with CABA

ICAEW members are entitled to free, confidential support from CABA, including professional career support.

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eBooks

The Library provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.

Terms of use: You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

Online articles

The Library provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use. 

Do I leave my current job to go it alone?

In 2015, Andy McLean, now principal of his own content marketing consultancy, had a day job with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). He describes how he piloted his business idea outside work hours, before approaching his employer with his business plans and agreeing a way to trial his business idea by moving to a part-time arrangement.

Establish your side hustle

Article offering guidance for professional employees on how to establish a side hustle.

Considering consulting? Ask these questions first

Advice for accountants considering independent consulting as the next stage in their career.

Build a portfolio career

Article on the role of the non-executive director and how it can form part of a portfolio life. Provides advice for those looking to become a non-executive director including how to gain suitable experience.

Are there good jobs in the gig economy?

With a growing number of US workers earning a living as independent contractors, freelancers and temps, the author discusses the rise of the 'gig economy'. The flexibility and financial gains on offer are discussed together with possible trade-offs.

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Useful links

ICAEW

ICAEW volunteers
Search the ICAEW volunteers website for current volunteering opportunities.

Non-executive directors
Information and resources from ICAEW on the role and responsibilities of a non-executive director.

The Library maintains dedicated subject pages on:

Guides

Bored with nine-to-five? Eight ways to build a portfolio career
With freelance careers becoming increasingly popular, this article by Suzanne Bearne offers tips on how to balance different roles and acquire new clients. Published by the Guardian on 26 September 2016.

What to do when you want to do everything: Could a portfolio career be right for you?
Article from Careershifters providing insight into portfolio careers. Includes the benefits of a portfolio career, potential downsides and how to get started.

Portfolio careers
Article from career coach Denise Taylor which answers common questions asked by those considering a portfolio career.

Portfolio careers (THE)
Article from the Times Higher Education supplement giving more details on portfolio careers as a career option.

Atom Content Marketing guides

Organisations

Accounting for International Development (AfID)
Voluntary organisation which offers qualified accountants the opportunity to use their professional skills during voluntary international placements. Assignments last between 2 weeks and 12 months and form part of an ongoing strategy to build the financial management capacity and long-term sustainability of non-profit organisations around the world.

Reach
Reach is a skilled volunteering charity which matches qualified professionals with suitable voluntary opportunities that will utilise their career skills. You need to register to see a list of volunteer opportunities available. The charity also runs TrusteeWorks which helps skilled professionals to find challenging and rewarding trustee opportunities.

VSO volunteer
The Voluntary Services Organisation website provides information on how to volunteer and lists current vacancies available for qualified professionals.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports by post or email through our document supply service.

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to book loans.

Can't find what you are looking for?

If you're having trouble finding the information you need, ask the Library & Information Service. Contact us by telephone on +44 (0)20 7920 8620, by web chat or by email at library@icaew.com.

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided ‘as is’ with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.