The Enduring Rise of Slash Careers Today

It's astonishing to think that discussions about my book One Person/Multiple Careers continue strong even almost two decades after its initial release. The landscape of work has transformed profoundly in that time, yet the concept of slash careers—such as lawyer/artist or teacher/model—remains firml

It's astonishing to think that discussions about my book One Person/Multiple Careers continue strong even almost two decades after its initial release. The landscape of work has transformed profoundly in that time, yet the concept of slash careers—such as lawyer/artist or teacher/model—remains firmly entrenched and increasingly relevant in modern professional lives.

Does Your Professional Identity Feature This Key Punctuation Symbol?

Back in 2007, when I penned the book, I was deeply immersed in observing the rapid shifts in the nature of work and how individuals were adapting to these changes. Workers were increasingly comfortable weaving together multiple professional paths, proudly displaying their multifaceted identities through the slash symbol. These contemporary multitaskers, whom I termed 'modern moonlighters,' derived significant prestige and satisfaction from their uniquely blended career trajectories.

The inspiration for the book stemmed from a feature story I published in the New York Times spotlighting individuals like Angela Williams, who balanced roles as a lawyer and minister, and Rashid Silvera, a high school educator and fashion model. Williams captured the essence of her dual pursuits vividly: she would handle legal proceedings that sent people to jail during the day and offer prayers for their well-being in the evenings. Silvera, on the other hand, shared tales of dashing from his classroom to a waiting limousine for high-fashion photoshoots right after the school day ended. Unlike many educators who feel utterly drained by the 3 p.m. bell, Silvera expressed that his interactions with students left him brimming with affection and energy.

The response to that article was overwhelming, with readers sharing personal anecdotes about how their slash-oriented lifestyles brought them profound fulfillment and happiness. A recurring sentiment was, "You've finally given a name to the kind of life I've always aspired to lead." This feedback ignited my deep fascination with the topic, marking the official start of my long-term exploration.

Focused primarily on the American context, the book captured the spirit of its era. Lifespans were extending, as were working years, allowing individuals to amass substantial education, skills, and experiences prior to starting families. The rise of the internet democratized access to learning, while rendering knowledge-based and creative endeavors more flexible and mobile. Tasks like web design or freelance information technology could now be performed from virtually anywhere, such as a local café, freeing up space for complementary roles that demanded physical presence and real-time interaction—like massage therapy or live musical performances. Additionally, the cultural emphasis on entrepreneurship was surging, a trend that author Dan Pink had astutely forecasted in his vision of a "Free Agent Nation."

Historically, many working professionals and artists relied on side gigs to make ends meet, such as actor/waiter or artist/taxi driver combinations. Meanwhile, affluent individuals frequently pursued multiple high-level vocations to nurture their interests, echoing the Renaissance ideal or modern examples like athlete/restaurateur. What marked a fresh development was the widespread adoption of this 'slash effect' among ordinary people across society.

In 2012, I brought out a revised edition of One Person/Multiple Careers complete with an updated introduction. This came shortly after the worldwide financial crisis, during which the so-called 'gig economy'—a term popularized by Tina Brown in 2009—had firmly established itself. Slash careers proliferated further, but the motivation shifted from pure enrichment to sheer necessity for survival. The notion of lifelong employment with a single organization faded into obsolescence amid rampant layoffs and corporate overhauls. References to undergoing 7 to 10 or even more career pivots became commonplace. Moreover, the slash trend transcended borders, gaining traction globally. Journalists from regions in Europe, Asia, and Australia began reaching out, having observed the phenomenon in their own locales and seeking insights from my research.

Now, approaching two full decades since the original publication, fresh motivations have emerged to reexamine slash careers. This October, I'll head to Paris to present at the Salon SME, France's premier gathering for slasheurs. Credit goes to event organizer Alain Bosetti and writer Marielle Barbe for elevating slash terminology and practices to mainstream status within French society. Bosetti even launched a nationwide survey to monitor self-identified slasheurs, and the term now graces entries in two prominent French dictionaries. I'm particularly excited to explore how these careers manifest in a society with reduced work obsession, accessible education and retraining options, and healthcare systems that don't tether individuals to specific jobs as they do in the United States.

Key Insights into the Ongoing Development of Slash Careers

Here are several additional perspectives on how slash careers have progressed over time:

1. Diverse Labels, Timeless Concept. Prior to the slash era, terms like portfolio careers, moonlighters, and polymaths described similar arrangements. The entertainment industry long favored hyphenates. Subsequent nomenclature included gig workers, side hustlers, multipotentialites, and fractal executives. More recently, the Ampersand Manifesto podcast highlights individuals excelling in two or more unrelated fields. Among these, 'slashie' stands out as my preferred, more approachable alternative to harsher terms like 'slash' or 'slasher,' which I employed in my early writings.
2. Ubiquitous Presence of Slashing. Profiles on LinkedIn frequently showcase slashes or vertical bars to denote multiple roles. A frequent query in the past concerned presenting varied identities digitally; now, such openness is normalized. Certain companies actively promote it, for instance, by inviting a weekend yoga instructor on staff to conduct sessions during retreats or virtual wellness breaks. Platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr, alongside the booming creator economy, serve as modern enablers. As workplace visionary Rishad Tobaccowalla observes, we're witnessing the ascent of individualized work amid the waning dominance of traditional jobs.
3. Slashing Throughout Life's Phases. Following my deep dive into slash careers, I turned attention to encore careers—purposeful pursuits in later life stages. Conversations with numerous encore career participants revealed slashing as a common thread. Currently, my efforts center on cogeneration, fostering intergenerational partnerships to innovate for societal improvement. This prompts reflection on life cycles. Younger cohorts like Millennials and Gen Z engage in slashing at rates exceeding 50-65%, per assorted contemporary polls, often driven by financial pressures. As we mature, Gen Xers and Boomers like myself integrate past experiences or repurpose earlier expertise for sustenance. Virtually everyone incorporates slashing today, albeit tailored to their particular life juncture.
4. A Strategic Buffer in Volatile Eras. Artificial intelligence introduces fresh risks to job security, particularly for novices, while economic ambiguity makes employers hesitant across industries. In America, layoffs from nonprofits, government agencies, and universities are saturating the market. Concurrently, Gen Z rejects exploitative 'pay your dues' mentalities from firms that treat them as interchangeable. The lesson is clear: develop diverse revenue streams intertwined with personal purpose.
5. Recognizing the Worth of Uncompensated Contributions. The initial book devoted a section to parenting due to its profound influence on identity. In a contemporary edition, I'd broaden this to encompass caregiving for seniors, partners, or companions, plus volunteering, advocacy, and nonprofit governance—activities deeply intertwined with paid endeavors and central to self-definition. The global pandemic crystallized this, sparking a collective reevaluation of time allocation and valuation. No surprise that 'essential work' entered everyday lexicon.

While drafting this article, I took an Instagram detour and encountered a reposted 2018 New Yorker satirical piece titled 'Honest Dating Profiles of Punctuation Marks.' Skipping to the slash entry, it read: 'I’m an influencer/entrepreneur/social-media guru/small-business owner/technically unemployed.' A concept has truly permeated culture when it inspires such whimsical parody in prestigious outlets.