One of the most important features of the moon is its phases. The phases are consistent and visible to the naked eye. Aside from the supermoon (visible only every 414 days), the “regular” moon is steady and easy to track its progress.
If you tracked your career’s progress, would you see a consistent cycle? Track your career in lunar phases*:
The new moon occurs when the moon is positioned between the earth and sun. Have you often switched jobs? Are you between jobs? The entire illuminated portion of the moon is on the back side of the moon, the half that we cannot see. Maybe there are opportunities that right now you just can’t see.
At a full moon, the earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new moon, but the moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us. Teachers and emergency room doctors alike will tell you the full moon is a trigger for atypical behavior. When you see a new opportunity, do you investigate? Is it time to try something new?
The first quarter and third quarter moons (“half moon”), occur when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun, showing exactly half of the moon illuminated and half in shadow. Perhaps your work life is balanced. If not, perhaps a moonlighting opportunity is in your future.
What is Moonlighting
The word “moonlighting” means to work at an additional job after one’s regular, full-time employment, as at night. You may commonly hear about locum tenens, which is often misunderstood to be only in lieu of another job, or a short term commitment that takes the place of your current full-time position. What you may not know is that locum tenens also includes vast moonlighting opportunities for people who want to pick up extra hours or days in addition to their current job, whether that be one time or as their schedule allows.
Moonlighting is also an excellent way to help you move your career to a new phase. Take the in-between lunar phases as an example. These phases fall between the phases listed above, which makes sense career-wise: how often are you completely in one category? Completely new, completely happy, completely balanced?
After the new moon, comes the waxing crescent. The sunlit portion is increasing, but is less than half. Waxing means growing. Are you growing in your career? Are you continually educating yourself in your field? A locum tenens or moonlighting opportunity can add money and experience to your life and career.
After the first quarter comes the waxing gibbous, with its sunlit portion more than half. After the full moon (maximum illumination), the light continually decreases, revealing the waning gibbous moon. Waning means shrinking. Is your interest waning in your current job? It might be time to try a new concentration in your field or visit a new employer without any long term commitments.
Following the third quarter is the waning crescent, which wanes until the light is completely gone — a new moon. Is your career going through similar phases? Moonlighting through locum tenens is a great way to get your career to the next phase.
*moonconnection.com
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By Melissa Hardin Baysinger