Q. I’m wrapping presents on nights and weekends through the holidays, and during the day I’m an IT director. I really like retail though! How can I do more than wrap and can I swap gigs?

A. Yes, you can swap gigs. Network while you’re at the side hustle, demonstrate a hard work ethic, even with wrapping gifts (meaning, no task is too small to put your work ethic on full display). See if there are other roles you can fill during your shifts as well to meet new people.

Set new goals: Do you want to work full-time on the sales floor? Maybe work in IT for this retail company, so same path, but different company? Or if you’re already set on wanting to swap IT director for gift wrapper, crunch numbers. You may enjoy the gig now because your responsibilities are different and perhaps lighter than running a department. So, enjoy the side hustle, communicate your interest in wanting to work there for the long-term, continue to prop that door open through meaningful conversations and a positive attitude.

Q. There’s a PR job I really want. I’m qualified for it and it will be an incredible jump in my career and salary, but they’re asking me to prepare five pitches for potential clients before my next interview. I feel like I’m doing work for free and this is also taking valuable time! What should I do?

A. I feel your pain. On the one hand, from the employer side, sample work is helpful to evaluate during the interview process and assuming they’re asking it of all clients (as they should be to be equitable and fair), they can compare and contrast entries.

That said, I completely see your point, too. You may want to express your concern for the time involved and the intellectual property you’re sharing with them through the pitches, so perhaps suggest instead of five that you can do two.

This way, they’re still getting writing samples as part of the interview process, but it’s not going to take a significant amount of time. Honestly, five seems excessive and then you may wonder if they’re going to rip off your work.

See how they respond to your polite ask — how they handle it could be a valuable insight into their culture and they may respect you for speaking up and being assertive. Good luck! This sounds promising and leverages the sample work — instead of looking at it as a drudgery, it’s an opportunity to shine. Good luck!

Vicki Salemi is a career expert, former corporate recruiter, author, consultant, speaker, and career coach. Send your questions to hello@vickisalemi.com. Visit www.vickisalemi.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @vickisalemi/Tribune News Service