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Multiple Jobs? How Would You Do It?
MikeDawg asks: "With so much uncertainty in the current job market for tech workers, and with varying financial situations; are you required (or want) to work a second job? I'm in one of those situations. I work as a bartender during the days and weekends, and I work as a mainframe operator during the night. Often browsing classified ads for positions, I see ads for jobs that pay a minimal amount more than my current tech job, and a possibility for less stability (see this Slashdot Article). Do you think it would be a better idea for someone to work two somewhat secure jobs, getting paid a little bit less, or going for a higher paying somewhat insecure job? I also run into varying conflicts such as scheduling if I would like to try and maintain two jobs, which is never fun (Don't even ask about how happy my girlfriend is). So my question to you out there, would you rather work 2 secure jobs, that pay a little bit less than what you could be making, or would you rather get paid a touch more, and work for 1 less secure employer?"
Don't even ask about how happy my girlfriend is.
Don't worry, it never crossed my mind.
This space intentionally left blank.
If you are looking at jobs that pay marginally more than what you are currently making, maybe you can ask for a raise.
Scope out how much you could get paid for your job and ask for it. You won't get a raise magically (employeers like to pay less) but if you present your case to them logically maybe, if you are worth it, they will give you what you need.
I would rather work for myself, have absolutely no stability between jobs - but rake in piles of money.
If you have the option: keep one stable job - but your 2nd should be something that is risky but with potential for serious personal wealth if you strike it rich.
Start a small business doing something that you have always loved. Lean on the stable job for a while, letting it support you until your "dream" job takes over and is obviously the one thing that you should be doing (although it may take a while to figure out how to become profitable). Your job will be as stable as you make it - and vastly more rewarding than bartending or babysitting somebody else's computer.
My suggestion to you is to remember that no amount of money or paycheck is worth your happiness. If working two jobs for the added security helps bring you to a higher level of satisfaction with yourself, then do it... because that time spent at your job is coming out of your life!
Some people require the security. Some people require the money to survive. Some people are trying to save up for a better day. Some people want the benefits that Starbucks offers because the lame staffing company won't give out benefits. If I were you, I'd check my motivation and reasons for holding down two jobs and determine how important your reasoning is in your life.
"Would you rather be right, or happy?"
So much depends on factors that you don't mention here:
- What is your financial position, do you have savings to tide you over if your insecure job goes tits up?
- Does the insecure job offer things like exposure to technologies that would make finding another job easier?
- Could you use the free time you get from the new job to look for an even better job?
You have to weigh all the factors.
Maybe you should see if you can eliminate some unnecessary expenses. I mean, in the last three months, I've managed to demonstrate to myself that I can cover all my bills and still eat at only half the pay rate of my last job. Were it not for the car payment, I'd actually be making more on unemployment than I'm spending.
Canthros
I have a very secure job that pays a little less.
I've got great benefits though, and that more than makes up for the lower salary.
Personally, I have been consulting for over 7 years and taking the risk defiantly paid of.
Don't even have one job, you insensitive clod!
She sure seemed happy last night.. thanks for working late!
Don't even ask about how happy my girlfriend is
I'm sure your hand will survive, and may even be more useful with the added exercise of pulling pints.
Do you have one? I would rate long-term prospects over job stability. No the two are not the same. A job can be beneficial to your development, even if it doesn't last very long, and vice versa.
I've worked two jobs and juggled a university-education on the side and thought it was worth it because I was getting something out of it. What I got (appart from my degree) was a massive mental and physical breakdown. I'm still a little traumatised by it.
Two jobs may bring you money and stability during times of uncertainty, but these may continue for a while! And in the end you will have to find something more substainable anyway. Why not do that now?
Use fg, ctrl-z, bg and jobs.
"When given the choice between making more money and staying where you are, consider everything you love about your current situation. Consider your co-workers, your friends, and everything that depends on you at your current job.
Then quit being such an idiot and take the money."
I pass this onto you, and all of Slashdot, in the hopes that you will find it useful.
Blogging Weight Loss, Distance Education, and more at verlin.com
Hey, I know plenty of girls who would be delerious
to have a boyfriend with one job, leave alone two.
Why, with two jobs, you should be able to get at
least two girlfriends. Maybe twins. Not
that you have time for that.
-I like my women like I like my tea: green-
...on your situation. Are you:
/. (me included)is going to be able to help you with this one.
a) Single, Debt free sitting on some enough coin that if you lose the insecure job you'd have some time to get another job.
or
b) Divorced with an alimony payment, credit card debit, a new girlfriend to buy shiny things for student loans and living pay check to paycheck collecting returns on bottles to buy ramen noodles.
Maybe you need to work the 2 jobs steady until you can payoff some debit bank some sweet coinage, then check out the insecure job market again.
The point is look at your situation, figure out what risk you can deal with and make your choice.
No flunky poster on
-G
are you required (or want) to work a second job?
Depends on your point of view. I work full time. I go to school (at the non-friendly for working students school University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) 1/2 to full time depending on the semester. I maintain a seperate computer consulting business which breaks even each year (no real profit or loss - but there are other benefits). I maintain a home and family. I look forward to graduating and having a single job, and spending my time with my family and hobby of electronics.
I'm in one of those situations.
Which, you want to, or have to?
Do you think it would be a better idea for someone to work two somewhat secure jobs, getting paid a little bit less, or going for a higher paying somewhat insecure job?
At this point I choose security over better pay. however, neither of the choices you've provided are ideal. Keep in mind that if you take a less secure job that only requires 40 hour weeks then you'll have a lot more time for job searching and polishing your skill set than you'll ever have working for two jobs.
would you rather work 2 secure jobs, that pay a little bit less than what you could be making, or would you rather get paid a touch more, and work for 1 less secure employer?
Again, neither choice is good. It depends on the money and how you define 'secure'. The last several jobs I've had they realize very quickly how hard I work and how valuable I am. All of my employers, even those providing 'less secure' positions, have been unhappy to see me go. (I don't engage in bidding wars - when I decide to leave I leave. Bidding leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth)
So go for the job where you'll be happiest. If happiness comes from more security, less time, less money, and less flexibility, then stay in your comfort zone. If you can afford to take a risk (as a family man my risk level is low, but you may have much more space to move right now) then shoot for the stars. Show your stuff, and make yourself a valued employee.
As always, don't rely on someone else's opinion as to what you should do. Make a decision. Stick to the decision until, if ever, you decide it was a mistake. If it was a mistake then shift gears and correct your course. Don't ever think that you're stuck - there's always another direction to go in. You're only stuck if you say you are, etc, etc.
And don't use slashdot as a motivational resource - if you can't motivate yourself, then no one else will be able to motivate you when you most need it.
-Adam
It depends.
Reasons to avoid this insecure job:
o the company has a bad business plan
o the company has a boss who knows nothing about his business
o the company is incredibly small
o the company is going through layoffs
o the company has problems shipping products
o the company often requires insanely long hours (i.e. cars are in the parking lot at all hours)
o you get paid in a delayed fashion (not weekly/bi-weekly)
o your contract isn't ironclad (even if it is, you could still have problems)
o your employer doesn't like design documents (bad if you're an independent contractor)
o you've got a family and kids
Reasons to take/keep a job:
o the job looks good on paper
o this experience could get you another job in the future
o the job pays considerably more
o flexible hours
o your work at this job directly effects your success
o your very happy at your job
o your job is fun
Frankly, we've got no details about the job. So, I couldn't tell you either way.
What do you mean my sig is repetitive? What do you mean my sig is repetitive? What do you mean....
Just get two, maybe even thirty full-time work-at-home jobs. Then outsource them all to India, two workers for each job. They'll work overnight and during the days you take over, inspecting the quality, making sure the style is consistent, and writing out plans for the next night's work.
I'd never do that myself, knowing how it hurts the US job market, but it is a tried and proven strategy for success.
You obviously have the ability and willingness to do a number of different kinds of jobs. What is the fallback situation? If you go for the higher paid, but risky, job, how long will it take to get another bartender job?
Round here, tech jobs are pretty specialised and don't come up all that often. If you lose your tech job, it may be months, or an enormous commute, before another comes up. But bartender jobs come up all the time. There is a high turnover, and a lot of places where the skills needeed are essentially the same. New bars etc. seem to be opening every month or so. Nobody with a respectable level of experience in the catering industry need go without a job - of sorts - for more than a couple of weeks.
Likewise your mainframe job. Sounds quite specialised. What is the turnover? If you leave politely, explaining why it is a good career move, higher pay etc., arrange that they have you phone number for any "I forgot" queries, what is the chance they would take you back within a finite time?
Basically, what is the worst downside of losing the risky job? Of course it isn't nice losing any job - but if all that happens is you and up back at your current position after a couple of weeks, go for it.
Consciousness is an illusion caused by an excess of self consciousness.
I did the two-jobs-at-once thing for 4 years as a practical necessity. It wasn't bad, because the day job was something I sorta enjoyed, and the other was generally innocuous. They were both really steady, reliable work, but nothing that would advance my career. Then I got laid off from the day job (not so reliable after all). I finally ended up at a single job that pays better, but ranges from frustrating to boring. My job security is OK. I'd rather go back to the way things were. I'm coming to the conclusion that money and time and security aren't the things that will determine whether I'm happy in a job; enjoying the job itself seems to matter most.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
I think you have to look at the whole thing in aggregate. How good is the local job market? How much more money does it pay? How bad do you want to work one job? If you are really that unsure take a portion "extra" money you earn and put it into a rainy day fund. If you are building a good (general) skill set and building a good network of friends/business associates I don't think you can go wrong.