Should I take on a full-time job on top of my current part-time job?
November 9, 2014 11:00 PM Subscribe
Just started a great part-time job, and may have the chance at a great full-time job on top of it. Would taking the additional job be a good opportunity, or a setup for overwork and failure? I need help deciding if I can/should do both, given the chance.
I recently finished a one-year position and have been applying to jobs in my town within a very specific area of interest. There was an opening for Job A that's right up my alley (number-crunching, surveys, planning, etc) with a great, very established org. with lots of good connections to other agencies. It's only part time (this is flexible, but no more than half time), and the funding runs out in the middle of next year, but there's a good chance of extended funding or additional opportunities at this place in the future. I applied, got an interview, and the interview went well.
Then, after interviewing with A but before I heard back, another position (Job B) became available at a place I worked previously. It's a full time permanent position, also right in line with my interests, but is definitely a higher-pressure gig and involves a lot of salesmanship and relationship building that I can do but that doesn't come naturally/easily to me. I applied for Job B, and then got an offer from Job A, which needed a decision within a couple of days. After thinking about it, I accepted A's offer because it's a great opportunity and I definitely didn't want to pass up A in the hopes of possibly getting B and end up with neither.
I then ran into the folks from B and told them I'd accepted part-time Job A, and they asked if that meant I was no longer interested in B. I said I'd committed to A and so my availability was limited till Job A ends next year, but if that was something that worked for them then yes, I'm totally still interested in the chance to do B. KNOWING THIS, B called me in for an interview anyway, which felt like it went really well. Now I'm freaking out about what to do if I actually am offered Job B and have the chance to do both jobs at once. The number of about-faces I've done just in the 48 hours since my interview with B is making me dizzy. I may be borrowing trouble, since I don't actually know if I will be offered Job B, but I want to be prepared to make a good decision.
In theory, it is definitely possible to do both - the schedule for A is flexible, about 15 hours/week, with one day each week actually spent in the office, and they're ok with the idea of me having another job. B is aware of my schedule at A, and if they offer the job, are doing so knowing this. B is full-time, 40 hours a week. I've done this many hours of stuff in the past, when I was taking classes and working, but then all my classes were in the evening and I wasn't having to mash as much as possible into the 8am-6pm window. This combo would be stressful but would have a definite endpoint to look toward when the current round of funding for A ends in ~8 months. I lose hardly any time to commuting, as both jobs are less than 15 min. away by car. Neither choice is extremely lucrative - these are definitely nonprofit pay levels - though obviously 1.5 jobs pays more than .5 jobs. But partner and I live cheap and could easily get by on his salary alone, to the point that it's not clear what we'd even do with the extra income.
If I do both, I need to be able to do both well, partly for personal pride and partly because this particular field in this region has a lot of overlap of people, and I don't want to end up disappointing anyone on either side and hurt my rep. I am certain that I can do well at A, and if I'm not offered B I will be pretty content doing just A. However I am worried that if I'm reluctant to take on both it's just because I don't want to push myself, or am afraid of having to actually work hard to do well. Both jobs deal with what I love, though one (the full-time job, B) would be more demanding/emotionally challenging on a daily basis. If Job B offers me the position, should I take it and try to juggle both things, and run the risk of failure/burnout? Or should I turn it down and focus on being the best possible person in Job A, in the hopes of building good background and connections for future opportunities? Like I said, I've been weighing my options till I can hardly see straight and would welcome some perspective, outside opinions, or additional things to consider.
I recently finished a one-year position and have been applying to jobs in my town within a very specific area of interest. There was an opening for Job A that's right up my alley (number-crunching, surveys, planning, etc) with a great, very established org. with lots of good connections to other agencies. It's only part time (this is flexible, but no more than half time), and the funding runs out in the middle of next year, but there's a good chance of extended funding or additional opportunities at this place in the future. I applied, got an interview, and the interview went well.
Then, after interviewing with A but before I heard back, another position (Job B) became available at a place I worked previously. It's a full time permanent position, also right in line with my interests, but is definitely a higher-pressure gig and involves a lot of salesmanship and relationship building that I can do but that doesn't come naturally/easily to me. I applied for Job B, and then got an offer from Job A, which needed a decision within a couple of days. After thinking about it, I accepted A's offer because it's a great opportunity and I definitely didn't want to pass up A in the hopes of possibly getting B and end up with neither.
I then ran into the folks from B and told them I'd accepted part-time Job A, and they asked if that meant I was no longer interested in B. I said I'd committed to A and so my availability was limited till Job A ends next year, but if that was something that worked for them then yes, I'm totally still interested in the chance to do B. KNOWING THIS, B called me in for an interview anyway, which felt like it went really well. Now I'm freaking out about what to do if I actually am offered Job B and have the chance to do both jobs at once. The number of about-faces I've done just in the 48 hours since my interview with B is making me dizzy. I may be borrowing trouble, since I don't actually know if I will be offered Job B, but I want to be prepared to make a good decision.
In theory, it is definitely possible to do both - the schedule for A is flexible, about 15 hours/week, with one day each week actually spent in the office, and they're ok with the idea of me having another job. B is aware of my schedule at A, and if they offer the job, are doing so knowing this. B is full-time, 40 hours a week. I've done this many hours of stuff in the past, when I was taking classes and working, but then all my classes were in the evening and I wasn't having to mash as much as possible into the 8am-6pm window. This combo would be stressful but would have a definite endpoint to look toward when the current round of funding for A ends in ~8 months. I lose hardly any time to commuting, as both jobs are less than 15 min. away by car. Neither choice is extremely lucrative - these are definitely nonprofit pay levels - though obviously 1.5 jobs pays more than .5 jobs. But partner and I live cheap and could easily get by on his salary alone, to the point that it's not clear what we'd even do with the extra income.
If I do both, I need to be able to do both well, partly for personal pride and partly because this particular field in this region has a lot of overlap of people, and I don't want to end up disappointing anyone on either side and hurt my rep. I am certain that I can do well at A, and if I'm not offered B I will be pretty content doing just A. However I am worried that if I'm reluctant to take on both it's just because I don't want to push myself, or am afraid of having to actually work hard to do well. Both jobs deal with what I love, though one (the full-time job, B) would be more demanding/emotionally challenging on a daily basis. If Job B offers me the position, should I take it and try to juggle both things, and run the risk of failure/burnout? Or should I turn it down and focus on being the best possible person in Job A, in the hopes of building good background and connections for future opportunities? Like I said, I've been weighing my options till I can hardly see straight and would welcome some perspective, outside opinions, or additional things to consider.
Could you ask B to start at 60 or 75% or whatever, until A's end date? Since they already know about A, they might be open to this?
Personally, I wouldn't take on more than full-time for any extended period (having experienced how great my life is working less than full-time), but maybe you're fine with a 50+ hour workweek.
posted by ktkt at 12:26 AM on November 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
Personally, I wouldn't take on more than full-time for any extended period (having experienced how great my life is working less than full-time), but maybe you're fine with a 50+ hour workweek.
posted by ktkt at 12:26 AM on November 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
If both jobs are aware of and okay with your commitment to the other, go for it!
I've had two jobs for years; there have also been stretches when I've had THREE (two full plus one part time) jobs or two jobs plus night school --- yes, it is doable. The major thing I've learned is, do NOT have two SIMILAR jobs at the same time: for instance, don't be a Starbucks barista at the same time you're also a grocery-store cashier. (One of my jobs is working with machinery in a locked room where I normally don't talk to anyone all day; the other is a desk job in the middle of an active cubicle farm.) The idea is that two similar jobs will just feel like you're doing permanent, exhausting overtime on the SAME job; two different jobs might equal the same hours but that difference will give you a rest from each of them.
posted by easily confused at 2:22 AM on November 10, 2014
I've had two jobs for years; there have also been stretches when I've had THREE (two full plus one part time) jobs or two jobs plus night school --- yes, it is doable. The major thing I've learned is, do NOT have two SIMILAR jobs at the same time: for instance, don't be a Starbucks barista at the same time you're also a grocery-store cashier. (One of my jobs is working with machinery in a locked room where I normally don't talk to anyone all day; the other is a desk job in the middle of an active cubicle farm.) The idea is that two similar jobs will just feel like you're doing permanent, exhausting overtime on the SAME job; two different jobs might equal the same hours but that difference will give you a rest from each of them.
posted by easily confused at 2:22 AM on November 10, 2014
I would take job B and keep job A. A is going to end soon anyway, right? Maybe you can make an effort for a couple of months, save the "extra" money, and then continue only with job B.
If having both jobs doesn't work for you (stress, not enough rest, et), then if job A offers to stay longer, you just say "no, thank you" and that's it.
posted by divina_y_humilde at 3:57 AM on November 10, 2014
If having both jobs doesn't work for you (stress, not enough rest, et), then if job A offers to stay longer, you just say "no, thank you" and that's it.
posted by divina_y_humilde at 3:57 AM on November 10, 2014
It is certainly worth exploring a "transition plan" that involves less than full-time work at company B for the 6 months you're committed to company A - you'll still probably end up working more than full-time, but it would be a good idea to set expectations reasonably (example: I know someone in a similiar situation who had already committed to teaching classes for several clients, these classes involving travel & full-time work for a period of a week or so each.) If you do go this route, be sure to read company B's employment agreement, and if there's a clause saying they own all your work product, make sure you write in an exception for the contract with A.
posted by mr vino at 4:01 AM on November 10, 2014
posted by mr vino at 4:01 AM on November 10, 2014
If you're young and healthy do it, unless you have kids or or family commitments.
posted by mareli at 6:36 AM on November 10, 2014
posted by mareli at 6:36 AM on November 10, 2014
YEs, work both for a bit and then quit the part time gig. Don't be afraid of "actually working hard". Work hard while you can so you don't have to later.
posted by WeekendJen at 10:47 AM on November 10, 2014
posted by WeekendJen at 10:47 AM on November 10, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by HMSSM at 11:23 PM on November 9, 2014 [1 favorite]