Tag Archives: overlapping jobs

Working Alternative Work Shifts For More Money

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Yesterday, I took a personal day off from work and used that time to spend the day with my two kids (one is 11 years old, and the other is 8 years old).  Surprisingly we all had a great time and it got me thinking that perhaps it would be nice to spend more time with them as they grow over the next few years.  The problem is that work gets in the way, but what if I (or we) were to work alternative shifts instead, and at the same time make more money?

For instance where I work at my employer has both a second and third shift.  So let’s say I asked to be put on the third shift instead of the first shift.  Let’s examine the results if I were to be assigned to such a shift:

  1. I’d instantly make 20% more money because of the shift differential.  Cha-Ching, instant bonus!
  2. I would be sleeping when my kids are either sleeping or in school.  During the time they are in school, I’d be home before they get off of school, and this would work out perfectly.  During the summer, I could get a little sleep during the morning or afternoon, depending on what is going on.
  3. Since hardly anyone works 3rd shift and there isn’t much work to do for part of the shift, I might be able to work two jobs at once!
  4. I could even take my laptop in to work and do some side income work related tasks, obviously knowing that I need to do my shift related work first.
  5. There is even the possibility of juggling two jobs and working side income opportunities for a maximum of time usage.  Although this might be difficult, and the “Side Income” tasks would have to be fairly simple in nature.
  6. I would have more time to look for better paying jobs, which in turn might mean a dramatic jump in base pay.
  7. I would be able to work my side businesses during the day, when more people are available for meetings and talking.
  8. Another benefit would be that I could meet with professionals and city workers about issues concerning my side businesses.

Second shift would have some similar benefits, but because your working prime hours (when the kids are home), to me, it wouldn’t be as beneficial to work this shift… unless you could do it while telecommuting in to do it.

I think if you aren’t particularly crazy about your job, and you really value the time with your kids (and obviously get along), this might be a great opportunity.  I think the key to making it worthwhile is if you are willing to fully utilize the advantages of such a shift.  If you aren’t willing to take advantages of the perks, then even with the shift differential (usually 20%) it might not be worth it.  Personally, if I were working third shift, I would try to at least double my income!

Bests,

MR

Working Two Jobs At Once – Making Twice As Much

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I’ve just found out that one of my friends that I used to work with until recently made over $250,000 last year by working two jobs at once in the technology services area.

In 2010, since the economy appeared to be on the recovery path, he decided to quit working for the company that I currently work for and to start technology consulting as a contractor.  He’s contracting through a large company, but he also has his own business and also does some technology work through his own initiatives.  Last year an interesting thing happened to him!  There was a six-month stint where he was working two jobs at the same time, with nobody being the wiser and everybody coming away from the situation happy.  In fact, he’s still working at the primary company that hired him as a contractor.

Superman's Cape

Opportunity To Work Two Jobs

Through a contracting firm, he was able to land a six-figure job that was to last at least one full year.  He worked this job for a few months remotely, gained expertise with it and understood and performed it well.  Then a few months later, much to his surprise, one of his former clients recommended him to another company that needed work done in the area that he specializes in.  Normally, most employees would say, “Oh, thanks, but I already have a job“, and accept the single paycheck provided by the company that they are currently working for.  Instead of letting such great opportunities slip by (perhaps he read my article: Making More Money By Working Two Jobs At The Same Time), my buddy had different plans! 

He knew that the term of this new opportunity was only a six-month-long project and although related to the area his expertise was in, was really more of a software engineering task.  As an engineer of a project, you create and know intimately the design and functionality of the system you design better than anyone else.  Since he was the architect, he realized there is a great chance that when the hiring company would want modifications or enhancements done, they will do so directly through him since he’s the expert.

My buddy was able to get paid almost the same amount that he would receive working for the primary company that he was working for but in six months instead of a full year.  Not to mention additional work that the company that he designed the system for, might want to be done in the future.

So how was he able to accomplish this feat, by working two jobs at once!

How To Work Two Jobs at Once

  • He worked the first job for a few months before the second contracting opportunity became available.  So he knew what was expected and had developed a routine and work pace.  Initially, the first job required him to travel to the company location to ramp up his understanding of the company, their expectations, and to develop face-to-face relationships.  This worked out, enabling him to establish a rapport with his employers!
  • He worked both jobs remotely, in fact, each jobs were indifferent states entirely different from the one he currently lives in. The great distance made it easier to work both jobs because he couldn’t drive to work.
  • Since the six-month contract was more of an engineering task than a day-to-day operation kind of work, occasionally he would take a day off from the engineering job to travel for his primary contracting job for the occasionally required meetings.
  • The second job started an hour later than the first job, so the work shifts were staggered, but only by one hour.  So his entire workday was 10 hours long because he worked an hour earlier than his second job, and added an additional hour explicitly for the second job.
  • He cut out social and other performance-robbing activities during his day.

So overall, his multitasking contracting jobs by doing two at once worked out well for him financially.

Doubling Your Income By Working 50 Percent Less At An Additional Job

So some of you might be wondering how my buddy was able to practically double the amount he would normally make for the year by only working at a six-month job?  Well, since he’s not paying the contracting company a huge chunk of his hourly rate, he gets to pocket all of that money he would be required to pay them.  And since the rate he charges is twice the amount he gets paid from the primary contracting company, he makes out well.  Of course, taxes will be more of a pain, but that’s a different story.

This was an excellent real-life example of the article that I wrote about working two jobs at once in the past.  I wonder if my buddy read it, and later unconsciously was affected by the article?

Anyway, I thought it was an interesting example of my last article and I thought I’d share it.

Good luck,

MR