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Why Overemployment Is a Profession-Limiting Transfer



This text is crossposted from IEEE Spectrum’s careers publication. Join now to get insider suggestions, skilled recommendation, and sensible methods, written in partnership with tech profession growth firm Taro and delivered to your inbox at no cost!

Through the COVID pandemic, as distant work grew to become the norm, the concept of secretly juggling two full-time jobs gained traction. This was the “overemployed” craze, and the /r/overemployed subreddit ballooned to just about half one million members. The dream was to earn double the revenue, speed up the trail to monetary freedom, and subtly defy company America.

As we’ve come again to bodily workplaces, overemployment has change into much less widespread, however I used to be shocked when an engineer just lately informed me he was working two full-time jobs. He was having fun with the additional pay, however he was additionally stressed about protecting secrets and techniques from each his managers. Past the anxiousness of juggling two jobs, overemployment is clearly a career-limiting transfer for engineers.

Past the apparent contractual breaches—most full-time employment agreements explicitly forbid this type of moonlighting with out consent—overemployment is just a foul concept.

With overemployment, you’re basically making an attempt to “get by” in two roles. As an alternative of constructing robust relationships and genuinely contributing, you have to carry out a fragile balancing act, hoping neither employer catches on. That is extremely short-sighted. Your profession progress isn’t about accumulating firm logos; it’s in regards to the abilities you purchase, the affect you make, and the individuals who can advocate for you. You’ll develop exponentially sooner—and albeit, have much more enjoyable— if you happen to commit absolutely to at least one position.

The short-term monetary bump of overemployment comes at a steep worth; your coworkers will possible cease trusting you. This concern will increase as you change into extra senior. On the Employees or Principal Engineer degree, your job will rely upon the relationships you’ve constructed and your skill to work with (and thru) different individuals. Overemployment, particularly when it’s a covert operation, is a basic violation of belief. How are you going to present significant mentorship or really collaborate while you’re hiding a large a part of your skilled life? I don’t consider it’s doable.

The final word profession hack is sort of easy: commit absolutely to a job the place you’re surrounded by sensible coworkers in an organization that’s rising quickly. That is far easier (and extra moral) than overemployment. This recommendation applies equally to engineers who consider they’ll do a number of private tasks alongside their full-time job.

The compounding impact of actual ability growth, robust skilled relationships, and single-threaded focus will present considerably higher returns than any short-term double-dipping scheme. And it’ll be extra enjoyable!

—Rahul

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