This story initially appeared on Enterprise Insider.
Lower than a 12 months into his first full-time job out of college, Jason, a 22-year-old software program engineer primarily based on the West Coast, determined he needed to earn some more money to complement his $75,000 wage.
Jason’s place was absolutely distant, and he instructed Insider he was in a position to get all his work executed in solely 10 to fifteen hours per week — so he figured he had the time to do one thing else.
He considered making an attempt out a aspect hustle like rising microgreens, taking odd jobs posted on Craigslist, or doing freelance programming work, however mentioned he finally determined to search for a second full-time or part-time job.
In November of 2021, he began a second full-time distant software program engineering position. Immediately, he mentioned he usually works 20 to 30 hours every week whole throughout the 2 jobs and earned a mixed $144,000 final 12 months, in response to paperwork seen by Insider.
And he hasn’t instructed both employer he is double-dipping. Jason’s actual identify is understood to Insider however has been excluded to keep away from any skilled repercussions.
“I needed to extend my earnings,” he mentioned. “I felt my workload at my first job was low sufficient, and I knew that if I could not deal with it then I might merely give up one of many jobs.”
Whereas juggling two roles could be worrying at occasions — like when he has overlapping conferences or receives sudden work — Jason mentioned that in some methods, his working association reduces his stress.
“I am extra prepared to say ‘No’ to duties at one in all my jobs since I do know I’ve a backup job,” he mentioned.
Jason is one in all many People who’ve taken on further work partly as a consequence of excessive inflation, however he is amongst a smaller group of white-collar staff secretly holding a number of full-time distant jobs to, in lots of instances, double their salaries.
However the window to drag this off could also be closing, as many firms are calling workers again to the workplace and itemizing fewer absolutely distant positions. As of March, roughly 13% of job postings have been distant, in response to the staffing agency Manpower Group, down from 17% in March 2022 however up from the pre-pandemic degree of 4%.
And as information of this phenomenon grows, some members of the overemployment group are anxious they will finally be discovered. Whereas holding two jobs without delay does not violate federal or state legal guidelines, it might breach employment contracts and get individuals fired, employment attorneys instructed The Wall Road Journal. It is already occurred to some staff.
The desk in his residence the place Jason often works. Jason by way of BI
5 methods to work two distant jobs and get away with it
Jason mentioned he makes use of 5 completely different methods to juggle each jobs and never get caught.
First, he mentioned he tries to overestimate how lengthy his duties will take to provide himself extra time to handle the workload from each jobs.
“If I end a job, I’ll maintain on to it for some time earlier than I submit it for overview,” he mentioned.
Second, he mentioned he makes certain he does not overperform at his jobs and appeal to additional consideration and assignments.
“Each time doable, I attempt to appear considerably incompetent in order that my coworkers are extra understanding after I take some time to complete a job and they also do not give me plenty of troublesome duties,” he mentioned.
Third, Jason mentioned he dedicates much less time to some work when he can get away with it.
“There are particular duties I’ve like reviewing different individuals’s work, so generally I cannot correctly overview their work in order that I’ve extra time to work at my different job,” he mentioned.
Fourth, he mentioned he is discovered to show down initiatives.
“Each time I get requested to tackle extra work, I’ll generally say ‘No’ since I have already got work on my plate,” he mentioned.
Fifth, he mentioned he makes certain his colleagues are conscious when the completion of his duties is being held up by others.
“Each time this occurs, I be sure to say this to my coworkers and managers in order that they count on the work to be delayed,” he mentioned.
Why he is not anxious about an overemployment crackdown
Since taking up two full-time distant jobs, Jason mentioned he has immersed himself within the “overemployed group” on-line — the r/Overemployed subreddit has 176,000 members.
He mentioned many members of the group are involved about overemployment changing into too widespread or receiving an excessive amount of press, as a result of then employers may work to determine and crack down on these workers.
However Jason mentioned he is by no means been significantly involved about this.
“I did not suppose sufficient individuals would be capable of handle overemployment both due to their profession, particular job, stress tolerance, need to work extra, and so forth and I nonetheless suppose that is true,” he mentioned, including that he does not suppose most employers would care sufficient to crack down on it — significantly if their workers are getting their work executed.
Going ahead, Jason mentioned that he hopes to dedicate extra of his time to a brand new enterprise he began final December, although it is nonetheless within the early phases.
Within the meantime, he mentioned he plans to continues to maintain working at each jobs, and that the additional earnings has helped him have the monetary safety and life he needs. He mentioned he is fairly frugal — he does not personal a automobile, hardly ever goes out to eat, and lives in a one-bedroom residence that prices $1,200 a month.
“For me, my present way of life seems like I’ve made it as a result of I just about have all the things I would like,” he mentioned.