Many people often find themselves needing or wanting to take on a second job. One of the primary advantages of working two jobs is the compensation. If a person seeks extra income to make ends meet, that second job can provide the ability to pay bills or gives an ability to afford the extras wanted to improve quality of life.
In addition to the economical factors, there are also a variety of reasons why people may opt to work more than just their primary job. For instance:
- The primary job might offer better pay, but the secondary job offers health insurance.
- A person wants to gain experience in a new industry and takes on a second position to get his or her proverbial foot in the door.
- Someone may not have much opportunity to network in his or her primary job, and a second position will help make important introductions.
- A worker wants to grow job skills or learn new ones.
Whatever the reason for taking on a secondary job, the advantages are numerous. Obviously, this decision is a very personal one, but if you're considering taking on a second job to grow your career, it might be worth the effort. Here is why:
Grow your job skills
Working two jobs offers a unique opportunity to increase the job skills you possess. In some cases, a secondary job can complement a primary job, and the skills you need for that job can be strengthened, along with gaining valuable knowledge. In other situations, you may find yourself growing a completely new set of job skills and talents by taking a second job. These skills can help lead to promotions or pave the way to change career tracks.
Build a diversified resume
Working two jobs can help when building a resume because you have the chance to list a variety of talents and experience to your resume. Often, unique skill sets obtained through a second position can give you a competitive advantage above other applicants due to the diversity of work experience that can be obtained through working in different positions or industries.
Increase your networking opportunities
Networking opens career opportunities, and through working two jobs you can get the chance to meet and connect with many more people. It could be that better career or business opportunities arise from the level of networking afforded by two jobs. For instance, a primary job may earn the money, but the second job may show you the way up the corporate ladder.
Great time management skills
When you successfully balance two job, you may find your time management skills significantly improve. This is a result of the need to manage both jobs and be able to fit all other obligations in life in between. The balance is not easy and, when successfully done, you may notice your ability to meet deadlines and other project management tasks grows to be very strong.
Working two jobs is not an easy task to accomplish, but can offer some really good benefits for those who want to take this route to grow their careers. The decision on whether or not to pick up a secondary job may come out of want or necessity, but whichever the case, a person may find the advantages gained affords good future opportunities where he or she may not have to work so hard.
Article sources
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/5-rewarding-reasons-take-second-job.aspx#slide=3
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/11/10/should-you-take-on-a-second-job