Holding two full time jobs

So I've been looking for a second Network Engineer job that I could do in addition to my already full time Engineer job. After applying a few places I had an offer made for a Grave Shift NOC position full time.

So my schedule would be.
Second Job : 10pm-6am
and I'de shift my other jobs schedule to
Primary Job: 6:30am-2:30pm

I've just been more or less bored everyday and have nothing better to do. But I'm having reservations about taking on another job. My only off time would be weekends. At least with my Primary job I come and go as I please, and since most of the clients I deal with are east coast time shifting my schedule would be more beneficial to them.

Anyone else ever hold down two full time jobs? In IT? What are you're thoughts on this... I think I can do it. I just have a few financial goals, and having two full time jobs of this nature would help me meet them VERY quick.

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Comments

networker050184

Whoa, thats a pretty ambitious schedule. I don't think I could do it. If I was to take on a second job it would have to be something like delivering pizzas part time. I don't think I could handle two full time engineering gigs without getting burnt out quickly.

Good luck which ever way you go though.

earweed

A guy who just started working with me does this. His first job is all remote though so he does it from home. He seems to be getting along fine doing this and isn't planning to do it for much longer. He just kept his old job for now because he's been told he's being downsized in the near future and will receive a severance package whereas he wouldn't have gotten the package just leaving the first job.
What you're doing sounds a lot more difficult to manage so you should be careful to avoid burning out. Good Luck.

millworx

earweed wrote: »

A guy who just started working with me does this. His first job is all remote though so he does it from home. He seems to be getting along fine doing this and isn't planning to do it for much longer.

See this is my situation, Cisco lets me work from home, and I have a dedicated VPN router connecting me to the office, so I'm only ever in the office now when something physical needs to be done. So it is pretty manageable.

I don't think I could sustain a second full time job long term, maybe 9 months tops, but it would be a huge financial benefit. And I am also recently single so it's not as if I have anything better to do now

Turgon

millworx wrote: »

So I've been looking for a second Network Engineer job that I could do in addition to my already full time Engineer job. After applying a few places I had an offer made for a Grave Shift NOC position full time.

So my schedule would be.
Second Job : 10pm-6am
and I'de shift my other jobs schedule to
Primary Job: 6:30am-2:30pm

I've just been more or less bored everyday and have nothing better to do. But I'm having reservations about taking on another job. My only off time would be weekends. At least with my Primary job I come and go as I please, and since most of the clients I deal with are east coast time shifting my schedule would be more beneficial to them.

Anyone else ever hold down two full time jobs? In IT? What are you're thoughts on this... I think I can do it. I just have a few financial goals, and having two full time jobs of this nature would help me meet them VERY quick.

Unless you really need the money I would not do this and even if I did it would not be a long term thing. NOC work through the night is not good for your wellbeing particularly if you have work coming up in the morning. You are looking at working from 10pm - 6am, 6:30 - 2:30. So basically 16 hour days.

Even if both shifts are easy going you will get fatigue. If either shift gives you hard hours you will be tired hitting the next one. I would look for a bump in pay and responsibilities in your primary job or seek another one.

You need quality time for R&R and REM sleep. Expect neither doing this.

Mishra

Can't say I would ever do this unless I owed money to the Mafia and they were looking to get it back.

Good luck.

powerfool

I did this for a few weeks and I would do it again if both jobs were flexible. It was a pain for sure. If the job were even 50% of my current salary, it would be worth it for me... I could have my house paid off in three years.

mikej412

millworx wrote: »

I am also recently single so it's not as if I have anything better to do now

Um, CCIE Lab preparation?

millworx wrote: »

Anyone else ever hold down two full time jobs?

No. Just one job that sucked down the time of two+ full time jobs.

bigbadsad

Sounds like a fast track to an early grave.

I know someone who works in a hospital of a day, and breakdown service of a night (both non-IT related). In the last 12 months he must have doubled in size. He is a heart attack waiting to happen.

chrisone

2 fulltime engineering jobs? id rather donate my body to science lol

Aldur

Be careful doing this. My dad had a really good job at one of the local mines here, he made about 100k a year. He also owned a kitchen cabinet shop, which in itself was more then a full time job.

His job at the mine was shift work, so he'd work the day shift for a few weeks then go to the night shift for a few weeks. One day he was particularly exhausted from the cabinet shop when he went out for a grave shift at the mines. He leaned back in his chair and dosed off. Well it happened to be that the mine supervisor was there that night and caught him sleeping on the job.

He was fired 2 weeks later after being with the company for 20+ years... Then a year later the economy tanked and the following year he lost the cabinet business. Right now he's losing his house and is pretty much out of work.

If he would have just stuck with the one good paying job he would have been more then fine. But instead the $ in his eyes blinded him and he lost everything.

Turgon

mikej412 wrote: »

Um, CCIE Lab preparation?

No. Just one job that sucked down the time of two+ full time jobs.

I think you need to listen to Uncle Mike and myself. Stay on one job and knuckle down on the lab prep now you are babe free. There will be women in the future and they love CCIEs.

MickQ

Turgon wrote: »

I think you need to listen to Uncle Mike and myself. Stay on one job and knuckle down on the lab prep now you are babe free. There will be women in the future and they love CCIEs.

Hell, I had a couple come on to me just after I got my CCNA!

CompuTron99

Best of luck to you.

Will you have to drive from the 10-6 to the 6:30-2:30 job? I imagine that by the end of the week the fatigue can make for a dangerous commute.

ITVince

Dont make work your life man....there's much more to it then that, take your down time to learn new things, CCIE, CCNP are good suggestions, if you're bored challenge yourself with that. I've never heard of anyone looking for a second job because they are bored

. Find a hobby, enjoy life, especially if you dont need the money.

shodown

it all depends when I worked at a NOC the NOC lead was network engineer during the day. He would come in at 10 check everything. Then tell everybody "I'm going to sleep you got it. Don't wake me up for no bullshit" He would wake up at 430, take a shower do the 5am checks, leave at 6 onto his next job. He had this going and I only remember us having to wake him up 2 or 3 times as he let us learn what we needed to learn to.

Turgon

shodown wrote: »

it all depends when I worked at a NOC the NOC lead was network engineer during the day. He would come in at 10 check everything. Then tell everybody "I'm going to sleep you got it. Don't wake me up for no bullshit" He would wake up at 430, take a shower do the 5am checks, leave at 6 onto his next job. He had this going and I only remember us having to wake him up 2 or 3 times as he let us learn what we needed to learn to.

He should have been sacked. Its grossly unprofessional to behave like that. You stay switched on and ready to provide the cover you are employed to provide.

shodown

Turgon wrote: »

He should have been sacked. Its grossly unprofessional to behave like that. You stay switched on and ready to provide the cover you are employed to provide.

Holding a high level clearance kinda protects you from these types of things. Some people they just want there, no matter if they are working or not. Not saying I agreed with it, but finding a high level engineer with a high clearance isn't the easiest thing to do.

millworx

Well thanks for all the responses. I've thought about it pretty carefully and declined the offer. I think most people are right, I'de practically be a zombie, and lack of sleep would make me lose my focus. There are better things worth persuing at my leasure like IE at the moment. Thanks again guys.

ITdude

Turgon wrote: »

There will be women in the future and they love CCIEs.

Can you document that?

millworx

Turgon wrote: »

There will be women in the future and they love CCIEs.

If you find them, send them my way.

Bl8ckr0uter

millworx wrote: »

So I've been looking for a second Network Engineer job that I could do in addition to my already full time Engineer job. After applying a few places I had an offer made for a Grave Shift NOC position full time.

So my schedule would be.
Second Job : 10pm-6am
and I'de shift my other jobs schedule to
Primary Job: 6:30am-2:30pm

I've just been more or less bored everyday and have nothing better to do. But I'm having reservations about taking on another job. My only off time would be weekends. At least with my Primary job I come and go as I please, and since most of the clients I deal with are east coast time shifting my schedule would be more beneficial to them.

Anyone else ever hold down two full time jobs? In IT? What are you're thoughts on this... I think I can do it. I just have a few financial goals, and having two full time jobs of this nature would help me meet them VERY quick.

No dude. You can't do this without developing a 5 hour energy/nos/monster/drug addiction.

ITdude

Can you say Red Bull?

ITdude

millworx wrote: »

See this is my situation, Cisco lets me work from home, and I have a dedicated VPN router connecting me to the office, so I'm only ever in the office now when something physical needs to be done. So it is pretty manageable.

Boy, some people can't be happy with one job at Cisco!

FixOSGuy

Seriously spend the time getting certified or better educated.

Above all else, don't hold down 2 IT jobs. Because if you screw up one of them, it could come back to hurt your career.

rogue2shadow

I agree with the above guys. This can only lead to disaster. You may feel okay at first but after a good 1-3 weeks your body won't be able to do this naturally. This is two full time jobs we're talking about. Get that CCIE done and given the right opportunity and location you'll make more than the two potential jobs combined!

instant000

I'd only do a second job if it was part time, not FULL TIME! Like everyone says, if you have any problems at the first job, you'll be screwed for sleep.

I'm just not understanding how you can be awake so many consecutive hours and be "fully" effective.

I'm always having myself in the market for a little something part time (would prefer weekends only) but not full time. After I get off work, I like an hour to de-compress before doing anything else. I also like to sleep at least 8 hours a night. That leaves me with 15 hours left. Most jobs want you there 9 hours a day, which leaves 6 hours. My commute is 12-20 minutes, each way, so now I'm stuck with 5-5.5 hours a day to play with.

I do personal hygiene every day, and I eat dinner and breakfast at home, too That takes up another 2 hours. (Also usually eat lunch at home, too, but that's part of that 9 hours of work). Now, I'm down to 3 to 3.5 hours, and don't want to waste that time driving to another job. I'd rather spend it studying something, or adult pleasures (and I don't drink, you figure it out).

Getting two or three hours of free time a day is sufficient to keep me unwound.

I don't mind working every day (done it before in the military). However, I do mind not getting a break between work days, LOL.

Your schedule is too ambitious for me. That schedule only works for me if I could get by with three or four hours of sleep a night. (While I proved to myself that I could do this for a year in Korea, I would not want to do it again, LOL. I find that my mind is a lot sharper with at least 6 hours of sleep a night, and, like I say, I prefer 8.)

Mishra

millworx wrote: »

Well thanks for all the responses. I've thought about it pretty carefully and declined the offer. I think most people are right, I'de practically be a zombie, and lack of sleep would make me lose my focus. There are better things worth persuing at my leasure like IE at the moment. Thanks again guys.

You made a good decision.

Go study economics and learn how to invest to achieve your financial goals.

aldous

i really wouldn't do this. for one you'd be knackered after a while remember your only counting 16 hours work how long are you spending travelling,eating/showering/watching tv at the end of the day unless your one of these people that can throw the sleep switch and pass out you'd likely need at least an hour for wind down untill you get some sleep.

unless you need the money right now i would not go for it. if you need the money for something (house etc) chase down the CCIE and get the bonus. there may also be contracual clauses stopping you from doing a second job as well as potential invalidating things like health care (note that's pure opinion i live in the EU so laws are different but i know from friends that some US providers can be slippery and use any excuse )

also if the poop hits the fan they may want you to work on for a bit and saying " i got my other job to go to " wont go down to well

LoMo

I did two jobs for awhile but one was part-time at Wal-Mart on the weekends. Having no days off wasn't so bad. I did it for six months before quitting.