Episode 427: Under to over-employed and wibbly wobbly timey wimey
Sep 23, 2024
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The hosts dive into balancing dual employment, discussing the ethical dilemmas of working two jobs and the importance of transparency. They share insights on transitioning to contractor roles and managing workload tensions. The complexities of employment agreements and the implications of outside work are explored with humor. Additionally, they reflect on their own podcasting journey and the legal quirks that come with it, weaving in playful banter about corporate dynamics and personal experiences.
Taking on multiple jobs can create ethical dilemmas, making it vital to maintain transparency about workload with employers while avoiding burnout.
Adjusting to a different work culture, such as long hours at a startup, emphasizes the need for effective communication and managing personal routines.
Deep dives
Working Multiple Jobs is Challenging
Taking on multiple jobs can lead to ethical dilemmas and burnout. It is advised to consider the implications of accepting a new position while committed to another full-time job, as it can become overwhelming. The discussion highlights the importance of maintaining transparency with employers about workload and commitments. Options such as transitioning to a contracting role with the first company might better align abilities and expectations.
The Risks of a Demanding Work Culture
Joining a startup typically demands long hours and may infringe on one’s work-life balance. The anxiety surrounding managing two jobs simultaneously is significant, especially when adjusting to a typically intense work culture. There are concerns about unexpected increases in workload from the original employer impacting job performance across both roles. Ultimately, full awareness of each job’s demands and expectations is essential to avoid conflicts.
Navigating Time Zone Differences
Adjusting to a nine-hour time zone difference presents additional complications for remote work. Working late hours can hinder personal routines, particularly with young children at home. Strategies to align overlapping work hours can help ease coordination while reducing stress during new engagements. Flexibility on overlapping hours could be negotiated to enhance productivity without overextending work commitments.
Building Effective Communication
Effective communication is crucial when working asynchronously across time zones. Providing detailed updates prior to common working hours can streamline collaboration for teams separated by time. Establishing firm relationships during overlapping hours is essential in fostering cooperation and ensuring smooth project progress. Seeking advice from others who successfully manage similar arrangements could provide valuable insights into effective practices.
In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:
Hi! I enjoy your podcast a lot, been listening to it almost since the beginning before I even started to work in tech :-) I’d like to keep this one anonymous, though.
I’ve been working fully remote for a pretty small software company for a few years. The workload was very big in the beginning and I was learning a lot, but now I barely work a couple of hours every week and I’m mostly using what I already know. It’s fine, but boring. I have plenty of time to get another job as well, which is exactly what I’ve been looking out for recently.
I’ve been approached by a startup. They use many tech stacks across different platforms, so it would probably be a good place to learn a lot of new things. And the pay is better. But, they have an entirely different work culture compared to what I’m used to. They require people working there to be in office all the time, and work like 10hrs/day sometimes.
It’s my first time having the chance of working 2 jobs at the same time, so I was wondering could this actually work? What if the first company decided to take on another project soon and the workload increases again? If that happens should I tell them I have another job at the same time? I was wondering maybe you guys have had any similar experiences in the past you could share about… Thanks
I am living in Europe and got an offer from a FAANG company. I am on the one hand really excited about the opportunity but also a bit scared of the timezoneshift of 9 hours. The hiring manager already assured me that the team will plan meetings to fit into a 5 hour slot that works best for me. Meaning that I will have to work 6-11PM for sure and the rest is up to me. I have two kids (0 and 4 years old) and am excited to have more time in the afternoons with the family but I am also not sure how to adapt my life to such a schedule effectively to prevent burnout. What do you think about this (and please don’t tell me to quit)?
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