Last month’s newsletter article broached the hot topic of side hustles. Among other things, we talked about how not everyone is okay with sharing and that transparency is critical from the start. We also discussed how the substance and timing of the side hustle can make or break a situation.
But there is more to discuss! So here we are with Part II!
- You can’t be two places at once. Picture this: you are single and a cute co-worker asks you out. Naturally, you say yes. But what if the smokeshow from your dodgeball league (whom you’ve had your eye on for weeks) also asks you out for the same day? Now what?
Now you have a problem, my friend.
Ditto for side hustles. What if your side hustle boss wants you to be in Poughkeepsie for a big event on Thursday? And then what if your full-time boss needs you to be in Seattle that same day for an important conference?
You can’t be in two places at once, and one of your jobs has to take priority.
Understanding which role will get priority is a must for any hiring manager who is considering hiring someone with a side hustle. (Hint: most hiring managers aren’t going to want to play second fiddle if they are hiring you for a full-time role.)
- Everyone wants more of your time, but unless you’re a vampire, you also need sleep. I remember talking to one of my single guy friends back when he was on Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and Match. His dating schedule sounded more convoluted than managing a carpool for a herd of tweens. I truly don’t know how he had enough time in the day.
Now let’s consider side hustles. Regular jobs require about 40 hours a week, right? But many of them will have busy seasons that necessitate more. And, of course, some jobs regularly require more than 40 hours…50, 60+ hours is not uncommon.
Imagine putting a 20-hour-a-week side hustle on top of that. Or what if it’s more? A candidate recently explained that his side hustle job takes up at least 20-30 hours per week! I’m no math major (art major, if you’re curious), but 40 + 30 = 70. That’s a lot of hours. And during busy times, it’s going to be more like 60 + 30 = 90. I hope the candidate is a vampire because there won’t be much time to sleep.
Job seekers with side hustles and hiring managers need to have very honest and open conversations about the hours required for both roles and how those hours might ebb and flow over time.
(Pro tip for hiring managers who encounter job seekers with side hustles that require more than 30 hours/week: wear a garlic necklace and keep a crucifix in your desk drawer. Just trust me.)
- Conflicts of interest can ruin a good thing. On one of our first dates, I learned my now-husband didn’t like dogs. I almost pulled the plug right there. How can someone not like dogs? Maybe not all of his neurons are firing? It’s almost worse than being a progressive!
But it turns out that he didn’t actually dislike dogs; he just never had one growing up. So, he didn’t understand what he had been missing out on. I introduced him to my beloved beast and the rest is history. Thankfully, our canine conflict of interest was short-lived.
But it’s a good reminder for hiring managers to explore potential conflicts of interest with job seekers (and for that matter, current employees!), especially as it relates to side hustles. What if your potential marketing director’s side hustle is to create marketing materials for similar organizations? Or what if your future event planner’s side gig is to plan events for other organizations in the liberty space? And what if your soon-to-be development writer’s side job is writing Shakespearean copy for similar organizations competing for the same donor dollars?
Pro tip: organizations might want to consider conflict of interest policies as well as non-disclosure agreements to mitigate risks.
We hope these thoughts on side hustles (and dating!) prove useful as you navigate the job/hiring market.
And if you do run across any liberty-oriented vampires who require no sleep and can work 90 hours a week, please have them send us their information here!
