Need more options? Browse Jobs by Company, Date Posted, Job Title, and more job categories

Advice » Job Hunt Strategy » Getting Started » Six Career Tips for Job Jugglers

Six Career Tips for Job Jugglers

By Larry Buhl, Monster Contributing Writer

During this great employment drought, many professionals have been making ends meet through a variety of freelance gigs and part-time jobs. And the shift to temporary and contingent work is here to stay: A 2011 McKinsey Global Institute US jobs survey reveals that 58 percent of employers expect their workforces to have more part-time, temporary or contract workers over the next five years.

Some people enjoy the freedom and flexibility of working two, three, four or more jobs -- after all, if you lose one gig, you won’t lose all your income. Others find job juggling to be a hamster wheel: There’s pay, but the work isn’t necessarily leading anywhere.

Whether you’re working multiple jobs by choice or necessity, career experts have advice for turning your multiplicity of part-time work into the career you want.

Maintain Your Long-Term Vision

It’s easy to lose sight of your target career when you’ve been scrambling to take any job to pay the bills. “If you have income from a variety of sources, you need to constantly reevaluate what you’re doing to make sure you’re making progress on your five-year-plan,” says Kirk Snyder, assistant professor of clinical management communication at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and an expert on the contemporary workplace.

Build a Job Portfolio

Connect the dots between your vision and your jobs, recommends Darcy Eikenberg, founder of Red Cape Revolution, an HR consultancy. “Ask yourself how all of your income sources might relate to your overall career path and how [you might] create a narrative that says you’re a professional with a wide range of useful experience,” she tells Monster.com.

Snyder agrees, saying the best part-time jobs -- even if they don’t pay much -- will give you some skill or opening that will help open other doors. “Build a job portfolio by focusing on places that can take you somewhere and try to find a job there first,” he says.

Make Time for a Job Search

Even if you need the income, don’t take that fourth or fifth job if it will detract you from pursuing your career, advises Caroline Ceniza-Levine, career expert and founder of the career coaching firm SixFigureStart.

“Some people are tempted to work 70-hour weeks, thinking they’ll earn as much as they can, [and then] get around to their real career when their time frees up,” she says. “But it’s best not to do a job search in spurts. You should do it in a steady way.”

Ceniza-Levine also recommends doing pro bono internships in your industry, but only for a limited time. “If you’re going to work for free you should know exactly for how long and know what you’re going to get from it,” she tells Monster.com.

Stay Current in Your Industry

Ceniza-Levine urges job jugglers to join industry associations and network at every opportunity. “You’ll need to demonstrate your interest in and knowledge of your industry when you find a job you really want,” she says. “It would also help to get additional training, to stay up on innovations and to show an employer you’ll be ready to go on Day 1 when you’re hired.”

Protect Yourself from Getting Stiffed

Perhaps the biggest upside to a full-time job is the regular paycheck. To make sure you’re paid in a reasonable time frame as a freelance worker, have some kind of contract, says Sara Horowitz, founder and executive director of the Freelancers Union.

“If a contract is not possible, have evidence of an agreement,” she says. “Send an email saying, ‘I’m looking forward to working with you, and here is what we agreed to.’ That’s documentation you might need if you have to seek a remedy in small-claims court.”

Put Your Finances in Order

When you’re self-employed, financial discipline is crucial. If your employers are not reporting your taxes on a W-2 form, where taxes are taken out automatically, you’ll have to do some accounting and saving. “A rule of thumb is for every dollar you take in, 60 cents goes into your checking and 40 cents goes into savings to pay your taxes,” Horowitz tells Monster.com. “You should also look into low-cost group health insurance plans in your state,” she adds.

Rate this article:

Average rating:

Email to a friend

Join the Discussion

Latest Jobs

Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for University Relations

UW-Madison

Posted: 5/24/2012

Madison, WI, 537...

CNC

JORDAN TOOL CORPORATION

Posted: 5/24/2012

WARREN, MI, 4808...

Store Manager

Savoureux Corporation

Posted: 5/24/2012

Kansas City, MO,...

Medical Assistant

QTC Management, Inc.

Posted: 5/24/2012

El Paso, TX, 799...

Waitstaff, Bartenders, Line Cooks...

The Lazy Swan

Posted: 5/24/2012

SAUGERTIES, NY, ...

Want more personalized results? Update Your Profile

View All Latest Jobs

Browse Advice

Job Hunt Strategy

Resumes & Letters

Interviewing

Salary & Benefits

In the Workplace

Career Development

Featured Advice Resources:

Browse All Articles in this section

Rate this article:

Average rating:

Monster Advice Forums

Looking for Answers?

Get them on our boards:

Resume Tips
Job Search Advice

All boards

Join the Discussion

Monster Communities

Teaching Community: Where teachers meet and learn.
ArtBistro: Create and connect.
Excelle: Networking for the career-minded woman.
Nursing Link: Where nurses call the shots.
More Monster Communities

Monster Partners

Scholarships: Scholarships, financial aid and more ways to pay for school.
Education.org: Find top campus and online degree programs.
Military.com: Military portal for the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
Financial Aid: Scholarships & financial aid.
Staffing for Government Jobs: Staffing and hiring solutions for federal government agency jobs.
More Monster Partners

Job Hunt Strategy

Seven Job Search Mistakes New Grads Make

Even in an improving job market, there's little room for error when looking for your first job. Don't let one of these missteps cost you a career opportunity.

Resumes & Cover Letters

Cover Letter Checklist

Wondering whether your cover letter is the best it can be? It is if you can answer "yes" to the questions on this checklist.

Interviewing

Three Job-Interview Myths

In a job interview, things are not always what they seem -- or what you expect. Get the truth about three commonly held interview myths here.

Salary & Benefits

Jobs with High Lifetime Earnings

Want to earn the most money possible over the course of your working life with just a bachelor's degree? Consider one of these 10 lucrative jobs.

Attracting Candidates

Facebook for Employers: Make Friends, Not Fans

Recruiting? Go where the talent is. See why recruiters have befriended social networks.

Employee Sourcing

Employment Index

November Monster Employment Index Grows 13% Year-Over-Year, Tenth Consecutive Month of Positive Annual Growth.

Interviewing Candidates

Improving Interview Skills: Learn from the Experts

What’s the key to a great interview? According to experts: Practice, practice, practice.

Workforce Planning

Enhance your Small Business Marketing Strategy with Social Media

Social media. It’s everywhere. But how can it help you? Learn how to utilize social media even monetize it.

For Seekers

Campus and Online Degrees: Advance your career and earn more with an online degree.
Compare Your Salary: See how your pay stacks up to others in your field
Free Salary Wizard: What are you worth? Find out and negotiate a better salary.
Research Careers: Get information on jobs and career paths to help guide your choices
Questions & Answers: Find answers to all your career related questions -- powered by Yahoo! Answers
eLearning by Monster: Search our catalog of online courses and learn new skills.
Resume Distribution Service: Our distribution service puts your resume right in the hands of recruiters.
Resume Writing Services: Our experts will craft a keyword-rich resume that stands out in the crowd.
Other Services

For Employers

Career Ad Network: Target your job posting to more candidates on thousands of websites.
Hire Right Background Checks: Explore our background check packages to improve the quality of your hires.
Hiring Home Page: Find the best candidates for your business with Monster hiring solutions.
Job Postings: Find the right solution for your hiring needs. Starting at $99.
Power Resume Search: Monster's new search technology precisely matches people with your jobs.
Resource Center: Find staffing insights, labor trends, HR best practices and more.
Target Post: Connect with skilled, hourly and administrative candidates for only $99.

Social Media

Jobs on Twitter: Find jobs in your area and industry.
Monster Careers: Tune into our career advice and discussions tackling a wide range of topics and industries.
Monster Corporate & PR: Stay up-to-date on the latest news. Get the 'Who', 'What', 'When', and 'Why' on all things Monster related.
Monster Customer Service: Got a Monster question? We've got the answer. Whether you're a job seeker or employer, we can help you find the answers you need.
Monster for Employers: Find advice on hiring.
Follow Us: Check out our many pages and stay connected with the latest industry news, events, career advice and job openings.

Are You An Employer?

You may want to upgrade your browser.

Top Articles

Most Popular Jobs

Other Helpful Resources

Advice

Top Articles in Career Advice

Top Communities

Other Helpful Resources

Six Career Tips for Job Jugglers

Email to a Friend

Related Articles:

Latest Jobs

Browse All Articles in this section

Browse All Articles in this section

Browse All Articles in this section

Browse All Articles in this section

Browse All Articles in this section

Browse All Articles in this section

Looking for Answers?

Popular Questions & Answers

Popular Job Searches

Monster Communities

Monster Partners

Job Hunt Strategy

Resumes & Cover Letters

Interviewing

Salary & Benefits

Attracting Candidates

Employee Sourcing

Interviewing Candidates

Workforce Planning

For Seekers

For Employers

Social Media

Other Links

|Chat With An Employer

Want to Chat With an Employer?