Building sustainable careers: the case of multiple job holders

Abstract

With the increasing interest around multiple job holding (MJH) or moonlighting, where individuals hold one or more jobs in addition to a primary job, the sustainability of such work arrangements from a career perspective has come into question. The present study examined the experiences of multiple job holders (MJHs) and identified how they strived towards building sustainable careers. Based on semi-structured interviews with twenty-five MJHs, this study noted three different strategies employed by MJHs to build sustainable career models – (a) proactively leveraging time and resources by developing networks, seeking out diverse opportunities, investing in building their skills, (b) constantly negotiating boundaries between work, side work and non-work, and (c) enabling opportunities for recovery experiences through side work that facilitated autonomy, control, and mastery. Implications for individual and organizational career management practices are discussed.