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The New Normal: Working Two Jobs

Editorial Team

Since the recession began two years ago, many people who had comfortable full-time jobs with benefits and advancement opportunities are now cobbling together smaller jobs often at lower pay, The Wall Street Journal reports. Some economists think the shift could become permanent for many people.

Comments

  1. Judean

    In 2005, I received my Bachelor’s degree after going back to college as a non-traditional student. Although I was hired by the state and have a “decent” salary, I am a single mom and have to pay bills on just my paycheck alone. About two years ago, I started working part time janitorial work (again). It’s not a lot, but I can’t imagine not having the extra money, especially during this holiday season. Even after the new year, though, I’ll probably keep the extra money for savings or to pay off long term debt. It’s not all bad–my day job is pretty sedentary, and the janitorial work is like my workout! I certainly sympathize, though, with everyone else who must work 2 or more part time jobs just to make ends meet.

  2. Slissa

    I’m working two jobs now…and I have a full time job with a decent salary, the problem is in two years I haven’t had a raise or received a bonus and I was told that we shouldn’t expect a raise for the third year this year!!! So, now I work part time in retail for pennies, 8 hours Saturday and Sunday to make a measly $100 a week extra to help pay for the increase in the cost of living! It’s so depressing and I’m exhausted, and there seems like there is no end in sight. To add insult to injury, my full time job just had a meeting about how they are cutting even more benefits, not matching 401k as usual etc.

  3. Danra

    I agree with the economists. Having secured a Master’s Degree in business, I thought that securing a job should not be a problem. Don’t believe that people want to “pay” for the degree any longer. Going from corporate at $88-$100,000 to working a outside sales job and Starbucks–no where near the old salary. Been job searching for six months for a full-time office environment. Just not easy to find in Ohio.

  4. I started working two jobs since I was 18. I started working at CVS when I was 16, and then at 18 started Stop and Shop, because it was union and had benefits that I didn’t have to pay for. I still wasn’t making enough money by working those two jobs (CVS cut my hours to 5 hrs a week. Who lives on that?) and I gave CVS my two weeks notice. I started at D’Angelos as a delivery driver (min wage, plus tips and very little gas money) plus working at Stop and Shop, and for two weeks I was working three jobs. Once I left CVS, I worked two jobs until I started going back to college. In college, I worked Stop and Shop year round, got a campus job working with kids, and during the summers I went back to D’Angelos. Until last year, when gas prices reached $4 a gallon, I stopped working at D’Angelos during the summer and just worked Stop and Shop. But, I worked at my college during the school years, so I worked 2-3 jobs a year. Now I have a degree, I can’t find work (I’m in RI, the smallest state which never had much opportunities to begin with, and now it has the 3rd highest unemployement rate), I just work at Stop and Shop, barely over $10 an hr, and have student loans. I signed up to be a sub teacher and I haven’t been called in. So I haven’t been making extra money in about 6 months. It’s frustrating because I deal with rude and unintelligent people at a supermarket, and my qualifications are beyond what I do now. The ecomony needs to pick up soon. I need a REAL job. Even if I get one, because I’m in so much debt from school, I’m sure I will be working at least two jobs, even if I get married or what have you, for a while. And I’m only 24.

  5. Glendale B.

    I got laid off March 2008 from my FT position of five years (while at a Doctor’s appointment) and have not been able to find anything “in town” for quite awhile. I now have a FT virtual csr position, a PT virtual csr/sales position, tutor for two companies locally, work for a search engine PT and write for an article mill PT-FT. Oh, and I’m listed to substitute teach in a couple of school districts. All of this in an effort to get the pay I used to, but still am not near making. I am down $1500 a month in income still. (My nights just get shorter and shorter.) Thanks to Tori for all of her spots on GMA! You helped me get where I am today!

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