I work three jobs! I don’t need to, so why do I do it? I’m not crazy — I just love it! Sure, it eats into my free time a bit — holding down a full-time position and tacking on a couple of side jobs is not for the faint of heart — but for me, the pros outweigh the cons…
You enhance your skills
I’m happy that change management is the core work I do, but it’s important to me that I’m always pushing myself and learning more. That’s why I’m so grateful to be teaching Mathematics and English to children, as well as singing with a band. My teaching skills enhance my professional life by allowing me to communicate ideas more clearly and effectively, and singing enhances my presentation and cognitive skills.
You keep your other interests alive
Are you interested in only one thing? Doing just one job day after day can be weirdly confining to me. Maybe you enjoy baking bread or singing — whatever it is, you can probably find a gig that allows you to not only continue pursuing your interests, but also help you get better at them. Then, one day when you’re ready to take it to the next level, you’ll be able to transition into it with some real experience under your belt.
You expand your network
Working multiple jobs affords you the privilege of meeting and working with so many different people. You probably already know the importance of networking, but unless you are job hunting or need something specific from someone, you’re probably not actively going out to meet people. Working three jobs means I automatically have an expanded network of people who not only know me, but who can vouch for my qualifications — from the parents of my students to the people who hire us for musical performances.
You impact many lives
The best part of working three jobs is the impact I have on people’s lives. Teaching and performing on stage have allowed me to have a positive effect on so many people — from my students who graduate with full passes, to audiences enjoying and learning from the messages in my music.
Ashley Borris is a Talent Officer in UTC’s Human Resources Department. Apart from her role at UTC, Ashley has a passion for entrepreneurship — one of her favourite side gigs is tutoring young students.
