Dear SaaStr: I Can Do My Sales Job in 15 Hours a Week. Should I Take a Second Job?
I have a job now where I can got my number working 10-20 hours a week in sales. I can make 175k working 10-15 and if I put in 40 hours the output isn’t worth it, I’ll do around 220k. We own the market it’s a great product. I have a very relaxed manager, little to no pressure. I feel like I could easily do 2 of these jobs make significantly more then I would trying to find a higher paying more demanding job. Anyone have any experience with this?
I get it and even had some folks I’ve worked with do this a bit. It can sort of work. But — usually not forever.
A few learnings:
#1. If you really can hit your number in 10-15 hours a week in Job No. 1, don’t assume you can in Job No. 2.
There’s an inherent instability there.
#2. If Job No. 2 is harder, it can be extremely distracting. This can also in the end make Job No. 1 harder.
I see this again and again. Job #2 ends up taking up some much mindshare, even though it pays less than Job #1. So both suffer. Especially Job #1. It ends up getting harder and harder to do Job #1 quite as well in those 10-15 hours.
#3. Folks will eventually find out you are working 2 jobs at the same time. And they’re never happy about it.
Just assume they do and if you don’t disclose it, at least prepare for it. I find most folks working a second (or third) job hide it, at least in part. They claim they are “consulting” or “advising” for example, when it’s really a lot more. If your boss and/or CEO at Job #1 really believes in you and is counting on you, they’ll be let down when they find out you aren’t as committed as they’d thought. Even if in your mind, of course you can do 2 jobs at the same time “just a well”.
#4. Eventually, I find folks that do this almost always fall behind in Job #1.
It make only take 15 hours a week, but often it takes more than that just in mental energy and expertise. Job #2 again ends up sucking up a lot of that energy, leading to lower performance in Job #1.
#5. So … it’s often not as stable as you might think.
But yeah it can work for a while. Is it worth it though? What I can tell you is personally, the folks I’ve seen do this haven’t made it a full year doing both. Just something to think on.
