The continuing trend toward increased remote work has many benefits, for both employees and employers. But it has emboldened some workers – including those in recruitment – to disengage from their primary companies, and that’s not okay.
Duplicity Doesn’t Look Good on You
Having a side hustle to earn more money is a necessity for some people, or at least a significant help in terms of paying down debt, supporting loved ones, or saving or investing for the future. For others, moonlighting provides needed relief from the boredom that came with having so much extra free time on their hands, with nowhere to go.
These are valid, perfectly understandable reasons. But if you choose to moonlight, opt for a different field that poses no conflicts with your primary recruiting job. Otherwise, you’re wading into potentially dangerous waters, and the duplicity when it comes to your clients, candidates and even yourself – if you really self-assess – will eventually bring you down with a hard bang.
- When you have a recruitment work contract, clients let you into their systems and share their policies, contacts and processes, along with myriad of other confidential matters and data. This makes simultaneously supporting a competitor unacceptable and often unethical. You may not realize it or intend it that way, but you want to avoid those grey areas where lines can blur – even just ever so slightly at first, but then can vanish completely.
- Regardless of the nature of your second job, also take care to avoid daylighting, or double-dipping salaries during your core work hours.
Moonlighting May Not Even be Healthy
Remote work typically leaves more hours open in people’s days, as they save time by not having to commute or take so long to get ready for work every day. Healthy suggestions for filling this time include getting more rest, exercising, connecting with loved ones, or perfecting a new hobby. Or even working at that non-competing job, as long as the hours you devote are reasonable. Otherwise, fatigue, distractions and stress can result in decreased performance and productivity – and neither of your employers, nor you, emerge a winner.
If you’re in need of guidance to find the best possible work/life balance while building your talent acquisition career, reach out today to the Search Wizards team. We focus solely on connecting recruiting pros with the right employers for them and their goals, aspirations and lifestyles. We look forward to helping you find the right match and use all your time wisely and well.
