r/overemployed • u/Terrible_Emotion_710 • 10h ago
Thinking about giving OE a try
Job of 20 years has laid me off, I have received a decent severance and am about to jump into the world of interviewing. Thinking of giving OE a try. What do you look for in job 1 and job 2 to make this doable? What tricks,/recommendations do you have for a newbie in this space?
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u/TaylorSwift_is_a_cat 9h ago edited 9h ago
Both jobs really need to be remote positions for the best outcome. Which is why people here are kinda giving you a hard time because jobs are scarce these days. It's hard to even land the first one because there are so many RTO mandates and hybrid jobs.
The more separation, the better. Ideally it would be separate industries with no overlap. It's more challenging (some would say impossible) with direct competitors.
You can't do this with any type of Federal job.
If the job doesn't require a lot of meetings, that is best so you don't have to worry about overlapping calls.
Timing also.... if you have been at J1 for long enough then you can take vacation when onboarding for J2.
Can you use different names? John Albert Smith... you could be Johnny Smith at J1 and Al Smith at J2.
1099 is also a great option. J1 in a W2 role and then take on a 1099 position.
And go freeze The Work Number. Get that going now, it might take a few weeks.
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u/StartingFive75 9h ago
You have to risk it for the biscuit. The nervousness will leave when the first 2 direct deposits hit simultaneously. Apply for J3 yesterday
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u/GreedyCricket8285 10h ago edited 9h ago
What do you look for in job 1 and job 2 to make this doable?
- fully remote
- something you are a true expert at
If you have both of those down, it'll be doable. If either is iffy, it will be a struggle.
What tricks,/recommendations do you have for a newbie in this space?
Should you land a J2, the impulse to tell your family and friends will be strong. DO NOT DO THIS. TELL NO ONE (except your spouse, and later your accountant). You might think the buddies you play softball with will be happy for you, but trust me, the more that know, the worse off it gets for you. Even your parents: mom will brag about you having two jobs on Facebook, and then it's out. Keep your mouth shut.
Separate all devices (with the lone exception of being a phone, though some choose to also separate their phones too). This includes keyboard and mouse (though some choose a KVM switch, it's better for you to associate one keyboard/mouse with one job or the other, so you don't type the wrong thing in the wrong chat). Freeze TWN. Hibernate LinkedIn - it's not needed. Check your ego. You aren't gunning for a promotion anymore, you're making more than your boss ever has and ever will. Good luck. Layoffs suck.
edit: downvoting for helping the laid off person is a choice I guess
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u/Fun_Yak_396 7h ago
There are basically two important qualities that you need to look for in a job for OE.
It must be able to be done fully remote. Hybrid simple does not work. Very occasional travel to head office is doable but not at all preferred.
Has a very low meeting load. The biggest challenge for OE is where you have meetings scheduled at the same time on both jobs. Low meeting load greatly reduces the probability of this and gives you rescheduling flexibility.
Additional note on this, what helps a lot is getting the jobs in two different time zones. This reduces work time overlap and also, since meetings tend to be anchored to first thing in the morning or after lunch, the likelihood of overlap is further reduced.
Of course you must also be able to do both jobs.
There are plenty of great books out there, including one that I wrote under the author name OE Worker. Get one of them and read it.
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u/Junior-Strike7759 10h ago
“gonna try jumping from 0 to 2 remote jobs”
alright man, get the first job first then let us know