Trends in Occupations - Why Do We Work Multiple Jobs?

The chart above shows the percentage of multiple jobholders, by gender and the reasons for holding more than one job. More than 8.7 million people held two or more jobs in May 1997. More than 4.7 million were men. Over 4 million were women. Women who worked multiple jobs and maintained families numbered 577,000.

As expected, most people who hold more than one job do so in order to pay daily household expenses. This is especially true of women who maintain families. Fifty-two percent of women who maintain families and have more than one job do so to meet daily living expenses.

The percentage of men and women is nearly equal when it comes to getting a second job to pay off debts. The percentage is a bit higher for those women who maintain families. This could be because women who maintain families incur more debt. Women in general have lower incomes than men and have a tougher time making ends meet.

When the reasons are something other than meeting daily expenses or repaying debts, men and women have different reasons for holding more than one job. More men than women get second jobs to save for the future, to gain work experience, to build a business, or because they like the work on the second job. More women than men, on the other hand, get a second job either to help out a friend (childcare, for example) or to get extra money to buy something special.

Women who maintain families are less likely to get second jobs to gain experience, build a business, or to help out a friend or a relative. These reasons may be seen as too risky (building a business) or unnecessary (gaining work experience when they already work at a job). Women who maintain families may concentrate on the monetary gains of a second job. Therefore, any job seen as not producing instant monetary results, may not appeal to them. Monetary concerns may be part of the reason so few decide to take a second job to help out friends or relatives. Time conflicts with their primary job, or family demands, may be another.

Interestingly, quite a few women who maintain families get second jobs because they enjoy the work. If the expenses are paid by the primary job, a higher priority is given to job satisfaction. Fewer women who maintain families get second jobs to save money.

In the next panel, we discuss the differences between men and women who maintain a full-time work schedule, but work part-time jobs.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor. "When one job is not enough." Issues in Labor Statistics, August 2000.