Moonlight Without Getting Caught
Sometimes it takes a second job to pay all of your monthly bills, but unless you know how to moonlight without getting caught, you could possibly put your primary employment at risk. While some companies may not have a written policy that says that you cannot hold a second job outside of the company, they oftentimes frown upon it at the very least, and may internally use it as an excuse to pass you up for promotions or pay you a raise. They may even use it as an excuse to fire you.
Steps
- Choose a moonlighting job that is out of the public eye or is located as far as possible from your primary job.
- Think about a job like a stock person at a department store. This person helps in a back room and is rarely seen on the store floor.
- Choose a job like a mail or package sorter that again is located in the back room.
- Do your moonlighting job in your home. There are many at-home business opportunities available, and you can do them from the privacy of your home.
- Be discreet how you communicate about the job.
- Be mindful of who you talk about the new job to or around. This involves using discretion in who you tell, but also being mindful of where you spill the details. Having a conversation across the bathroom stalls isn't exactly the best way to keep a secret, so think about having such conversations off-site from your full-time or primary job.
- Being discreet in your communication also means with your social networking as well. If your boss or any coworkers are Facebook friends or can, in any way, access your Facebook site, don't post what a great night you had at your other job or while doing some other occupation. If you post it, they will read it. So use common sense when it comes to what you post if you plan to keep your moonlighting a secret.
- Only share with people who you think can keep what you told them in confidence. Don't tell the office gossip. Only tell your closest family and friends, and even then, make sure they can keep the secret, too.
- Keep your performance exemplary at your primary job so your second job doesn't come into question. If you give your current job no reason to reprimand you, having a second job, unless expressly forbidden, should be a non-issue.
- Don't do anything related to your other job during the company hours of your primary job. If you don't call attention to yourself, again, the second job should ideally be a non-issue.
- If you excel enough at your primary job, hopefully your will start to earn enough money so as not to need the second job.
Tips
- Don't moonlight in a job that requires that you make an impression on people or work in a very public place. Jobs like stripping, waiting tables and being a cashier put you in the public eye and can lead to being spotted in public and outed.
