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> > I think, generally, a person who works round the clock on several jobs
> would be less healthy and/or alert (and thus less
> productive/effective)
> than one who balances work (one job) with leisure. I wouldn't
> call this
> prejudice. Just common sense.
>
> It depends too, of course, on the time management capability
> of the one who
> freelances besides holding a full-time job. That could be
> quite difficult
> to tell.
I've seen that attitude before... :-)
When reading the original question, I didn't make
any assumption that the person wanting to moonlight
was taking on a second 40(plus?)-hour/week job.
I got the impression of a desire to take on the odd
side contract for a bit of variety and some easy
extra money.
Now, this is not directed solely at Joo Khim TAN,
so how would y'all react if some employee of yours
revealed that in her spare time she was occupying
large numbers of after-work hours, but would try
not to get overtired or distracted... and the
activity was:
0) Working on some freelance contracts with a
substantial but not excessive time committment or,
1) Taking a degree at university or,
2) Teaching a course at university or technical college or,
3) Being the local equivalent of Mother Theresa
(i.e., undertaking some staggering charity effort) or,
4) Being a volunteer fire-fighter?
Hmm?
Do I detect a different reaction toward item zero
than toward the others?
Can't be the "self-improvement" thing. The moonlighter
is gaining additional experience in the very thing
you hired her for -- being a technical writer. Moreover,
she might be learning about additional tools and
techniques and just becoming more efficient, all of
which would tend to make her more valuable to you.
Sounds like self-improvement to me. :-)
Oh?
What's that?
You say you WOULDN'T applaud an employee known to be
doing ANY of "1", "2", "3" or "4"?
Right.
Oh. Is it the prestige thing?
Having a Professor-to-be, or Mother Theresa II on staff?
Ok, enough of stirring the bottom of the tank, er, ah,
I mean of course "food for thought".
I'll retire to the troll place now.
Cheers,
Kevin McLauchlan
kmclauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com
