The rise of moonlighting in China
An increasing number of young Chinese professionals are choosing multiple careers not only to make ends meet but also because the one job they have is not exactly what they want.
Zhou Huiquan is an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where she starts work at 7.30 am. At the end of the day she spends three hours doing ballet, and then at a time when most people would be in bed, she starts illustrating comics and working on her latest novel. She is rarely in bed before 1.00 am.
People like Ms Zhou who have created a “portfolio career,” in her case assistant professor/writer/illustrator/ballet dancer, have also been called “slashers.” The idea of having slash careers is growing in China. In a survey of 6,000 office workers conducted in 2015 by the Chinese recruiting website 51job.com, 40% of respondents said they were holding down more than one job.
The modern jobs market, particularly in large cities, offers young professionals more flexible employment and new platforms to pursue their career goals.
Hu Xiaowu, Deputy Director of the Institute of Urban Science at Nanjing University, said that having multiple jobs is more about economic security than a lifestyle choice. “In modern China, financial security no longer exists, unless you create it. To some extent, having multiple income streams is one of the best ways to create stability.” He also points out that it is more common for people to combine work that offers financial security with work that feeds a passion.
Gao Wei, a senior employment instructor at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, likened being a slasher to being a college student who has a major but still juggles a second major or minor. It is alluring but it can also be physically and mentally demanding.
In an article for IZA World of Labor on multiple job-holding, Konstantinos Pouliakas writes, “Multiple job-holding can help workers maintain their desired standard of living when their primary job does not provide adequate income. Moreover, skills acquired when moonlighting can influence subsequent occupational mobility—including a move to self-employment.” However, he warns, “…a second job may also be associated with greater physical and mental hardship. As such, policies related to multiple job-holding should shield vulnerable workers from being exposed to precarious or informal work conditions.”