So, here's the deal, folks. New York City's got a bit of a problem. No, it's not the rats or the subway delays. New York City is underpaid and overemployed. It's the fact that I'm underpaid and working like a maniac. But hold on, it's not just me—it's a whole circus out here.
Let me break it down for you. The notion of being "overemployed" embodies precisely what the term suggests: you're juggling more jobs than a circus clown. Now in today’s economy, this is becoming alot more common. Some people working in tech do such a thing where they consult, work for Airbnb and are employee #12 at a startup. They categorize these different “positions” —J1, J2, J3..etc., (Job 1, Job 2, Job 3..)
Now, you'd think this kind of hustle is normal for people in tech, right? But here's the kicker: it's happening in healthcare too! I'm talking about dentists in New York who are spreading themselves thinner than a New York-style pizza. I would say, there’s probably 70% of non-owner dentists with multiple positions – J1, J2, J3, J4… Now for people not in the health profession – for most other areas of the country, doctors typically practice in one location and occasionally also do research or teach at an institution on the side or vice versa. In New York, dentists work at 3…4..7..sometimes 10 practices depending on their scope of practice. They're like, "Hey, I work at J1 on Mondays in the Bronx, J2 on Tuesdays in Midtown..” and so on. Oh, and they live in Brooklyn!
This isn't some "I love my job so much I can't get enough of it" situation. No, it's more like "I need to pay the rent, so I'm going to work everywhere I can find." I have an oral surgeon colleague who told me his story of when he was fresh out of a 4-year residency, and was juggling a staggering 12 practices concurrently—a seemingly ludicrous feat, yet paradoxically emblematic of New York's professional landscape. That's dedication, or maybe just desperation, New York-style.
So here we are, in the city that never sleeps, where even your dentist is on a caffeine-fueled quest to work at as many places as humanly possible. It's a bit absurd, but hey, it's New York. You gotta hustle.
In a nutshell, New York City's got a unique hustle culture where folks are working multiple gigs like it's a part-time job Olympics. It's not just people in tech; everyone is getting in where they fit in. Whether it's dedication or desperation, one thing's for sure—people are trying to get that BREAD!