Recruiting in a World of Side Hustles: Navigating Multi-Job Candidates

Introduction: Welcome to the Multi-Job Era

Not long ago, most candidates followed a fairly linear career path: one employer, one role at a time, maybe a side project for fun. Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape looks very different. A growing number of professionals now juggle multiple jobs, freelance gigs, or side hustles alongside their main employment. For recruiters and hiring managers, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Side hustles have gone mainstream. Surveys show that more than 40% of professionals today earn income outside their primary job, whether through freelancing, online businesses, or creative ventures. This shift isn’t temporary - it’s part of the new world of work.

So how do you recruit effectively when candidates may already have competing commitments? Let’s explore what this trend means, why it’s happening, and how recruiters can adapt.

Why Side Hustles Are Taking Over

There are several forces driving the explosion of multi-job candidates.

Economic pressure. Rising living costs mean that many people are supplementing their salaries with freelance work or secondary income streams. Even professionals in well-paying roles often pursue side hustles for financial stability.

Remote and flexible work. With remote jobs becoming mainstream, candidates can fit in freelance work more easily. The boundaries between “primary job” and “side gig” have blurred, especially for knowledge workers.

Shifts in career values. Professionals aren’t chasing the traditional ladder in the same way. They value independence, creative outlets, and entrepreneurship. A side hustle isn’t a distraction to them - it’s part of their career identity.

Technology platforms. Marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, and Gumroad make monetizing skills accessible. A product designer might freelance after hours, while a software engineer could build and sell apps.

Recruiters must recognize that side hustles are not just financial stopgaps. They are often integral to how candidates build careers in 2025.

The Challenges for Recruiters

Multi-job candidates bring unique complexities. Here’s what recruiters and founders often face:

Unclear availability. Is the candidate truly available for full-time work, or will the new role be just another plate to spin? This matters for fast-moving startups that rely on focus and speed.

Divided attention. Candidates with demanding side hustles may struggle to give 100% to one employer. For mission-critical roles, that can be risky.

Conflict of interest. In tech especially, candidates may work on side projects that overlap with their employer’s IP or market. Without clear agreements, this can create legal and ethical complications.

Burnout risks. Juggling multiple roles can lead to fatigue. That may impact productivity, reliability, and long-term retention.

Candidate honesty. Some candidates may downplay or omit their side hustles during interviews, fearing it will harm their chances. This lack of transparency makes it harder to assess fit.

These challenges don’t mean recruiters should avoid multi-job candidates. Instead, it’s about developing sharper ways to assess and engage them.

Spotting Multi-Job Candidates Early

The first step is awareness. Recruiters can pick up on cues that a candidate has more going on than what’s listed on their resume.

Profiles that showcase multiple freelance clients, GitHub projects, or entrepreneurial ventures are clear signals. Sometimes candidates proudly display these experiences. Other times, they’re tucked away - like a part-time Etsy shop, a consulting LLC, or open-source contributions.

Interviews are the place to clarify. Simple, open-ended questions work best:

• “What kinds of projects do you take on outside of your main role?”
• “How do you balance client work or side ventures with your day job?”

It’s also wise to frame these questions positively. You’re not trying to catch someone hiding a hustle. You’re trying to understand how it fits into their career narrative.

Finally, reference checks can help validate a candidate’s focus and reliability. If you want a refresher on making this step efficient, here’s a guide on reference checks for solo recruiters.

Turning Side Hustles Into Strengths

It’s tempting to see side hustles as red flags. But for many candidates, they’re proof of initiative, skill-building, and entrepreneurial spirit. Recruiters who reframe side hustles as potential strengths can uncover hidden value.

A marketer with a personal e-commerce store brings hands-on experience in customer acquisition. A developer who maintains open-source software is constantly honing their technical craft. A product manager who runs a niche newsletter demonstrates thought leadership and audience engagement.

Instead of asking “Will this side hustle be a distraction?” try asking “What skills has this person gained that could benefit our team?” Side hustles often accelerate growth in ways traditional jobs don’t.

For startups, this is especially powerful. Teams need versatile, proactive people who think like owners. Candidates with side hustles often bring that mindset.

How Recruiters Can Adapt Their Strategies

Recruiting in a world of side hustles doesn’t require throwing out old playbooks, but it does mean rethinking some fundamentals.

Redefine commitment. Instead of assuming every role requires exclusive focus, ask what kind of commitment you actually need. Could the position be part-time, project-based, or outcome-driven? More flexible structures can attract top candidates who want to keep their side ventures.

Discuss expectations early. Candidates appreciate honesty. If your company demands 100% focus, make that clear upfront. If you’re open to side hustles, say so - and outline what boundaries matter.

Address conflicts directly. Have conversations about intellectual property, time allocation, and non-compete agreements before making an offer. This prevents misunderstandings later.

Embrace portfolio careers. Instead of fighting the trend, design roles that work for people with multiple interests. This can make your company more appealing to entrepreneurial talent.

Invest in better sourcing. Finding candidates who balance multiple jobs requires sharper tools. Traditional LinkedIn searches won’t always reveal side hustles or secondary roles. Talent intelligence platforms are becoming critical to uncovering these signals. (We explored this shift in more detail here.)

Restructure your team to adapt. Recruiting strategies also depend on how your internal team operates. A rigid setup may struggle with evaluating nontraditional candidates, while more adaptive structures thrive. Learn more about building the right recruitment team structure for 2025.

Building Trust With Multi-Job Candidates

Candidates with side hustles are often protective of their time and autonomy. Building trust is key to making the relationship work.

That means showing respect for their outside projects rather than dismissing them. It also means demonstrating flexibility, whether through scheduling, hybrid arrangements, or outcome-based performance measures.

Employers who approach multi-job candidates with skepticism often lose them. But those who engage with curiosity and trust are more likely to win buy-in and long-term commitment.

The Future of Recruiting: Beyond the 9-to-5 Mindset

The concept of a “full-time job” as the default is fading. In the years ahead, more professionals will treat careers as portfolios - mixing employment, freelancing, entrepreneurship, and passion projects.

Recruiters who adapt to this reality will unlock larger, richer talent pools. They’ll also build teams with more diverse skills, perspectives, and resilience.

The key is to stop seeing side hustles as threats and start seeing them as signals. They show initiative, adaptability, and future readiness - all traits every employer should value.

Final Thoughts: Navigating With Smarter Tools

Recruiting in a world of side hustles is about balance. It’s about recognizing the challenges - availability, focus, and potential conflicts - while also tapping into the unique strengths these candidates bring.

The recruiters who succeed will be those who ask better questions, set clearer expectations, and embrace flexible models of work.

And most importantly, they’ll rely on smarter tools to surface the right talent in the first place.

Glozo helps recruiters and small teams navigate this new reality by connecting them to candidates across 30+ sources, predicting openness to new opportunities, and enabling direct outreach - all in one platform.

The side hustle era is here. Recruit smarter, not harder.

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