Indianapolis Star

Double duty

Many 'Echo Boomers' work two (or more) jobs for various reasons

By T.J. Banes

July 28, 2006

Forget the stereotype painting young adults as lazy freeloaders. Take Cory Ladipo, for instance.

Ladipo, 27, works multiple jobs: She's a paralegal by day and a massage therapist by night. She also works at a Starbucks a few nights a week.

Ditto for Brandon Matthews, 24. Matthews' "day job" is as an insurance agent. In the afternoons, he's a fitness center membership coordinator.

Matthews and Ladipo are among a growing number of "Echo Boom" members working two or more jobs. Some do it for the money -- to save up for a house, pay student loans or just make ends meet. But more and more are exploring different occupations -- one becomes a job, the other a passion.

Such work situations aren't surprising to labor experts.

Many people in their 20s have achieved two milestones of adulthood, said Timothy Owens, a Purdue University associate professor of sociology. They have some financial independence, and they've moved away from their childhood homes, said Owens. "But they haven't yet settled into their careers."

Because they're still exploring what they want to do in life, they take on extra jobs to test the waters.

"A fair number of young people are taking longer to make the full transition to adulthood," Owens said. "That doesn't mean they're immature; it just means that they're extending their youth. We're also finding that people who work hard find more meaning, comfort and sociability through their jobs."

According to a CBS News report, nearly 80 million "Echo Boomers" (those born between 1982 and 1995) are coming of age, making it the largest generation of young people since the Baby Boomers of the 1960s.

One difference: Only about a third of Baby Boomers' mothers worked outside the home. That number was higher for the mothers of the Echo Generation, said Owens.

"They have most likely seen not one, but two parents working hard and setting examples of two-earner families," he said.

That was the experience of Westside resident Tasha Holland, 26.

For as long as she can remember, her mother worked two jobs. Now, Holland is doing the same.

"It comes down to wanting to better myself," said Holland, who leaves her day job at a factory at 3:30 p.m. and spends the evening hours rocking babies at a Day Nursery location on Indy's Northwestside.

A graduate of Speedway High School, Holland attended IUPUI for two years and hopes to return in the spring to earn a degree in teaching or social work.

"Each job has its pros and cons, but at the day-care center, I'm getting to interact with kids and learn something I can use if I become a teacher," Holland said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 7.3 million U.S. workers held multiple jobs in 2003. In 2004, 5.4 percent of all workers 16 and older held multiple jobs. In Indiana, 5.2 percent of that age group held multiple jobs.

Working is a way of life for Ladipo, who makes $28,000 annually as a community prosecution liaison. At 1:30 on a recent Wednesday afternoon, she appeared in court to support the community in a prostitution case.

Her evening hours are far removed from the hubbub of city court. Waterfalls, aromatherapy and soft music accompany the work she does as a massage therapist at a local spa. In addition, she's still taking classes to complete her certification in massage therapy.

"I got into massage therapy to better myself, to have something to go to for relaxation after a hectic day. I work at Starbucks because I like tea, and it's a fun place to work. I meet a lot of interesting people," said Ladipo, who earned a degree in criminal justice from Ball State University.

"For me, it's either sit at home or work," said Ladipo, whose husband is a tennis pro/teacher. "We own our own house, and we like to go on vacations, and some day we want to have kids, so for now, working makes sense."

It makes sense for insurance salesman/fitness coordinator Matthews, too.

"I see both jobs as something people need -- exercise and insurance. It's one of those things where I love both jobs, and both jobs involve sales experience," said Matthews, who is engaged to be married next month. "Fitness was a natural thing for me. I've been working out since I was 13, and I've played every sport imaginable."

A graduate of Scecina High School, Matthews earned a degree in telecommunications from Ball State University. His first job was at a radio station an hour away from his Eastside home. When he tired of the commute, he searched for another job and ended up in another career. To stay connected with his communications degree, he works a third "seasonal" job as a DJ for weddings and parties.

"I've been working since I was 14, and I've done a little bit of everything -- working at McDonald's, busing tables, serving at banquet halls, and working retail. I don't mind it," said Matthews. "Most people my age don't know what they're going to do the rest of their lives, and I'm getting experience on the job."