Second Jobs, Side Hustles, and Personality Types: A Study

Why Second Jobs Matter

Side hustles, freelance gigs, weekend shifts – working more than one job has become a normal part of modern life. For some people, a second job is a financial necessity. For others, it’s a passion project, a skill-building opportunity, or a welcome break from a primary role that feels limiting. Whatever the reason, second jobs raise interesting questions about how people balance their energy, ambition, and obligations – and personality plays a bigger part in those answers than you might expect.

To find out how different personalities experience the world of multiple jobs, we created the “Second Jobs” survey, asking 14 questions that covered a lot of ground: why people take on second jobs, whether they enjoy them, who works for themselves, who works for free, and how people feel about the whole arrangement – from long-term expectations to potential embarrassment. Over 3,500 people responded, representing all personality types, and the results paint a detailed picture of the second job as both a practical tool and a personal statement.

Overarching Findings: Practical Needs Meet Personal Energy

The clearest pattern in the second jobs data is also the least surprising: Money comes first. Income was the most common reason for taking a second job among all 16 personality types, outranking passion and skill development everywhere. Just as telling, only a minority of every type said they would still want a second job if a single job met all of their ideals. Taken together, these results suggest that most second jobs exist to fill a gap – financial or otherwise – rather than to satisfy a lasting preference for working two roles at once.

That said, some personalities clearly enjoy the arrangement more than others. Extraverted types generally reported more enjoyment of multiple jobs than Introverted types, and ambitious Extraverted personalities such as ENTJs (Commanders), ENFJs (Protagonists), and ESTPs (Entrepreneurs) stood out across several questions. These types were among the most likely to enjoy juggling jobs, to run their own side ventures, and to say they’d keep a second job even under ideal conditions. For them, extra work seems less like a burden and more like an outlet for energy that a single role can’t contain.

Sentinels tell a nearly opposite story. These steady personality types reported the strongest emotional investment in their primary jobs, the least interest in non-traditional employment, and – in some cases – the least sense of feeling “stuck” in their main role. Their second jobs appear to be practical instruments rather than escape plans. Types with the Prospecting trait leaned the other way, showing strong enthusiasm for freelancing and flexible work and treating second jobs as welcome relief from routine.

Perhaps the most encouraging finding concerns how people feel about all this extra work. Embarrassment about holding multiple jobs was rare in every personality type, and respondents overwhelmingly viewed other multiple jobholders in a positive light. Whatever hardships may drive people toward second jobs, the stigma around them appears to be minimal – and the sections below break down where each personality type stands, question by question.

How Personality Types Feel About Juggling Multiple Jobs

Plenty of people enjoy working more than one job – but enthusiasm varies quite a bit by personality type. Broadly speaking, Extraverted personality types report enjoying multiple jobs more than their Introverted counterparts, likely because juggling roles offers the variety and engagement that energize them. At the same time, a majority of every single type says that their primary job is the one they’re more emotionally invested in. The two survey questions below explore this interplay between enjoying the hustle and knowing where your heart truly lies.

Enjoyment of Working More Than One Job

When asked whether they generally enjoy having more than one job, ENTJs led the pack at 77%, followed by ESTPs at 73% and ENFJs at 71%. It’s telling that the top responses came almost entirely from Extraverted personality types. These individuals tend to draw energy from their surroundings and actively seek out stimulation, so an extra job may feel less like a burden and more like another arena for engagement. For ambitious, goal-driven ENTJs in particular, a second job likely looks like one more challenge to conquer.

At the other end of the spectrum, ISTP personalities (Virtuosos) were the least likely to say they enjoy multiple jobs, at just 43%, with INFP personalities (Mediators) close behind at 48%. Introverted types must manage their energy carefully, and splitting time between two workplaces – each with its own demands, coworkers, and expectations – can drain the reserves they need to recharge. ISTPs also place a high value on working at their own pace and on their own terms, which a second job’s added obligations may undermine. For these personalities, more work often means less of the autonomy and quiet focus they prize.

Emotional Investment in the Primary Job

Across the board, most respondents consider their primary job the one they’re more emotionally invested in. ISFJ personalities (Defenders) were the most likely to say their primary job holds their deeper emotional investment, at a striking 81%, with ESTJ personalities (Executives) not far behind at 75%. This fits the Sentinel profile well. These personality types are known for their loyalty and their tendency to form genuine emotional attachments to the organizations and projects that they’ve committed themselves to. For ISFJs especially, a primary job isn’t just a paycheck – it’s a duty and a relationship that they take seriously.

ENTP personalities (Debaters) and INTP personalities (Logicians) were the least likely to say their primary job is the one they’re more emotionally invested in – both at 59%, meaning even the most divided types still leaned toward the primary role. Both of these Analyst types share the Prospecting trait, which tends to scatter their enthusiasm across whatever currently captures their curiosity. A side project or second job can easily become the thing that truly excites them, even if it isn’t the role that pays most of the bills. Still, the overall consistency of this result suggests that, for most people, the job that anchors their livelihood also anchors their heart.

Why Different Personalities Take On Second Jobs

Money pushes most personalities into a second job, but it rarely acts alone. Passion and skill development also draw many respondents into extra work, and the emotional payoff turns out to be real: While most people don’t find their second job more rewarding than their primary one, a majority of nearly every type says the extra role offers relief from feeling stuck. The three questions below unpack what people hope to gain from their second jobs – and what they actually get.

Primary Motivations for Getting a Second Job

When asked the primary reason they got a second job, respondents of every personality type picked income first – but some leaned on it more heavily than others. ISTPs were the most likely to name income as their primary reason for getting a second job, at 58%, with ISFP personalities (Adventurers) and ISFJs (57%) close behind. It’s worth noting that many of the most income-focused types share the Observant trait, which keeps their attention on practical, tangible outcomes. For these personalities, a second job is less about self-discovery and more about a straightforward calculation: Extra work brings in extra money.

Passion tells a different story. INFJ personalities (Advocates) were the most likely to say passion drove them to a second job, at 35%, with ENFP personalities (Campaigners) right behind at 34%. This fits the Diplomat pattern of seeking purpose and creative expression in their work – when a primary job doesn’t feed that hunger, a passion project on the side often will. ESTJs stood out in their own way: They chose passion least often of any type but selected “developing skills” at 33%, the highest rate in the survey. True to form, these pragmatic personalities appear to treat a second job as an investment in their own competence.

Rewards of the Second Job vs. the Primary Job

Here’s a reality check for anyone romanticizing the side hustle: No personality type had a majority say their second job is more rewarding than their primary one. ENFPs came closest to a majority calling the second job more rewarding, at 45%, followed by ENFJs at 42%, with INFJs not far behind. It makes sense that Diplomats top this list. These types are the most likely to pursue second jobs out of passion, and work chosen for love rather than necessity tends to feel more fulfilling. For them, the second job may be where their ideals finally get room to breathe.

ISTJ personalities (Logisticians) were the least likely to find their second job more rewarding than their primary one, at 28%, with ISFJs at 30%. Again, the Sentinel pattern holds. These personalities invest deeply in their primary roles – recall that ISFJs were the most likely of any type to say their primary job holds their emotional investment. When your heart is already committed to your main workplace, a second job is unlikely to compete for that affection. For Sentinels, the extra work seems to serve a function rather than fulfill a longing, which may be exactly how they prefer it.

Second Jobs as Relief from Feeling Stuck

Even if second jobs rarely outshine primary ones, they clearly serve an emotional purpose. A majority of nearly every personality type agreed that their second job provides some relief from feeling “stuck” in their primary role. ESTPs were the most likely to say their second job relieves that stuck feeling, at a remarkable 75%, with ENFPs following at 68%. Both types share the Prospecting trait, which craves variety and chafes against monotony. For these restless personalities, a second job may function as a pressure valve – proof that their working life still contains options, movement, and the possibility of change.

ISTJs were the only type where fewer than half – 44% – said their second job relieves the feeling of being stuck in their primary role, with ISFJs just over the line at 52%. Rather than suggesting that these Sentinels suffer silently, the data likely points to something simpler: They may not feel stuck in the first place. Personality types with the Judging trait tend to find genuine comfort in structure, routine, and steady progress within an established system. When your primary job doesn’t feel like a trap, there’s simply less need for an escape hatch.

Do People Expect to Always Need a Second Job?

For most personality types, a second job is a temporary fix rather than a permanent fixture – in no type did a majority expect to hold a second job forever, and only a minority of every type believes that extra work is the only way to get ahead. That said, the gaps between types are telling. Some personalities seem to view a second job as a lasting part of how they live and earn, while others treat it as a bridge to something better. The two questions below explore how different personality types think about second jobs over the long haul – and whether they see that extra work as a necessity or a choice.

Expectations of Always Having a Second Job

Exactly half of ENTJs and ESTPs believe they will always have a second job – the highest agreement of any type, though notably still not a majority. ESFJ personalities (Consuls) followed at 46%. For ambitious, energetic ENTJs, this expectation probably says less about financial worry and more about temperament. These personalities thrive on busy schedules and rarely feel satisfied doing the bare minimum, so a permanent second pursuit may simply fit their vision of a full life. ESTPs, meanwhile, tend to chase opportunity wherever it appears, and an extra job keeps their options open.

At the other end, ESTJs were by far the least likely to expect a permanent second job, at just 18% – a striking contrast with their fellow Sentinels, the ESFJs. ESTJs pride themselves on efficiency and steady advancement, so many likely see a second job as a temporary tool rather than a lifestyle. ISTPs (22%) and ISFPs largely rejected the expectation of always holding a second job as well. Given that ISTPs were also the least likely to enjoy having multiple jobs in the first place, their answer here reads almost like a promise to themselves: This arrangement won’t last forever.

Belief That a Second Job Is the Only Path Forward

ESFP personalities (Entertainers) were the most likely to feel that a second job is the only way to get ahead, at 45%, followed by ISTPs at 43% and ESTPs at 38%. All three belong to the ExplorerRole, and the pattern makes intuitive sense. Explorers tend to live in the present and often find slow, structured career ladders unappealing. For these hands-on personalities, picking up extra work may feel like the most direct and tangible route to a bigger paycheck – something they can act on today rather than a promotion they’d have to wait years for.

Even so, this remained a minority view for every personality type. Belief that a second job is the only way to get ahead bottomed out at about 28% among ISTJs, ENFPs, and INTPs – three very different types spread across three different Roles. That spread suggests the skepticism isn’t tied to any single trait. ISTJs typically trust that hard work within one role will pay off eventually, while optimistic ENFPs tend to see many possible paths forward. Whatever the reasoning, most respondents apparently believe that getting ahead doesn’t have to mean working two jobs – a quietly reassuring note in a survey about hustle.

Self-Employment, Unpaid Work, and Where Second Jobs Might Lead

Second jobs are commonly self-run ventures, rarely unpaid work, and seldom expected to become a main career. Yet when the question shifts to non-traditional employment in general, enthusiasm jumps. A majority of most personality types say they’re more interested in freelancing or working from home than in a standard full-time job. The four questions below trace the shape of the second job, from who runs their own show to who dreams of leaving the traditional workplace behind entirely.

Self-Employment at the Second Job

ENTJs were far and away the most likely to say they work for themselves at their second job, at 77%, with ENFJs following at 65%. For ENTJs, this result feels almost inevitable. These personalities are natural entrepreneurs who trust their own judgment and rarely enjoy waiting for someone else’s direction, so a side venture of their own making suits them perfectly. The broader Analyst pattern supports this reading too – INTJ personalities (Architects) reported self-employment at their second job at 61%, and ENTPs landed nearby. Independence is central to how these types see themselves, and a self-run second job puts that independence into practice.

The lowest rate of self-employment appeared among ISTJs at 41%, with ISFPs and ISFJs sitting just above 40% as well. For the two Sentinel types on that list, the result fits comfortably with what we know about them. These personalities tend to thrive within established organizations, where clear expectations and proven methods let their reliability shine – so even their second jobs often come with an employer attached. ISFPs are a more curious case, given their famously free-spirited reputation. But running a business demands planning, structure, and self-promotion, none of which come naturally to these gentle, present-focused types.

Unpaid Work at the Second Job

Working a second job for free is uncommon across the board, but some personality types do it more than others. ENFJs were the most likely to say they work for free at their second job, at 32%, with ENTJs close behind at 30% and INFJs at 28%. The two Diplomat types here make immediate sense – both are driven by purpose and a desire to help, so their “second jobs” may often be volunteer roles, community work, or passion projects where meaning matters more than money. The ENTJ result is more surprising at first glance, though it may reflect a different logic: Ambitious builders sometimes pour unpaid hours into a venture today because they expect it to pay off tomorrow.

At the other end, only 16% of ISTJs reported working for free at their second job, with ESTPs and ESTJs similarly unlikely. These are some of the most pragmatic personalities in our framework, and their answers suggest a simple principle: Work deserves compensation. For ISTJs and ESTJs in particular, fairness and clear exchange sit at the heart of how they view professional commitments, so an unpaid second job may strike them as an arrangement that doesn’t add up. Taken together, the data suggests that unpaid side work is largely the territory of people chasing a cause – or building something that hasn’t started paying yet.

Ambitions to Turn the Second Job into a Career

Do people want their second job to eventually become their primary job? Mostly, no – this was a minority position for every personality type. But three Extraverted types clustered at the top, each with 40% wanting their second job to become their primary one: ENTPs, ENTJs, and ENFJs. It’s worth remembering that ENTJs and ENFJs also topped the self-employment question. For these confident, ambitious personalities, a second job often seems to function as a launchpad – something they’re actively growing rather than simply maintaining on the side.

ISTJs were the least likely to want their second job to become their primary job, at 24%, with ESTJs and INTPs also near the bottom. For the Sentinels, this echoes a pattern that runs through the entire survey: They remain emotionally anchored to their primary jobs and treat second jobs as tools rather than exits. The INTP result tells a slightly different story. These curious personalities often pick up side work because a subject fascinates them, not because they’re plotting a career change – and once the fascination fades, they’re usually happy to move on to the next interesting problem rather than build a business around the old one.

Interest in Non-Traditional Employment

When asked whether they’re more interested in non-traditional employment – freelancing, working from home, and the like – than in regular full-time work, INTPs and INFPs led all personality types, both at 76%, with ESTPs and ENFPs just behind. The common thread here is the Prospecting trait, which prizes flexibility and bristles at rigid schedules. For the Introverted types on this list, there’s likely an added draw: Working from home means fewer draining social demands and more control over their environment. Freelance life, with its self-directed pace, may simply match how these personalities naturally operate.

The holdouts were Sentinels. ISTJs expressed the least interest in non-traditional employment, at 44%, followed by ESTJs at 46%, and ESFJs also fell just short of a majority. These were the only types where non-traditional work failed to win over most respondents, and the reason seems clear. Sentinel personalities tend to value the very things that traditional employment provides – stability, structure, clear hierarchies, and a predictable path forward. Where Prospecting types see freedom in freelancing, many Sentinels likely see uncertainty. Neither view is wrong, but the gap highlights just how differently personality shapes what an ideal working life looks like.

Shame, Stigma, and Stability: How Personalities See Second Jobs

People feel surprisingly upbeat about holding more than one job – and they judge others who juggle multiple jobs just as warmly. Few respondents would keep a second job under truly ideal conditions, almost no one feels embarrassed about working multiple jobs, and a majority of every type views multiple jobholders as having more income stability, not less. The three questions below dig into these attitudes and perceptions – and what they reveal about the quiet respectability of the second job.

Desire for a Second Job Under Ideal Conditions

Here’s perhaps the most revealing question in the survey: If one job met all your ideals – income, flexibility, purpose, and so on – would you still want a second one? For every personality type, the answer leaned no. ENTJs were the most likely to say they’d still want a second job even with an ideal primary job, at 44%, followed by ESTPs at 40% and ENTPs at 39%. This tracks with everything else these types told us. ENTJs led the survey in both enjoying multiple jobs and running their own side ventures, so for them, a second pursuit isn’t a patch for a flawed primary job – it’s simply how they like to operate. Energetic, opportunity-minded ESTPs and ENTPs seem to feel similarly: One arena is rarely enough.

ISFPs were the least likely to want a second job under ideal conditions, at just 17%, with ISTPs and ISFJs also near the bottom. Notice that the least interested types are all Introverted and Observant – personalities who tend to value their time, energy, and personal space over an ever-expanding list of commitments. The broader takeaway, though, applies to nearly everyone. Since only a minority of any type would keep a second job by choice, most second jobs appear to exist because something is missing from the first one – whether that’s money, meaning, or room to grow. Remove the gap, and the extra work loses much of its appeal.

Embarrassment About Working Multiple Jobs

If there’s a stigma around working more than one job, our respondents haven’t internalized it. Across all 16 types, feeling embarrassed or ashamed about working multiple jobs was rare – agreement never rose above 13%, a figure shared by ENFJs and ISTPs at the top of the list. ENTPs were the least likely to feel any shame about working more than one job, at just 6%. Given how contentedly these debate-loving personalities defy convention, it’s hard to imagine them blushing over a side gig. But the more striking finding is the consistency: No matter the type, roughly 9 in 10 respondents feel no embarrassment at all about their working arrangements.

The small differences that do exist hint at familiar personality patterns. ENFJs, for all their confidence, care deeply about how they’re perceived and may worry that a second job signals something unintended about their success or stability. ISTPs, meanwhile, were the least likely type to enjoy having multiple jobs in the first place – so their slightly elevated discomfort may reflect frustration with the arrangement itself rather than concern about anyone’s opinion. Still, these are minor ripples in an otherwise clear result. For the vast majority of people, a second job is nothing to hide.

Perceived Income Stability of Multiple Jobholders

When respondents look at other people who work more than one job, what do they see? Mostly, financial good sense. A majority of every personality type said that having multiple jobs signals more income stability rather than less. ESTJs were the most likely to see multiple jobs in others as a sign of more income stability, at 80%, with ESFJs and ENTJs close behind at 78%. The strong Sentinel showing here is worth pausing on. ESTJs were the least likely type to expect a permanent second job for themselves, yet they’re the most likely to read multiple jobs in others as a mark of stability. For these security-minded personalities, diversified income apparently earns respect – even if it’s not the path they’d choose.

The most skeptical types were ENTPs at 61% and ISTPs at 62%, though even here, well over half saw more stability rather than less. Those who chose “less stability” may be reading the same situation from a different angle: If someone needs two jobs, perhaps neither one pays enough or feels secure on its own. Both interpretations have merit, which makes the overall lean toward “more stability” all the more meaningful. Combined with the near-total absence of shame in the previous question, the data paints a consistent picture – in the eyes of our respondents, working multiple jobs reads as resourcefulness, not struggle.

What the Second Jobs Data Means for Your Personality

Across 14 questions, one theme kept resurfacing: The second job is usually a means to an end, not an end in itself. Yet personality shapes how that extra work feels. For energetic, ambitious types, a second job can be a playground for growth and independence. For steadier, more security-minded types, it’s a practical bridge to be crossed and eventually left behind.

The most striking result may be the near-total absence of shame. Regardless of personality type, the overwhelming majority of respondents feel no embarrassment about working more than one job – and most see people who hold multiple jobs as more financially stable, not less. That combination suggests a quiet cultural shift: The second job has become a respected part of working life.

If you’re currently juggling more than one job, this data offers a grounding thought. Whether your second job energizes you or exhausts you likely has as much to do with your personality as with the work itself. Understanding what you need from your working life – variety or stability, independence or belonging – can help you decide whether that extra role is a stepping stone, a passion worth keeping, or a chapter that’s ready to close. Either way, you’re in good company.