Does anyone here work a 3rd shift job?

I'm just curious to see how you like working nights as opposed to days and if that throws off your schedule on days off and the time spent with family who work day shift.

Are there any pros to working night shift?

They're hell.

@jasean79: I've never worked one, but I'm a corporate IT consultant and I set support organizations up for large corporations. TBH, the guys who are willing to work third shift are usually younger people who haven't started families. It really does alter your social life and third shift tends to have the highest attrition. The guys who work night shift also tend to be oddballs.

-Byshop

@Byshop: Judging from your reply, it doesn't sound like the shift for me. I can be odd at times, but I like my days to be my days and sleeping at night.

Does second shift fare any better?

@jasean79: It's really "to each is own" so I can't say if it'd be right for you or not. 2nd shift tends to be less disruptive on people's lifestyles as it's been my experience that people really have to shift their lives around working 3rd shift. TBH, none of the shifts in a 24-hour support org are particularly easy from a scheduling and lifestyle perspective, but jobs like that can be great entry points into working for big companies.

But if you work 3rd shift, you might end up working alongside some real weirdos.

-Byshop

My company thought about it but couldn't get anyone on board willing to do it. I was (sort of) willing if it meant a better wage for a less stressful work environment(not having 10 other people in the room all shouting across to each other) but it all fell through so never mind. I would have been happy to do it even just as a trial to see if our customers appreciated it.

iv worked nights for the last two years, nights rock imo. It gets way to hot in vegas in the day, plus everything is open here 24/7 so it doesnt affect me too much lol

I rotate. We work 12 hour shifts 6pm to 6am then 6am to pm 6 days on then 3 off for switching. This week one guy is taking a vacation so I have to work straight through with out rotating or any days off. It's night 6 now and I have at least 7 more to go :(

I will have 69 hours this week (I left 3 hours early one night because if a breakdown) and 84 hours next week provided I don't leave a few hours early one day.

It isn't the end of the world. I work 2nd shift, but have picked up MANY doubles where I stay through 3rd shift. Granted, I have always had an inclination to be a bit of a night owl, so it really works for me.
Way easier for me that way than trying to work doubles where I come in on day shift and work through afternoons. Having to be AT work at 7AM is just too much for me...

What kind of a job are you doing? At my job (I am a nursing assistant) there is a real perk in working nights as the shift is a LOT easier from a work standpoint.

I kind of work both, I do full days so work from.about 10am until about midnight or 1am.

That can be a single shift, good thing is I get my full time hours in less days so I don't work 5 days a week.

Normally only need to work 3 days for a 45 hour week

I'm unemployed

My work day currently starts at 930 at night and I don't get home until about 12:00 or 12:30 in the afternoon. I've worked all 3 shifts enough to know that mid shift is typically the more laid back shift but the bulk of the heavy work is between those early morning hours. So if you enjoy a more laid back attitude and heavier work loads then go with it. But if you value your weekends off then stay the hell away from it.

@LostProphetFLCL: Not working at present, but the job I'm interviewing for is a 911 dispatcher. It's going to be a second shift position, but they also offer 1st & 3rd shifts since they're a 24/7 operation. I've always worked 1st shift jobs, so I was curious about the different times and how that works out for some people. I was told that my two days off would shift a day every month, for example, June I would have off Monday & Tuesday, July I would have off Tuesday & Wednesday, etc. I can work with that. I think 2nd shift would be okay.

Me.. not my fave kind of shift but gotta do it, better than unemployed.

I can only imagine just how hard it must be. It basically throws your entire life, persona and social alike, into complete disarray. Even one's physical well being is most assuredly compromised by altering the usual and accustomed cycles of day and night. I have tremendous respect for however successfully pulls this one off.

You mean mid-shifts? They're not so bad if they're constant. But, we have military-style rotating shifts. One week Day Shift followed by one week of Swing Shift, and then one week of Mid Shift.

It sucks.

Honestly I would not mind because it would work with my school schedule and I do not sleep much anyway.

There's nothing worse than spending all day knowing that you have to go to work tonight.

i think you;re giving them too much credit. its really not that hard. ive worked a summer in downtown restaurants (making shawarmas for drunk people who just finished clubbing) from 9 pm to 3 am.

Get home at 4, wake up at 11, and go on with my day.

Well, I was mainly referring to those who would leave at dusk/morning. But now that you put it this way its not really all that extraordinary. I mean last night I slept around 4 AM and woke up at 8 AM to get things done.

On a completely different note I now crave Shawerma.

BOSS

even waking up at dusk isn't that hard. I worked construction out in the country where we would wake up at about 4:30 and start working at about 6 am (there weren't any neighbours for about a kilometer, so noise wasn't a problem). As soon as you have your coffee you're good to go. And the plus side is you'd usually be able to leave the site early, especially before the sun really gets cooking. I'd get back home by about 12:30 pm and have the rest of the day to myself.

and yea, ive worked a lot of jobs.

Been there,done that. Worked several times from 21:00 to 5:00 am

Not a huge deal for me.

Pros: Not having to deal with anyone,just minding my own business

Can listen to my music all the shift

Can enjoy the days outside

Cons: Sleeping until 1\2 pm

bossman

I am on night 8 of my 12 hour nights. Only like 7 more to go. Then I get 2 days off then back again.

I used to and it was horrible. Working all night, just to sleep half of the day and wake up just to do it all again in a few hours is not fun to me. Now, the latest I clock out is 1 in the morning, which is fine with me.

I did ages ago, it wasn't the greatest in the world, but like others have stated, it's better than unemployment.

That's not really a night shift...... barley even half of one. Of course you will have an easy time going to bed at 4

As far as a night shift something that goes to 6 or 7 it can be brutal, you wont be getting much sleep no matter how hard you try(trust me I been there). It will screw up your schedule and if you live with somebody who is home during the morning hours it will screw up their schedule as well. It is better than unemployment and usually you can have more fun during graveyard shift though and virtually anything is better than unemployment