<p>Last summer I was recruited by a major corporation for a “position” that sounded too good to pass up. I was brought in as a consultant with assurances that a staff position would be created for me after the first 90 days (when the company would no longer have to pay recruiter fee). I know that nothing in life is a sure thing, but I was interested in the work and accepted. Seven months later, I am still a consultant and don’t foresee being offered a staff position in this economy. In fact, boss recently gave me an hourly raise and bonus without my asking, most likely to pacify me. </p>
<p>Okay, so today I reached out to a vendor I work with at this job and asked about doing some consulting work for them and they are interested. Although I would now be both client and consultant to this organization, the work assignments they would feed me would be in an unrelated area to the work I do for the corporation. You follow? What do I say to my boss about this arrangement and when do I say it? Before I accept my first assignment? How do I act aboveboard but look out for #1?</p>
<p>You didn’t say what kind of consulting you do and and how much experience you have. In general, consultants are off the books so company does not have to carry a large payroll while they are “disposable”. Your boss may be binded by that, but like you enough to give you hrly raise to keep you. </p>
<p>Now about the new opportunity I say you are better off be totally upfront with your boss before accepting the new offer while trying to keep the existing assignment. You may want to say the reason you are exploring option is lack of a permanent position you wanted. </p>
<p>In time past, having a permanent position is usually preferrable unless you have a super duper specialist skillset that few have, like security forensic experts what not. However in the present econ time, being permanent is as shaky if the company or the business env in which it operates is shaky. </p>
<p>One thing you might do is ask the vendor for assignment with another company so you won’t have to explain and have a conflict of interest in present company, assuming you can juggle the time for both.</p>
<p>I think you should tell your boss that you’re looking to do consulting work for other companies and, since you’re not a permanent employee, you assume there is no conflict of interest. </p>
<p>I assume there’s no contract that you’ve signed? If that’s the case, I think you can do what you want. I think the fact that they haven’t given you the permanent spot means you don’t owe them anything but an hour’s work for an hour’s pay.</p>
I would be open and honest and up front with your current boss. If the boss is a halfway decent manager I don’t see how he/she could consider this negatively and in fact, would only illustrate your good business ethics in being up front.</p>
<p>It might also be a good time to raise the question of becoming a regular employee as was the original understanding. There should be no problem in discussing this - that’s part of what managers are for. </p>
<p>Check the fine print in whatever agreements you signed when you went to work there since there could well be a clause regarding you doing other work such as this for the vendor.</p>
<p>First, I would never trust a company that wanted to cheat the recruiter out of a commission. They think small and they are cheap, never an ideal place for an employee. Sound like you will just serve there at their pleasure.</p>
<p>That said, you need to tell them before taking work from a client you connected to working for them. I can see many reasons why they might see a conflict no matter what the assignment is. It simply makes you beholden to their client, never a good thing. But if they want to keep you on a consultant basis and they don’t see the conflict as major, they’ll agree and you will have done the right thing.</p>
<p>I don’t believe consultants at my firm could work for another company while they are working for us. </p>
<p>The vendor will also need to check their agreement with your current employer to see if they could openly recruit someone that works for them. We usually have an agreement with our vendors that we couldn’t poach each other’s employees.</p>
<p>Glad I asked. It sounds like I need to make a choice. Sigh. As for thinking small and being cheap, you are so right and would be stunned if you knew the company in question. It has always enjoyed a stellar reputation.</p>