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Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

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Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#11

Post by 7hr0w2w2y9988 »

yial wrote: post #6

I don’t feel like there’s enough information here to truly give actionable feedback. If I understand correctly, you’re currently not an employee but an independent contractor for this company ? (Not a contract hire?) You’ve started your own business in a totally unrelated field? Regardless of the specifics, I will tell you my first knee-jerk in an organization is to worry about how that will impact the persons time/p…

Thanks for the thoughts, you mention an important point about "impact to time/performance".

Agree this is a vague question but suppose I'm just trying to navigate the overlap of personal/professional relationships. "Day job" has offices in the location where I live and I go in a few days a month but ultimately work-from-home. I have some personal relationships with current "day job" coworkers and would like to burn as few bridges as possible. Additionally it's possible current coworkers may turn into clients (or referrals) at "concrete company" in the future.

If possible (barring layoff or unforeseen events) would like to work one day less at "day job" for every one day worked at "concrete company". I would communicate this by expressing my need to work less hours.

I am a contract hire through an agency, not independent.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#12

Post by 7hr0w2w2y9988 »

jameal wrote: post #9

I'm not sure if it's worth mentioning unless you have specific plans to end the contract in a certain period of time. Otherwise, I don't see it as relevant. You are a contractor and so they must understand they aren't your only client. Whether or not your contract stipulates, I would say it's just good business to give them a heads up when you have a good idea of when you might transition away, especially depending o…

Thanks for the response, this seems the most pragmatic approach.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#13

Post by 7hr0w2w2y9988 »

HWR_14 wrote: post #7

As for timing, I think you should tell them when one or more conditions below are met: 1) You are okay (financially, emotionally, etc.) with that being your last day at "day job". 2) You plan to permanently move some hours from being available to not. For instance, you need to commit to 20 hour weeks when you were doing 40. I would give them some advance notice, whatever you would give them before accepting a new job…

Thanks for the response, it's good to realize I need to say something at some point - just when/why being the question.

It could actually be much closer than 6 months away, I have all business and professional licensing (etc.) taken care of it's more a matter of when/how to begin taking "concrete company" clients. Of course there is still uncertainty but I'm able to accept clients now.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#14

Post by buffington »

Why do you feel like it's important to tell them?

When you hire landscapers, or a plumber, or handyman, do you think those contractors have some sort of duty to tell you about how they bartend in the evenings? I doubt it. I doubt you even care. It's really none of your business.

I was a freelancer once, and I'd frequently have a half dozen projects in progress for the half dozen companies that hired me. Sometimes I hired help. Sometimes I pulled all nighters. That I had other projects wasn't relevant. The work got done early or on time at or under budget.

Unless you have a contract that explicitly prohibits you from taking on other contract work you don't have to say anything.

Edit: it's also not relevant that you've been contracting for them for years. In the US, depending on the state, it's even illegal. Company's love hiring contractors because they're not employees, and don't have any of the rights an employee has. If they haven't hired you in those 2 years, you most certainly don't owe them an explanation when you end up leaving.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#15

Post by keiferski »

Just a small tip, but often these things are received better if you frame them as helping someone else and not as “going off on your own.”

So, if possible, describe your concrete company as being “your cousin’s/brother’s/friend’s company” (if such a person exists) that he needs help with one day a week, rather than the somewhat adversarial phrasing of, “I started a separate company and need to work there more and at this contracting job less.”

Whether dealing with employers or anyone else, it always helps to remember that they don’t have as much information about the situation as you do. Subsequently they will take whatever you give them and craft a story around it that may or may not be what’s actually happening.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#16

Post by 7hr0w2w2y9988 »

keiferski wrote: post #15

Just a small tip, but often these things are received better if you frame them as helping someone else and not as “going off on your own.” So, if possible, describe your concrete company as being “your cousin’s/brother’s/friend’s company” (if such a person exists) that he needs help with one day a week, rather than the somewhat adversarial phrasing of, “I started a separate company and need to work there more and at…

Thanks for this perspective, this is helpful

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#17

Post by 7hr0w2w2y9988 »

buffington wrote: post #14

Why do you feel like it's important to tell them? When you hire landscapers, or a plumber, or handyman, do you think those contractors have some sort of duty to tell you about how they bartend in the evenings? I doubt it. I doubt you even care. It's really none of your business. I was a freelancer once, and I'd frequently have a half dozen projects in progress for the half dozen companies that hired me. Sometimes I h…

I appreciate the feedback, you bring up great points.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#18

Post by buffington »

7hr0w2w2y9988 wrote: post #5
FlyingAvatar wrote: post #3

It's not clear why you are compelled to do this, or what benefit for either party would be achieved by doing it. What do you hope will happen by telling your "day job" about your "concrete company"?

That's a good point, it is possibly best to not mention anything. I don't hope for anything in particular but find it "easier" for myself to just be honest with people when they ask what I'm doing.

If people ask and you feel like answering, tell them.

Otherwise it's not dishonest. There's nothing unethical about earning money while also delivering on the promises made as a contractor for someone else.

In case that's not obvious enough, consider this scenario:

You're an actual employee at the day job, not a contractor. On the weekends you like hitting up thrift shops looking for antiques which you then sell on eBay.

Is it dishonest not to talk about that to your employer?

Not talking about something doesn't mean automatically mean it's dishonest. Just like I'm not talking about what I just ate for dinner, not talking about additional ways you make money doesn't mean you're being unethical, immoral, unkind, or dishonest.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#19

Post by DoreenMichele »

7hr0w2w2y9988 wrote: post #5
FlyingAvatar wrote: post #3

It's not clear why you are compelled to do this, or what benefit for either party would be achieved by doing it. What do you hope will happen by telling your "day job" about your "concrete company"?

That's a good point, it is possibly best to not mention anything. I don't hope for anything in particular but find it "easier" for myself to just be honest with people when they ask what I'm doing.

Being honest does not require you to tell everyone everything all the time. There aren't even enough hours in the day for that.

Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company

#20

Post by buffington »

7hr0w2w2y9988 wrote: post #17
buffington wrote: post #14

Why do you feel like it's important to tell them? When you hire landscapers, or a plumber, or handyman, do you think those contractors have some sort of duty to tell you about how they bartend in the evenings? I doubt it. I doubt you even care. It's really none of your business. I was a freelancer once, and I'd frequently have a half dozen projects in progress for the half dozen companies that hired me. Sometimes I h…

I appreciate the feedback, you bring up great points.

I just re-read your post more carefully and realized I missed a big part.

I missed the part about you wanting to shift towards working less at the day job.

That conversation could be as simple as "starting on [some future date] my availability will be reduced to [x hours] per week. Let's figure out how to make that work with the least amount of disruption."

I've had similar conversations. In one case, the company wasn't happy, and I figured out a way to hire someone to do the other gigs so that I could stay 100% on the project.

That's also an easy way to start a business with actual employees. In my case, I hired two people, and the company was delighted because now they had a trusted partner, didn't have to do payroll, worry about benefits, or anything, and still get what they wanted (for cheaper). Don't underestimate how much a company might be willing to do to help make your goals a reality so that they can further their own.

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