Ignore non-compete, time allocation, this, that
Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
21–28 of 28 posts
Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
#22Keep it to yourself until you are ready to leave. There is no advantage to disclosing your plans too early.
About 20 years ago, I made the mistake of telling a coworker about my outside contracting gigs. He told the "big boss" (VP) about it, because I was not responding the coworker's weekend calls. A few days later I get a talking to by the VP about my outside endeavors and am told to stop. Of course, this request was ignored, but it created some drama at the time.
Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
#23It really depends on what the terms of your contract with $day_job is. For example, if it requires you be on call and get to a physical site for troubleshooting and if your $construction_job would get in the way of that in the normal course of business (eg: you are 100 miles away when you get a support call), then you need to figure out how you can reduce scope with your $day_job so that you can do justice to both.
It is about setting expectations.
I am assuming your $day_job employer would prefer to have you work 20 hours instead of current 40 hours instead of the 40 hours going to 0 hours (i.e., all or nothing).
Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
#24The difference between “management” and “nice management” is that nice management will be nice to you as they escort you out of the building and wish you a sincere “good luck” at the door. There is no such thing as loyalty blah blah blah etc. etc. et. Al.
Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
#25It depends on people.
I was in your shoes once, decided to share and regretted. The moment I did, employer was under constant stress of me leaving and it caused of lot of unpleasantries.
My take is - do your honest job and when you are ready to dedicate yourself to your own project, tell your employer. Obviously it shouldn't be like "I wouldn't be coming tomorrow", you need to give reasonable time margin to have a mutually nice departure
Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
#26The difference between “management” and “nice management” is that nice management will be nice to you as they escort you out of the building and wish you a sincere “good luck” at the door. There is no such thing as loyalty blah blah blah etc. etc. et. Al.
Indeed, thanks for the reminder.
Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
#27> when should I tell "day job" about "concrete company"?
Only you know the culture of the “day job” so how you proceed will vary:
1) Tell them when you’re excited about the “concrete company” and want to share good news
2) Tell them when you want something to change and you think the “concrete company” gives you leverage to make it happen
3) Tell them when you’re ready to quit
4) Tell them when you’re ready to be let go on the spot
Otherwise, why would you tell them?
Re: Ask HN: Contract employee telling employer about own company
#28As 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.
If you can take your first concrete company clients without impacting your day job, I recommend doing that first. I was thinking in six months you would reevaluate what to share outside of the narrow constraints of "hey day job, this will impact you directly soon".
Unless taking the first concrete client(s) means you are changing how your day job can interface with you.