Thoughts on side jobs

I'd say it depends completely on the relationship you have with your current employer. Had I tried that when I was in private sector, I'd probably still be hearing about it from my previous boss. If (s)he is a typical business person who wants to make as much money as possible they likely won't be very receptive to the idea. But if (s)he has your best interests in mind then it shouldn't be a big deal. I have an idea of which way it may go...

My personal view is I do this stuff all day. When I'm on my own time, I'd rather be doing something else.

Do it. If your current supervisor is not happy about that, he/she is the one with a problem, not you.

Would you be charging the same amount as the company you are currently working for, would the client be using the company you are working for or another company for this work?

Side question do your own insurance policy for side work?

Your employer may have a problem with his insurer over "moonlighting". Don't ask me the cite but there has been a case where the company was sued (and lost) when one of their employees screwed up a survey that he was doing on his own time. I did several side job over the years but none after the company policy was explained due to this.
Andy

Andy Bruner, post: 440712, member: 1123 wrote: Your employer may have a problem with his insurer over "moonlighting". Don't ask me the cite but there has been a case where the company was sued (and lost) when one of their employees screwed up a survey that he was doing on his own time. I did several side job over the years but none after the company policy was explained due to this.
Andy

I'd like to know the details of that case. I would suspect that the employee did the side work while advertising that his employer was doing the job, such as using a company truck with signs on the side.

Tommy Young, post: 440714, member: 703 wrote: I'd like to know the details of that case. I would suspect that the employee did the side work while advertising that his employer was doing the job, such as using a company truck with signs on the side.

I heard about a case as well, something like because they were using the company's equipment, the client thought it was the company doing the work, I can not really recall the details.

Holy Cow, post: 440703, member: 50 wrote: If your current supervisor is not happy about that, he/she is the one with a problem, not you.

Unless StLSurveyor was hired in a capacity where business development was part of the job description. It may be a regional thing, but everyplace I've worked over the last fifteen years has expected licensed professionals to build a portion of their own client base to some extent or another.

I usually don't do work for friends, and I would never work without E&O Insurance.

I have heard of the insurance entanglements too.
If you have full time employment (salary,work comp, benefits) with a company, you are basically an agent for that company while you are performing moonlight work.
The company can be liable for your actions.

Assuming your equipment and CAD license is yours, go for it.

For all of those out there who approve of doing work "on the side", from an employer standpoint who pays you a weekly wage, benefits, etc, you are biting the hand that feeds you. If everyone is doing work on the side, no new work comes to your employer who then has to lay you off for lack of work. In addition to the potential liability issues you may be laying on your employer, whether he has any liability or not, he may have to defend and have legal costs to prove he was not liable. Do you have E & O insurance of your own? Let your potential client know that up front

A significant fraction of my workload is for friends. Not that close-close-share-deepest-personal-thoughts type of friend but people with whom a strong rapport has been developed over time. Eight jobs in the hopper at the moment qualify as do three of the last four jobs completed. In addition to that, many former clients have become friends over time. There are eight of those jobs in the hopper at present, as well.

StLSurveyor, post: 440654, member: 7070 wrote: I have the opportunity to do a project on the side. I have all of my own equipment and CAD software. The potential client is an individual I have known for years and have done some survey work for as well, however, the projects I have done for him, were not completed as an individual, but for various companies I have worked for. I want to eventually become solo and this would be a good project to take on...

I think I will tell my employer straight out that I will being doing a job on my own, with own equipment and on my own time.

No, I do not have a no compete cause. This will be straight topo and State Plane Coordinates only.

Thoughts?

I would be upfront with your employer. It's the right and professional thing to do. Don't be surprised if they give an ultimatum regarding loyalty and riding for the brand.

I was informed of moonlighting/ agent of the employer/ extension of liability at my last job, too. Although I had never considered moonlighting at the time, I knew my then employer had gotten his start while moonlighting on HIS previous employer. I wondered if it was a BS play to keep me in line? Never tried it, so never really worried.

Instead of risking your full-time gig at this point, ask this potential client if he minds you doing it through the company. If he doesn't, bring it to your boss with the idea of, I'm bringing this to the table and I want a fresh cut. If you can negotiate an agreeable contract for the three of you (client, boss and yourself), run it like that and everyone can smile. Use that extra to shore up your nest-egg, preserve the day job and jump when your cushion is thick enough not when the boss kicks you out.

Except for one time, which I did not receive compensation for doing the job, I didn't do side work for someone, while employed by another surveyor. I cleared that one first.

I have had a second job, not working as a registered surveyor, about 30 years ago. Both firms were engineering & surveying firms. I did about 3-4 days a month with one and full time with the other. No liability problems doing it that way.

I was once given explicit permission from my employer that allowed me to do work on the side, with my own equipment and on my own time. We sat down and talked about it. We agreed to it. I was completely honest and upfront with him prior to him hiring me. It was part of the deal with me taking the job with him, as I was newly licensed and had purchased another survey companies equipment. I had everything I needed to go out on my own but was talked into taking the job with promises that in the end couldn't/wouldn't be kept. (Many promises were broken but we won't get into that.)

Not too many side jobs into the process, we collided. A job I got on the side, was also a job my boss had given an estimate on and didn't get. I had no clue my client had called around looking for an estimate from my employer and that he picked me just because I was able to get to quicker. I wasn't lowballing, except in timeframe to complete the job. I could get to it much quicker because he was my only client. Where my boss had a month or more waiting list.

How my boss found out about it was that his secretary called my client with a follow-up call to see if he had considered their estimate. To which he told them he had hired me and that I had already started the job.

I was called into the office and given a firm talking to about taking work from his company. It was not pretty. He felt I was taking work from the company. Which I kind of was. He was rethinking his offer about letting me do work on the side and decided to put some restrictions on it. Nothing over 5 Acres and I could only take on jobs 'here and there.' Of course, that didn't sit very well with me. I had just taken on a 100 Acre survey on the side. I was young and was willing to work every weekend to make extra money on the side. But I relented and agreed to nothing over 5 Acres and he agreed I could do the 100 Acre survey, just this once since I had already started it. But after that, only small property surveys were allowed. It caused a rift between us. As I felt I was being done wrong with him changing our agreement and he felt I was taking work from his company. Neither of us was happy with the situation we found ourselves in.

By the end, within 2 months of accepting his employment, I quit and started my own business. He, of course, didn't like my choice but wasn't willing to keep the agreement we originally made.

I'm only telling you this because you have to ask yourself if you are willing to risk employment for a little side job. Do you have the will and the means to go out on your own, if things sour?

It can and will cause problems if you aren't upfront about it with your boss. And maybe even if you are. If they feel you are taking their work, they will have a big problem with that.

Sounds good. Do it, just be sure to burn no bridges.

StLSurveyor, post: 440654, member: 7070 wrote: I have the opportunity to do a project on the side.....

I don't see how you can do this on the side, in the open, without burning bridges. It's not unethical, but it definitely sends a message.

If you are recognized as the sort of person that brings in business to the company you are drawing a paycheck from, as opposed to just doing work, then your standing in the company will become very different. Do it enough and you will be calling your own shots.

If you are recognized as the sort of person that is just doing work at the company you are drawing a paycheck from until better opportunities come along, a hired gun as it were, then you may be the first one shown the door when things slow up a bit.

This client who has contacted you is your client and will probably follow you when you eventually set up your own shop no matter which way you handle this current piece of work.

Your call.