Switching Jobs 1

[macmet]

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well.

I have a question about job search ethics that I do not remember being brought up before and I didn't have much luck with the search.

I am a field service engineer with an OEM manufacturer. The work is great, I have learnt a lot, but I got married a couple years ago and I don't have the same excitement for the new assignments that I used to have. Our equipment is generally used in power plants and I have been looking at getting in with some of the local utilities. I am curious if I should be concerned about applying to some of the utilities that have our product? There is one in particular that I am interested in contacting them about potential jobs, and although I have never been assigned to one of their projects, there is a relationship between them and my current company.

To give a little more background information, I do not want to stay at my current employer because the office is a very long commute. It does not bother me when I am doing it 4-5 days a month, but it is not something I could do daily and moving is not an option. I like my current employer, especially the people I work with closely, and will think highly of the organization whenever I do end up leaving. I feel like my reasons for wanting to leave are fair and I do not want to bring any negative attention to the current employer if I were to move on.

Would contacting them about any openings be looked at negatively? If doing so would be unethical, I will continue my search elsewhere.

Cheers

 

[steellion]

I see no issue with ethics in this instance. If your widget is essential to their operation, I'm sure they would be happy to have you. You do need to ensure that the company that you want to work for does not report back to your current company that you're trying to jump ship, or you may be out of a job. Insist on confidentiality up front.

 

[MikeHalloran]

I see no ethical issues.

Confidentiality is a myth; no one can guarantee it.

If you make a good impression at Company B, the CEO will hear about it, on the same day you show up for an interview. CEOs are friendly with each other. Mention of your visit might come up in casual conversation with the CEO of Company A.

There's another leak path. The task of checking your bonafides will be pushed down the chain of command at Company B, and eventually will end up on the desk of a low-paid HR minion, who will solve the problem quickly by calling a low-paid HR minion at Company A.

Either way, the cat is out of the bag, assurances notwithstanding, and you have to be prepared to move fast.

The only effect that has on your life is that when you start hunting for a new job, you decide on a reasonable notice period to ask for; e.g. tell Company B that, upon receipt of a written offer that is satisfactory, you will continue to work for Company A for a week|month|year|whatever to insure a smooth transition, but you should also be prepared to leave Company A immediately when they find out you talked to Company B.

Leaving immediately may include not being paid beyond the end of the current day. It happens, and it can be, uh, painful.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[concretemasonry]

I think the best approach is to tell you current employer that you are looking for a new position. Tell them what your reasons are (time, distance, etc.) since they are very reasonable, PLUS ask them how much notice they would want to wrap up everything properly. This shows you recognize you appreciate the years, connections and obligations to them.

If you get into a firm that was customer of your current employer, that is a benefit to you and your previous employer since you are well aware of the industry and situations. Better than walking into a new position if you are on good terms with your previous employer.

It is very common for professional to make transitions very smoothly if there is nothing hidden.

Dick

Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.

 

[ZDR1985]

Well at least you're not moving to a competitor, that would be a different story.

You are planning to move to a former client which is actually good. If in case you were hired and you did very well on your job with the former client, you'll be building up your current employers relationship with their former client (which you said they already have). That will bring more projects to your current employer once you are there. More project means more job. So think of this in a positive way and make sure your transition is smooth.

 

[weldstan]

Feel absolutely free to contact the local utility. There is no ethical dilemma to be considered.

 

[JMirisola]

I agree with concretemasonry, be up front with your current employer; assuming that the relationship is good on both sides. They'd probably appreciate your candor and you'd be doing yourself a favor by having your current employer recommend you for positions you apply for.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWE
My Blog

 

[macmet]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Very much appreciated.

 

[EmmanuelTop]

I work for company A. Companies B, C, and D are frame (call-off) contractors for company A. If an employee from company A leaves and gets hired by company B/C/D, company A may terminate the frame contract with company B/C/D. There are no repercussions if things go the other way round.

How you are going to proceed also depends on the attitude of your boss/company. If you are an important person, things can go in many directions: (1) they will start looking for another candidate as soon as you announce your intentions. This other person may get hired before you get a new contract and you'll end up with no job at all. (2) they will have full understanding of your situation, and everything will go smooth. (3) you may not get the 2nd contract, and you'll look embarrassed to yourself, or as a joker, because you announced that you will leave, but you didn't.

Get a second contract and then talk. And be fair to your current employer with regards to handover, notice period, etc. How you leave is your trademark, in the same way it is in the way you work and communicate.

Dejan IVANOVIC
Process Engineer, MSChE

 

[looslib]

The informal links can kill you without you knowing it.

One of my former companies had an internal job posting site. Top of the form says you do not need to tell your current boss about looking for another opportunity until HR from the new division contacts you for an interview. I see a job I am interested in and post my information online and wait to see if the other division picks up on me. About a week later, no word from the other division, my boss stops by my desk and asks if I was looking for a job at the other division. I just looked a little shell-shocked and siad yes, how did you know. He explained that the IT manager there had been his former manager at another division before they both took transfers. He was cool about anyway, but I did remind him that his former boss had violated company policy by telling him.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[berkshire]

I actually benefitted by this kind of leakage some 12 years ago. I had interviewed for a job with company A and had not landed the job because although they liked me, they did not have an opening to fit my qualifications. I happened to have an inside track at Co., A, because I had a friend working there. So I had taken a lower grade job with company B. Later Co., B started running out of work, and putting people on short time 4 days per week. About that time the friend working at Co. A calls me up, and says "We have a big contract busting loose in two weeks, are you ready to move?". So I called company A and posed the question. The answer came back from the CEO, "I will call "Dave" and see what we can work out, and I don't like poaching people from other companies." Dave was my boss. Later he came down to office and said “Robin and I have had a talk, you report to Co., A next Monday. It turned out that the two bosses were golfing buddies and shared information as to what was happening at their respective companies.
B.E.


You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.