ethical problem/job hunting

[Douglas Max <dmax -at- BELLATLANTIC -dot- NET>]

Perhaps it's because I live and work in NJ, perhaps because I live in
the world...but, I don't think that this is an ethical
dilemma...although I admire your ethics for seeing it as an ethical
problem.

To paraphrase someone very intelligent..."all's fair in love and war and
job-hunting."

You might discreetly pass along your resume to your client company for
that position and ask that it be kept confidential--although there's
always a risk that there are some personal connections between your firm
and your client's that you don't know about.

Since you trust your manager, you may also say that because the job
you're in isn't challenging enough that you wanted to talk more
concretely about other possibilities within your firm...the training
manager position, another project.  In that conversation, you might also
mention (again, if you really trust her) that a client has asked you to
apply for a position there and that you're considering doing so, but
also wonder whether your firm might use that opening as a way to secure
another project.

There's most often a way for you to do what's in your own best interests
without hurting others...being upfront is often a path to that, but it
can also come back to bite you!  Unfortunately, you could take the
'ethical,' upfront path and get punished for it...so look out for your
own interests.

In response to the language in a non-compete contract that you may or
may not have...often these don't hold up too well in court--a company
can't say, in effect, if you leave us you can't continue to work in the
field in which you've developed expertise.  Nonetheless, look over the
language carefully, ask a friend who's a lawyer to help you out.  If you
don't have one, and don't want to invest the money to see a lawyer, send
the contract to me and I'll forward it along to one of my lawyer friends
and I'll let you know what I hear.

Cordially,

Doug

--
Douglas M. Max
Managing Director
LR Communication Systems, Inc.   http://www.LRcom.com
139 Dogwood Lane
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922-0264
USA

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E-mail for business: mail -at- LRcom -dot- com
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