Working for two employers

stphnstevey

I am currently a contractor working from home full time for one company. I am finding I am having a fair bit of free time and would like to take on more work. I don't mind working longer hours and over wkds.

However as I am contracted full time, I don't want to tell the company I am working for that I am taking on more work

My one problem in being able to do this is a previous reference. All the jobs I apply for ask for a previous reference. Obviously I can't put the company I am currently working for as then they might get annoyed. If I put a previous company then there will be a big gap in time, which the new company might seem suss.

Any ideas to get round this? Thanks

Foggster

Why dont you want to tell the company?

Is there a conflict of interest?

stphnstevey

Sorry if I haven't explained it well

I want to continue working for the current company - I am contracted to them for five days a week.

So if I work for another company my current company won't like it as they are going to ask how I can work full time for two companies at the same time

However, I believe I have the time to do this evenings and wkds. My wife coould also do the admin, which would leave more time for me to get the essential work done.

Hpe this makes sense now

Foggster

Yeah, I understood what you are asking. Its just I didnt realise your current employer "wouldnt like it".

How many hours is the new job? Is it not just a case of saying to your current employer that you are looking for additional work but will still be able to fulfill your obligations with them because you will be doing the work for the other company at weekends.

What is the nature of the work? Would it be reasonable for you to do both jobs without your current having grounds to suspect that you are being under utilised?

stphnstevey

My current employer would not except that it wouldn't impact on their work, even if done at wkds.

They would be highly likely to give me extra work (but no extra pay) if I mention that I have free time available or time to work for another employer.

ConfusedDep

Once had a similar situation told my current employer at the time that I was refinancing and the mortgage broker said it would be helpful to have a reference. Another time I used doing some voluntary work the way I figure it if the work is being done fair enough they should let you get on with it.

TheBauer

Why would your current employer not like you have a second job?

When i approached my employer to tell them i was looking to take on extra work, they just required a few small details - who it was with and roughly how many hours it was for.

Mainly as i would be unable to work for a competing company in the same field, and also if the hours affected my main job then i would need to cut down or stop it.

As long as your secondary job doesnt affect your primary jobs work or there is a conflict of interest you should be fine?

- Sorry i opened this tab when there was no replies, and ive just come back and didnt realise other people had responded.

Hammyman

i thought you were a contractor? If so then you are not an employee and they are not your employer. They are a customer. As long as you satisfy your contract with them there is nothing to stop you doing what the hell you want with the rest of the time. If they didn't want you to do anything else they should employ you and state it in your employment contract.

Sambucus_Nigra

If you are a contractor - why would you do extra work for free?

stphnstevey

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

If you are a contractor - why would you do extra work for free?

My client pays an hourly rate. I am very experienced in what I do (having done it for the last 10yrs) and get things done in half the time it takes the less experienced people who also work for them at the same rate.

However if they knew things weren't taking as long, they would give me more work to compensate, but not increase my fee. My role is not very well defined and additional projects is the norm.

The reason for starting this thread was not to discuss the morals of doing this, but to see if anyone could suggest a way around needing a reference from my existing client when taking on work from new clients.

Sambucus_Nigra

stphnstevey wrote: »

My client pays an hourly rate. I am very experienced in what I do (having done it for the last 10yrs) and get things done in half the time it takes the less experienced people who also work for them at the same rate.

However if they knew things weren't taking as long, they would give me more work to compensate, but not increase my fee. My role is not very well defined and additional projects is the norm.

You misunderstand what people are telling you. You do not tell your client that you are doing more work in less time. You simply ask for a reference for some weekend work that you and the missus are doing. They aren't your employer so have absolutely no authority over what you do at weekends.