A friend called me this week with a real dilemma on his hands. He is a young engineer working for a small firm. Unfortunately, he has been frustrated with some of the practices of his current employer for some time and I knew that he was actively looking for other opportunities. One of his employer’s clients recently took my friend to lunch and tried to persuade him to do some design work on the side, stating that they were probably going to be switching engineers soon anyway. My friend really likes this client and the idea of making some extra cash was appealing; but, he had some serious reservations about it. How could he, in clear conscience, steal work away from his employer? Was it really stealing work if the client was going to go elsewhere regardless?

For many of those who are fortunate enough to have jobs in this depressed economy, the temptation to moonlight has become a serious consideration in recent months. For some, it has become a matter of economic survival as wages and hours are cut, yet the monthly bills keep piling up. One must be careful, though, not to jeopardize their day job or engage in inappropriate behavior that violates the standards of professional ethics. Here are some guidelines that I share with people who are considering moonlighting:

• Don’t compete with your employer. Unless you plan on quitting your day job and going into business for yourself full-time, do not offer the same services to the same target market as your primary employer. This represents a clear conflict of interest and can only lead to trouble. The safest bet is to pursue something totally different.
• Don’t let moonlighting interfere with your day job. If you’re falling asleep at your desk because your second job is depriving you of sleep, it’s time to cut back. Your employer should not be put in the position of financing your after-hours activities via your lower level of on-the-job productivity.
• Be honest with your employer. Granted, not all bosses will react favorably to their employees doing work on the side; Concerns about the two items previously discussed are to be expected. However, I generally find that it’s better to be open about it rather than sneaking around as if you have something to hide. A reasonable employer should be understanding, provided you can demonstrate that it will not have an adverse effect on your work. If an employee’s hours are cut, it is natural to expect that one would seek to replace that lost income. I have found that those who have experience running their own small business on the side can actually make better employees. They tend to be more resourceful, creative, and entrepreneurial – all good things for a progressive organization! On the other hand, I once let an employee go when I found out that he was pursuing another career path at night – his position required a significant amount of on-the-job training and I wasn’t willing to make that investment if he wasn’t committed to it.

The key to remember when considering a moonlighting gig is that your primary employer is still your primary employer. As long as you have a job, be respectful of that relationship and avoid practices that put you at odds with the company for which you work…or be prepared to part ways.

In the case of my friend, I advised him that it was not good form to take on side work from an existing client of his employer, even if that client was not happy with the service received. The best scenario would be to work on addressing the problem that’s making the client unhappy in the first place. This way, everyone wins. If, however, the circumstances are the function of a poorly run operation, it may be time to punt and move on. In any case, avoid burning bridges with current and ex-employers; It’s amazing how those relationships have a tendency to weave their way back into your career path time and time again.