Answer to the Dilemma

Recently, I posted about a little dilemma I had about using certain contacts to further my freelance business. See March post: Dilemma

After thinking about it a little more and discussing it with my partner in crime, my husband, I've come to an answer.

If you use your day job contacts to further your freelance moonlighting it will be impossible to keep those contacts from mentioning the freelance project to your co-workers or superiors at the day job. Especially praise since people think there is nothing wrong with giving compliments. You might think it's all the better, but once that day-job finds out that you're moonlighting often with real clients like THEIR clients there will be one sure response... they're going to wonder about your focus.

Your day job is paying you to focus and work hard on the work they give you. Distraction in the form of lucrative freelance projects are going to make them scrutinize your daily progress. They may even address the problem and ask you if you want to pursue this other job on a full-time bases. That is if they don't fire you on the spot for straining customer relationships. Yes, if you do a bad job or don't fulfill the customer's demands these people could complain to your employer.

All of this is too much risk.

The only way one can successfully use day job contacts to further their freelance business is if they keep the two completely separate. Which means that you can't talk to 'Mike' - the guy who always calls your day job. Instead you need to hunt down the marketing manager and sell your abilities to that person - the guy who never calls your day job. You would need to make sure 'Mike' isn't aware so he doesn't slip up and cost you your day job.

Does anyone else have an opinion on this answer? Let me know.

Thanks for reading.