Alright... so here it goes

I work for Best Buy on the Geek Squad full time. Living here in San Diego has its perks but now that I have taken the summer off from school Im looking to get a part time job to work and make a few extra dollars to spend on a later day. I applied for an IT/desktop tech at a local company and was filling out the application and writing myself a resume when I remembered that best buy could fire me over this. Under the terms of being a conflict of interest. (2 tech jobs)

Yes one could argue that one is for a company to sell to customers and the other one maintaines a network. So what should I do

A. Tell the hopefully new employer (interview tomorrow) that I work at geek squad and have overwhelming experiance for the job.  Then somehow tell them not to verify that I work there.

B. Come up with fake employment records (friends, buddies, roomates) to get me the part time job.

C. Risk Getting fired from Geek Squad and have them call

Im not sure what to do in this case... what do you guys think

-Casey

I'd discuss it with the guy signing your paychecks at the new joint instead of discussing it with us.  it's his decision whehter or not to tell Best Buy anything and, legally, Best Buy has absolutely no authority over anything you do "off the clock"...however, Best Buy is an at-will employer and you did sign the little piece of paper accepting that they can fire you for whatever they want whenever they want so it's best not to rock the boat and scream "i'm rockin' the boat" simultaneously.

if it were me i'd tell Best Buy to f%$k off and get a real job...but that's me...

post a copy of the contract and i will look at it.   i may not play a lawyer on tv but i am one in real life 

when i joined geek squad, i didnt sign anything except a drug test, i dont believe im in a contract.

you didn't fill out an application?  how did they get your ssn or contact information or history?

I'd strongly urge against doing something illegal just to get a job like that. If possible I'd try to feel your boss out casually and see what he/she thinks about working a second job in IT. Tech work is kinda nice because not everyone can do it, if you're a valuable employee I don't see why Best Buy would want the hassle of replacing you.

Quote from: Unnamed on June 13, 2007, 09:29:53 PM
if you're a valuable employee I don't see why Best Buy would want the hassle of replacing you.

You've never been employed by best buy

I'd say risk getting fired. My experiences with geek squad post best buy have been rather unimpressive. I worked at best buy many years ago, pre geek squad days, but I'm pretty sure things still work about the same...

Quote from: Unnamed on June 13, 2007, 09:29:53 PM
I'd strongly urge against doing something illegal just to get a job like that. If possible I'd try to feel your boss out casually and see what he/she thinks about working a second job in IT. Tech work is kinda nice because not everyone can do it, if you're a valuable employee I don't see why Best Buy would want the hassle of replacing you.

Nothing he mentioned is actually illegal to my knowledge, but faking a resume is generally a bad idea. It will come back to bite you in the ass most likely.

Quote from: Nepix on June 13, 2007, 09:24:29 PM
when i joined geek squad, i didnt sign anything except a drug test, i dont believe im in a contract.

In California, it doesn't really matter either way. We are an at-will state, so either you or Best Buy can terminate the employment at any time. If you want both jobs, I think your best bet is to find a manager at Best Buy that thinks highly of you and you think would be open to you having another job on the side. Use him as a reference, and only him. 1 reference should be plenty to verify your employment there.

From a career perspective, having two tech jobs doesn't really mean that much more than having 1. (Working at a real IT shop instead of Best Buy could make a big difference, but that's a whole other argument.) If you are really worried about losing your job at Best Buy, you could look for something non-tech related. Do something fun, like bartending.

Seems to me that unless you signed a non-compete agreement, then you wouldn't have anything to worry about.  What makes you think the Geek Squad will care if you get another tech job?

Quote from: Jake D on June 14, 2007, 07:46:24 AM
Seems to me that unless you signed a non-compete agreement, then you wouldn't have anything to worry about.  What makes you think the Geek Squad will care if you get another tech job?

+1

As long as it doesnt run into the best buy job(taking time away from there to work at the new place) I wouldnt see an issue but then Im apperently unemployable by best buy because I never pass thier online app thing, but hey, a Fortune 500 company gives me the top IT job at the local office, so I dont know what best buy would do.  Good luck either way.

Didn't read what everyone else posted but here my oppion.

Talk to a manager or your supervisor, let them know whats going on, and that you want to keep working at Best Buy and this will only be a part time job that will not effect your work performance at Best Buy.

Don't fake a resume or have friends say they are your boss at Best Buy, if your new employer finds out you won't be considered trust worthy and would probally get you fired as soon as they found out.

Quote from: blue05twin on June 14, 2007, 08:53:43 AM
Didn't read what everyone else posted but here my oppion.

Talk to a manager or your supervisor, let them know whats going on, and that you want to keep working at Best Buy and this will only be a part time job that will not effect your work performance at Best Buy.

Don't fake a resume or have friends say they are your boss at Best Buy, if your new employer finds out you won't be considered trust worthy and would probally get you fired as soon as they found out.

+1, as long as you do good work and the part time job doesn't interfere with you current full time job there shouldn't be a problem.

Actually, as long as you didn't sign a non-compete agreement.  But I'll let the arm chair quarter backs take this one. 

+1 and HIKE!!!!

Quote from: Jake D on June 14, 2007, 09:32:24 AM
Actually, as long as you didn't sign a non-compete agreement.  But I'll let the arm chair quarter backs take this one. 

Non-competes are illegal in California, save a couple rare situations. Besides, it's ludicrous to think that you would sign a non-compete clause for any job at Best Buy.

And. . .since he already said he didn't sign ANY agreements when he got that job. . . you do the math.

Besides, California has a "trade secrets" exception to the prohibition on non-competition agreements.  As an aside, you'd be surprise what kind of jobs can require them.  I tried a non-compete case here in Missouri where my client has signed a non-compitition agreement at the TANNING SALON he worked at.  He then quit and tried to open his own tanning salon.  He didn't take clients list with him or anything but his former employer still sued him for an injuction to enforce the agreement, which was unbelievable. 

I thought those agreements were only good while you worked with whatever company?

FYI:  If you lie to the new company (about your past employment, education, references, criminal record, etc), they can, and most likely will, fire you when/if you get caught.

A coworker was fired from a job because he didn't disclose a conviction for driving on a suspended license...  And no, it wasn't a driving job.


Basically, if you get hired on false pretenses, you're gonna get fired when they catch you...

So...

Do like some have said and talk to your current employer about the "Conflict of Interests."  If you're a good employee, they won't want to lose you and I highly doubt they'll say you CAN'T work somewhere else during your off time.


Or maybe I'm just happy-happy-rainbow-colors about this sort of thing...

Quote from: natedawg120 on June 14, 2007, 12:42:29 PM
I thought those agreements were only good while you worked with whatever company?

Negative.  They are most useful AFTER an employee has left a company.  They are strictly construed and have to be limited in time and geographic area.  And apparently in CA must be used only to protect trade secrets. 

Quote from: Jake D on June 14, 2007, 01:35:08 PM

Quote from: natedawg120 on June 14, 2007, 12:42:29 PM
I thought those agreements were only good while you worked with whatever company?

Negative.  They are most useful AFTER an employee has left a company.  They are strictly construed and have to be limited in time and geographic area.  And apparently in CA must be used only to protect trade secrets. 

Interesting, I guess that makes sence though.  Thats why i'm not a lawyer