Job Application Referees
Thread poster: Haigg
Haigg
Haigg
Local time: 08:29
English to Russian
Nov 16, 2010

Hi,

This is my first post and I'm looking for advice.

I'm working for a company as a freelancer interpreter and I am thinking of registering with a rival company.

Should I be worried about giving my current company as one of my professional referees? Am I risking losing work because my current company may get upset by me seeking work elsewhere?

Apart from this company, I have only one other possible referee in the industry, for whom I've onl
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Hi,

This is my first post and I'm looking for advice.

I'm working for a company as a freelancer interpreter and I am thinking of registering with a rival company.

Should I be worried about giving my current company as one of my professional referees? Am I risking losing work because my current company may get upset by me seeking work elsewhere?

Apart from this company, I have only one other possible referee in the industry, for whom I've only done one assignment.

Thanks
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Annamaria Amik
Annamaria Amik  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:29
Romanian to English
+ ...
Freelance = FREElance Nov 17, 2010

Haigg wrote:

Hi,

This is my first post and I'm looking for advice.

I'm working for a company as a freelancer interpreter and I am thinking of registering with a rival company.

Should I be worried about giving my current company as one of my professional referees? Am I risking losing work because my current company may get upset by me seeking work elsewhere?

Apart from this company, I have only one other possible referee in the industry, for whom I've only done one assignment.

Thanks


I don't know about your particular relationship with your client (mind you, not employer!), but if you are a freelancer, that means you are not tied to one client, and you should be able to work for/collaborate with as many clients as you wish or are physically able to handle. Unless conflicts of interest occur, of course, and provided that you have solid confidentiality principles. Your client cannot and should not force you to stay with them only.
Good luck with the second company!


 
Rekha Narula
Rekha Narula  Identity Verified
Local time: 08:29
English to French
+ ...
Freelancer = not tied to one agency Nov 17, 2010

Hello Haigg,

Further to your initial email and Annamaria's reply, I agree with her. You are not tied to one agency; any agency is NOT your employer. A contract exists between you and that agency for any work they ask you to do. There is NO guarantee from any agency to provide you with work, hence they are not your employer, and neither should you feel obligated to stay with one agency. Look at it this way, each agency has a list / database of interpreters & translators. All these
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Hello Haigg,

Further to your initial email and Annamaria's reply, I agree with her. You are not tied to one agency; any agency is NOT your employer. A contract exists between you and that agency for any work they ask you to do. There is NO guarantee from any agency to provide you with work, hence they are not your employer, and neither should you feel obligated to stay with one agency. Look at it this way, each agency has a list / database of interpreters & translators. All these people are "rivals" of one another, but it's the agency which chooses with whom to place an assignment. Same goes for you; you register with as many as you wish, or who contact you, AND who pay decent rates.

Good luck !

Rekha
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Neil Coffey
Neil Coffey  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:29
French to English
+ ...
Direct client? Nov 17, 2010

Haigg wrote:
I'm working for a company as a freelancer interpreter and I am thinking of registering with a rival company.

Should I be worried about giving my current company as one of my professional referees? Am I risking losing work because my current company may get upset by me seeking work elsewhere?


I think the main caveat is if the "company" you're working for is a direct client, then it's probably best to avoid divulging their identity to an agency or other company that might try to poach that client from you.

I personally tend to give broad descriptions of clients, not the actual identity, which I consider to be confidential information. But I know that doing this is frowned upon by some-- I don't know that there's a good answer to this problem.


 
Haigg
Haigg
Local time: 08:29
English to Russian
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Nov 17, 2010

Thank you for these replies - they've been most helpful.

Haigg


 


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