by teacut » Sun Dec 30, 2007 09:24 pm
I curently work for a health insurance carrier in their call center and deal with calls from brokers involving comissions, enrollments and a few other issues. I was thinking of getting into selling health insurance on the side for extra income and was wondering of there would be a conflict of interest created if i did. would it be unethical for me to sell insurance if I sell on the side?
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 05:39 am Post Subject:
Well It kind of sounds that way to me. It could really cause problems and maybe even your job as it could be said you were influencing others to buy your health insurance .Thats just my opinion.
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 05:50 am Post Subject: Confusions!
would it be unethical for me to sell insurance if I sell on the side?
Well, in my opinion a lot of that would actually depend on your agreement with your present employer. If any part of your appointment letter states that you're in no way allowed to join a business or job of the similar nature...that would probably be sufficient to end all your confusions. Isn't it !
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 06:43 am Post Subject: time is a factor
Hi there,
Its perhaps everybody's wish to have a side income...but at the same time we must not forget that we must know all processes better before we finally start acting on them.
I was thinking of getting into selling health insurance on the side for extra income and was wondering of there would be a conflict of interest created if i did.
Whether, you'd like to term it as a 'conflict of interest' or 'conflict of knowledge' is to be left for you to decide. But I'm sure of one thing that these two are completely different domains. When you've said somewhere that you're into 'commissions, enrollments and a few other issues' then I'd personally have the opinion that the nature of your job is conversant with the people who're reaching out to you.
But whenever you're talking about selling insurance, then I must tell you that 'cold-calling' is all about getting your nose into a completely different domain. Over here, you'd need to interact & convince people who are not pro-actively communicating with you. So, in a way you'd find it a lot more challenging, exhaustive & interesting as well.
But don't you think that would demand a lot of patience & time as well!
& when that happens, I feel you'd need to lessen your burden of work at the call centre & contribute more towards your sales job.
Thanks,
HowdyJones
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:17 am Post Subject:
Fatman is correct
Well, in my opinion a lot of that would actually depend on your agreement with your present employer.
Ask your supervisor straight up....clearly you wouldn't be talking to ANYONE from the call center about the products you sell...it would be done completely away from the time there...and I would imagine that you wouldn't be able to use any contact information you got from the call center....Best to ask them straight up if there is a problem rather than run the risk of loosing your job! and worse yet, appearing unethical...Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 09:26 pm Post Subject:
Hi teacut, nice to meet you. :) I'd have to agree with Lori and Fatman too. Asking a superior directly is the best route to take plus check your contract and see what it says about working for the same types of businesses.
I worked for a company in the past where it was in your contract that you wouldn't leave to work within the same industry within a certain time period, nor could you share any client information or details of how the company operated after you resigned with anyone. Basically the ruling was there to avoid you being headhunted by the competition and taking your client base with you, but many contracts have stipulations along the same lines.
I'd go a step further and suggest that if you get a response from your supervisor saying you can, that you request it in writing from him/her in case anything goes awry. A sideline isn't worth losing your job over and you could well be misinformed by them if they don't take the time to check into it properly. Either that or contact Personnel and ask them.
You probably will think that sounds like overkill but better safe than sorry.
Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 09:56 am Post Subject:
I'd go a step further and suggest that if you get a response from your supervisor saying you can, that you request it in writing from him/her in case anything goes awry
Good point lilac hope the OP remembers that... :wink:Add your comment