Ethics in job hunting

[Anonymous]

If I work for Company ABC selling widgits, and I decide to work for Company XYZ selling THEIR widgits, am I a bad person? Am I violating any kind of non-competitive ethos??

[Traci]

No

[General Kenobi (ret.)]

Not unless you signed a non-compete agreement.

[Guerilla poster]

Not sure how it would be unethical. Am I missing something. if you are working for company ABC and steal their secrets and bring them to company XYZ - that could be considered unethical.

[Double High C]

Are you working for both at the same time?

Is everything above board?

[Single Mom]

Is every independent insurance agent who sells the products of more than one company unethical? No. In theory, he can offer each client the company and product best suited to the individual. I see no difference in selling widgits for two companies. If he sold only the product that provided him the highest commission or routinely rolled the business between the companies, that could be a different story...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Single Mom on 2001-11-06 11:36 ]</font>

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your responses.

Yes, it's all above board, and no, there is no industrial sabotage or patent infringement.

I was unclear and just wanted to clear my conscience.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

You are likely to have an "employment at will" contract with your company.
Both of you are free to terminate employement at any time.
This should result in a slightly higher wage than an agreement with the company not to fire you without good cause or without going through some long process.
Your company pays you to work, and pays you not to conflict any interests of the company while you're employed.

[BigMactuary,]

As my understanding goes, if the information or technology is patented, you obviously cant use it elsewhere. Furthermore, if its a "trade secret", the original company can take you to court. Finally, if its none of these, you can use it elsewhere.

Ethically speaking, I am not so sure. For example, your company makes a valuation program and does not get a patent on it (lets say its a small program in Visual Basic), you leave the company and take a copy of that program and use it at your new place. I dont know if you should feel comfortable or not!

[CJL]

I would be fine with using an idea from another company and rewriting the program I had already written, but actually taking a copy (or e-mailing to yourself, etc.) goes a bit too far.