Hi all,

Ironically - I started a thread about this very issue over a year ago. It's now closed (which is why I'm starting a new one).

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...r+in+wisconsin

I was ambushed when I arrived at the office this morning. My boss grabbed me immediately, explaining that there was a meeting we both were in, and she wanted to give me a heads up in advance.

I've been asked to work for one of our clients, on-site, in Wisconsin, for a period of six months to one year. It would be at least 3 days/week with one week on-site and one week at home (at least that's what they are proposing).

This client is in a hiring freeze but needs additional staff, so they have reached out to our company, asking for me specifically.

It's clear that I'm supposed to accept. It's been made clear that it wouldn't hurt my advancement opportunities at our firm, and I've been told that with sales down I likely wouldn't get a ton of experience in my department in this time period. I should note that everyone seems to think a year at the client is excessive and commiting for only six months would be acceptable.

A little background - I took a lateral move to become an Analyst at our firm and started this position in January. It wasn't easy to be transferred, and it even meant a short-term pay cut as that group isn't incentivized at the same rate as my old department. I viewed it as an important development opportunity ... something I really, really wanted to learn.

I was approached with this same situation a little over a year ago when I was in my old role.

My problem is that everyone at my company has an agenda, which is for me to accept this assignment. It gives us a foot in the door in a category we don't normally work in, for a major client of ours. That equals significant opportunities from a sales perspective down the road. (infliltrating if you will) Add to this that lay-offs are rumored for Thursday - we are currently overstaffed given our sales. So by farming me out - that's one less on the payroll.

What I'm struggling with - is that this means living out of a hotel 3 days every other week, or moving to WI with my husband for 6 months if they need me full-time. If I aspire to move into sales to support this account, this pretty much guarantees my chance to do so. But I don't know if that's what I want to do ... It would also mean job security...

I'm pretty unhappy about the whole thing to be honest, but I don't really feel like I have a choice. It would sure be nice if they could sweeten the deal so I felt like there was something in it for me ... but how do you express that? Especially in this economy?

Any advice? I'd love an unbiased opinion.

Hmm I don't quite follow how you will be employed - you will be off your present company's payroll? That bit sounds rather precarious.

Presumably Kaffy's company are selling her services to the client.

Exactamundo! Rather than having a permanent hire, they want to 'buy' me for a while.

I would be paid the same as I always am. My company would make a profit. Essentially the client would be paying my salary plus a profit margin.

OK- so after the 6 months or year you would come back to your present post?

Kaffy, am I right in sensing the company has dangled a few carrots in front of you in the past, and you don't feel they have come through with improvements you want? So you would take this on if you had a clear promise of something at the end of the time? Can you ask for something specific from them?

Years ago you could make a tidy profit from doing secondment work for clients....overnight stay/meal/travel allowances.

3 days away from home each fortnight doesn't sound so bad. One gets used to it. So far this year I've spent at least 60 nights away on business (not counting time spent back in Putney... . I use it as an opportunity for me-time, catching up with some books, watch trashy TV I don't get to watch at home, go to the gym, etc.

And they're always glad to have me back - absence makes the heart grow fonder, etc etc...

I read the previous thread you linked - how did things get left last winter? What about the idea that you and your husband move together for the 6 months - any milage in that option?

If it wasn't over the winter months, how would you feel about the request?

Oh no - you want to make sure you get paid more. Each night away from home should trigger extra dosh...

And you also want an iron-clad contract - no wishy-washy promises.

It's hard to say... not necessarily. Really all I've been promised is that my advancement opportunities would not be hampered as a result of taking on this assignment. They've talked to me about moving into management down the road ... I would have been in management already if I hadn't switched departments.

It's a case of taking one for the team I guess. I've told myself time and time again that looking out for #1 is the most important ...

While my boss says her role is to support me in my decision, when she checked in with me end of day today I told her I wished it hadn't come up. 'It's a bit like being offered a job you didn't interview for' I said or something similar, 'but I understand why the company wants me to do this.'

'I'm glad you're looking at it from a wider perspective' she said. That's all fine and good, it clearly benefits my employer ... but what about me?

I don't think I understand the problem, and I assume there's way more office politics and emotions tied up in the story that you're telling.

You wanted to do a different job for your current company, so you asked to move into an Analyst role. They agreed. You knew it would result in a pay cut, and it did.

Now you've done such a good job working with a particular client that that client has requested that you work on-site for/with them.

Your company wants you to do that for 6-12 months. They have an "agenda" that involves expanding their business, and you would help your career with your employer by enabling them to do that.

You say the stumbling block is that you'd have to spend too much time at their site (which I can well understand is a negative to the whole situation), but it sounds like there's more to it than that.

You sound like you don't feel they are valuing your potential sacrifice working on-site for this client. Is that right? Would more money help? What could your employer do that would make you fell better about the move?

What do you want in this situation? You haven't even hinted at what you want. Do you want to stay in your current role, with no change? Do you want a promotion or a pay raise if you work for the customer? What would the ideal situation be for you?

I don't have advice, just lots of questions I think you should ask yourself. I don't even expect you to post answers - in the end it's just a decision that you need to make - but I do think you need to decide exactly what you want before you go any further.

They proposed the option and someone very high up at the client said it was too expensive and that the person who made the request needed to find cheaper options. I think he reached out to a lot of people who were part-time to fill the gap ... that was for a maternity leave ... this is not.

I'm not surprised I was too expensive. My charge rate is $125/hour. Add to that travel and a profit margin. (I don't make anywhere near that.)

My experience with this client was from my old role, not my current role. I used to support the individual who has requested me. I guess it feels like a step away from what I'm trying to achieve - which is to learn all I can about being an Analyst. My future career opportunities at this company include management in my current department, or moving into sales, very likely as a representative for this client as their current representative will probably retire in a few years.

What would make it better? If it had never come up. Barring that, I guess I wish there was something to make up for the sacrifice - my current learning, the time away from my husband, and being in an igloo for the next six months. If there was some kind of bonus that would help ... it would feel like an acknowledgement that my participation is an important part of the equation. I feel like I don't really have a choice.

It doesn't help that senior management has been talking about this for days, I learned about it this AM, and have to give an answer at 10am tomorrow.

Is it the end of the world? No. Is it what I would choose? No. I guess I'm not convinced that it will help my career, only that it won't hurt it. Maybe that's part of the problem. Bottom line - I don't really want to be hundreds of miles away from the life I had chosen, for the company's benefit alone.

Then you need to talk to senior management directly (not through your direct manager) and tell them that you're happy to do this for the company, but you'd like to talk about financial compensation for having to spend so much time away from home. It's a perfectly reasonable request, and they won't offer it unless you ask.

But then I don't know how precarious your job is, or what your company culture is like. It may be that what I'm suggesting just doesn't make sense in your situation... but I'm guessing nobody would be offended by such a request, and that the worst they would really do would be to say no.