portfolio & competition w/employer

Hey, just signed up on here. I've gotten quite a few offers over the years to do side work for people in my town but never got around to it for one reason or another, but Ive gotten to a point where money matters and I have to do what I have to do. My questions are these:

Ive worked loyally for my current employer for the past 5 years. Its an advertising agency, and web development is a big part of it. I love it here, but I just dont make what I need to be making, at least in my opinion, and my employer is in no position to double my salary :P

So without going behind his back and stealing potential clients, how would one win over side business w/people in the same town as your employer?

Secondly, if I am to put together a portfolio of my past design work, it is obviously going to be taken from the work Ive done here at my current job. How do I display this on my personal site without stepping on my employers toes? Do I simply give notice that the work was done under my current employer? Do I give all copyright credits to him? If I do I'm easily giving away to potential clients my employers information, and causing two issues. One, I might lose business and two, he could find out my side business and could consider it competing, which Im not trying to do.

any suggestions?

Thanks
Chris

Originally Posted by Schubdogg How do I display this on my personal site without stepping on my employers toes?

\\I dont think that having a portfolio would be stepping on your employers toes as long as you did the work than its perfectly fine to show what you have done over the years.

Yes, i agree, i also think that you can do both your employers work and other peoples work in your spare time

he could find out my side business and could consider it competing, which Im not trying to do.

Lmao, of course you are competing with your employer if you are seeking clients from your home town/district.

The way to do it is create a portfolio, you can use your own work in it as long as there is nothing in your employment contract stating otherwise. You should retain the copyright to every one of your designs and therefore can use it in your personal portfolio.

The portfolio can be entirely anonymous, maybe use a pseudonym or hide behind a business name instead of using your own name. Your employer may never find out, but if he/she did you may be out of a job very, very fast.

or you just don't call it a freelance business or state your on the prowl for clients. there's nothing wrong or intimidating by having an digital portfolio. it's no different from a cartoonist having a giant portfolio even if he's currently working for a comic company. it's when you take it to clients to get buesiness people will get mad.

IE, if they come to you, that's one thing, it's when you go searching them out he'll fee threatened.

Talk to him about it, always best to be open.

It's business, you use the money to live, as does he. Do what you feel you need to do to advance.

There are legal aspects of this. First did you sign any sort of NDA or NCA? Second of all you don't want to be yanking clients from the work you are doing now. When and if they get a hold of it you will be paying a few bucks back to your ex employer. If they are not paying what you want ask for a suitable raise or tell them you are not going to be able to work there. Usualy when you do work for a business if it is Web design it is usualy their work, unless you are sub-contracting to them if not they own it not you.

hope this helps a little