A
female
age
51-59,
anonymous
writes:Following a break up and because of the Pandemic and lockdowns, and because I work on temporary contracts, I've been having a difficult time financially.I work in higher education and I lost two main contracts this academic year. I was extremely worried about money.Out of the blue, a company contacted me from China, asking me to do a talk about studying in higher education in the city where I live. I checked them out, and all is fine. They pay an hourly rate of three times as much as I earn for the companies I work for in the UK. I was really happy, obviously. They asked me to do an initial talk of 2 hours, online and then their students can sign up for personal tutorials.All great. However, they asked me to talk a bit about one specific college I teach in, because it has a global reputation. I made it perfectly clear I could not officially represent my college, but I could talk generally about studying in my city and maybe mention this college a little bit. They agreed and they liked the talk I proposed.Today, I met online to ensure everything was all in place for my talk next week. They asked me to introduce them to the Admissions Office at this specific college. I said yes, but my heart sank.I know for sure, 100%, that the admissions office will love to have contact with them because they want more overseas students, because they want the high fees they pay.However, I am 100% sure that they will immediately make a new deal with this company from overseas, to get a different lecturer to take my place. It's difficult to explain, but this particular college treat staff really badly and they have favourites that they promote, even though they are definitely not the best candidates for a role. I am not part of this favoured bunch. In the last two years, despite my students saying they love my teaching and getting great results, my work has been reduced and given to someone else - this is illegal, but there is nothing in reality that I can do about it or they will just get rid of me altogether. I was really, really hoping that finally I would have a 'break through' in my teaching career and this new opportunity felt like an amazing advancement. I know I can do an excellent job, but I am already feeling almost sickened knowing that I made this connection and, once I introduce them, my new work is almost bound to be given to someone else. I'm not very good at handling these kind of work politics. Any tips here please from anyone else about how to handle this? I should add, things like this happen to me a LOT - people continually seem to use me as their 'stepping stone' and then I'm discarded and it's happened so often to me that it has actually begun to change me as a person; I feel wary of people now whereas in the past I was always very generous and giving to others, believing it would be returned - it never is returned and now I just feel used.
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reader, anonymous, writes (14 November 2020): This is verified as being by the original poster of the questionI just want to thank the three respondents to my query - this is all excellent advice and very much appreciated.
Actually, after writing my post, I really felt like I had to inform my college about this situation and I contacted the Head of School. He was really supportive and very clear about boundaries and what I could and could not do.
He gave me the name of an admissions office representative and said he will happily help if I have any more queries.
I will, however, heed all of your advice and do my best to get more work with this company AND keep my college happy. Thank you all again.
A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (13 November 2020): I think you should speak to the admission officer at the college and put him in the picture and see if he has prior contact from the said company and if you are allowed to give the information required by the Company. Leave it at that and hope for the best.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (12 November 2020): First-off, when you work freelance under contract, or on temporary-assignment; there are no binding or extended-commitments beyond the active-contract with your client. They are seeking prospective candidates on a continuous basis from various sources. They may have tentacles everywhere; and may have already reached the university, but got rejected. Unless you are given an offer, open-end contract, or a special-incentive; they are under no special obligation to you. Giving foreign entities contact information of your current or former-employer was strictly voluntary; and it was your option to decline offering any form of unauthorized or pre-approved reference to your former employer. They did not have the opportunity to investigate your source; and it is their legal-right to place all risk, liability, and responsibility entirely on you.
You should have gotten their permission first, or spoke to their corporate attorney. All you had to say is let me get back to you after doing some research into your request. That would have left it entirely up to them to find a means of contact. If they found you, they can find any publicized contact-information on the university website. Unless they were seeking access to a particular individual in order to bypass normal bureaucratic process and procedure. Seeking an insider-source. Be careful of such things in the future. To protect your employer from hacking or nefarious behavior under the guise of being a benign operation or institution. Not meant to scare you, just a warning.
You're asking your questions after the fact. Maybe you should have mulled over all these questions in your mind before being so quick to give it to them without authorization or permission from the university. It's most likely harmless; but you should always consider proper protocols if dealing with foreign entities, when you are uncertain of their motives and intentions. You could have kept the communications strictly one-on-one, being the go-between or liaison; and then you wouldn't be anxious about whether the university will offer someone who would override or supercede the arrangements you've made to offer your own services and expertise. This might be a mild case of cutting off your nose to spite your face; but it's now water under the bridge. Your concerns of being replaced may be unwarranted. You were first-contact; and the quality of your work-performance has merit and should speak for itself.
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A
female
reader, Honeypie  + ♥, writes (12 November 2020):
 My thing is this, IF you don't give the introduction, you are screwed too, because they will just find another point of contact than you. AND you already agreed.
Being generous means you expect nothing in return, OP (just wanted to point that out).
Who on the college admission staff do you have a decent relationship with? Because that is where I would start. I think it is inevitable that contact will be made. If you are the one making it happen you MIGHT be surprised and see that you will continue to be included.
Do I understand your plight? Absolutely. It SUCK to have found a job that seems to be JUST what you needed. And then it might turn sour.
So what would I do? I would start looking to see if there are other companies out there you can offer your services too IN CASE this doesn't work out.
This college will walk all over you for favoritism because they KNOW you can/will do nothing.
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