Not fishing for more “my friends screwed me and the friendship ended” stories (unless they’re really really juicy, I guess). Just thinking about future events, advising clients, etc.
A friend’s an electrician…would you hire him for some work or not? Hire him and now the relationship changes be/c you’re the “boss”, rather than friend. And if something goes wrong, that affects the friendship. But if you hire someone else, you might as easily hurt his feelings. Damned if do and don’t.
Would you hire a realtor from your social circle to help sell a house? What if they screw up (or if you’re unreasonable) and you gotta fire each other? But if you go with someone else, they might be unhappy about the lost opportunity.
If a friend wanted a curved concrete house, I’d be bugged if they chose a different designer, to be sure. But I’d also be able to see how there could be awkward moments.
Where’s your line between friendships and networking?
Replies
no line jim. I'll do whatever I can to help a friend. If I can't do it and can confidently recommend someone who can, I do that. I do separate friend from acquaintance. Billing gets hard sometimes, but I have just enough Italian in me to be able to make adjustments according to what is owed.
Small things-no charge
Bigger things-same as everyone else...........sort of.
Or, if their talent is trade-able we make an exchange.
And if I misanswered on would I work for a friend, the same applies for if I would hire a friend. You bet, keep it in the circle.
This months issue of Walls/Ceilings Beyond Thunder, Dome-update on the florida dome/hurricane.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 3/14/2005 1:34 pm ET by calvin
Look at it as a way to deepen your friendship or at least test how deep it is. If you are as clear as you should be about your expectations, your friend will do his best to meet them. Or you will have found out that he is incompetent or that he is not much of a friend after all. This is all stuff you are better off knowing, even if it is painful finding out.
I agree with everyone!<!----><!---->
So I charge "Friendship Fees†right up front! ;)<!---->
Edited 3/16/2005 6:31 pm ET by MRJALAPENO
If I knew the friend was compentent and able to meet my expectations I would reocommend/use him/her (how politically correct can one be). That being said I would also use my intuition as to how capable the 'friend' was in terms of separating professional from personal. Better the devil you know than the one you don't.
Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
And of course there's the contractor who becomes a friend, which is different than the friend who you take on as a contractor. The fellow you met is the former. It's the latter I fret about...
Another concurrance...genuine friends are hard to come by, and I, too, like helping them.I have a good friend who's an electrician, he wired my house, and has done a few jobs I've gotten. No problems, except he's moved up to Linville, long commute.I have another friend who's a plumber, same story, except he hasn't moved. He's also had me do some jobs for him.Painter's the same way, and he works trim sometimes, too. That's a good combo.My best friends, a husband and wife, are real estate brokers, I'd go with them any time.I do all kinds of paid work for friends, and were still that way...now, aquaintances are whole nother story<G>Thing is, I would much rather work for/with friends than anyone else. Don't worry, we can fix that later!
Edited 3/16/2005 7:42 pm ET by bucksnort billy
I have no problem working for friends and I have no problem if they decide to hire someone else. The only problem I have is when they hire another, then want me to come in and hit clean-up. From that point I feel no obligation and they are on their own.
I make it clear from the git-go they will not save any money buy hiring me. I will go the extra mile for them and they know that. Why should I work for less when I can work for a stranger for more. It does'nt make sense.
Exactly! Friends or not, business is business.
I try to do business with people that do business with me, and with friends. I wish it worked both ways, but often it doesn't. I guess, as someone said, business is business. If I have to choose between someone that does business with me versus a friend that happens to not do business with me, I'll go with the business relationship.
Every now and then, a friend finds himself out of work. I generally try to consider his skills, figure out what he might be good at, and give him a little work. I find that this works much better than a handout. Man keeps his pride. This is just casual labor, mind you - I'd have a heeard time hiring a friend for full time work, unless he had the skill set I needed.
Greg
I've worked for friends before. some jobs I charge for (bigger jobs) some I don't. I figure if I can do the job in my free time iits a no charge. Hey we are talking about friends here. But if i'm gonna lose a days pay then someone has to make up for that. I find its much easier to have the friends are friends, business is business talk right up front. That way you are both on the same page right off. Hope this helps.
I do not like doing work for friends. Have no family here to do work for.
As for the friend/work for issue: I am learning that as long as I do what I should (ie. proper quality, courteous, etc.) it does not matter what they do to / for me. I KNOW that I have done what I should; what they say/do (when I am where I should be psych./ spiritually) is like BBs hitting a battleship. What really matters is what I do. I am the only one I have control over.