Recently, I started a small side job because my salary hasnât been enough. Iâm selling stuff on social media, but I havenât told anyone at work. Iâm worried that if my boss finds out, it could be bad. After all, itâs not related to the company, but if they somehow find out, will it be a problem? Do you think itâs more sensible to share something like this or to keep it completely secret?
I was also running a business like a boutique on social media for a while, but I hadnât shared it with the place I was working at. However, once a customer accidentally called the business line, and they noticed it from there. I had to explain it directly, but thankfully they said, âAs long as it doesnât affect our business, it wonât be a problem.â But it was a scary situation; it might have been better to talk about it and clarify things from the beginning.
I think you should check the company policy before saying anything. Most companies can be sensitive about âside jobs,â especially if youâre doing social media work. If some gossip comes up inside, it can make things harder for you, so being upfront from the start is sometimes easier.
So youâve said youâre selling on social media now, but what time do you usually do this? You know, are you working on it a bit during business hours? If so, that could be a problem because they might think youâre not focusing on your job 
Honestly, I donât feel comfortable with secretive dealings like this. The place you work for pays your salary after all, and you have a responsibility to them. If youâre hiding something, it could create an even worse perception when it comes to light later. Such things are generally not well-received in society either.
The important thing to pay attention to here is whether there is a clause regarding additional income in your company contract. If youâre doing something that is contrary to the companyâs interests or conflicts with your working hours, it could lead to termination. Especially since social media is so visible, you should be more careful.
Actually, I mostly do it outside of working hours, on weekends or in the evening during lessons. But my boss is quite active on social media, so Iâm afraid she might see it somehow. Iâll check if thereâs such a clause in the contract.
I think you shouldnât involve your workplace at all, these things usually happen like âfreelanceâ on social media anyway. You can sort it out among your friends; if you donât announce it to anyone, there wonât be any trouble. By the way, which platform are you on, Instagram or something? 
Keeping it secret feels a bit like âpulling strings behind their backâ to me. Why canât you just say it openly? You say it has nothing to do with your company, but in the end, you might still undermine their trust somehow; if they find out, it would be worse.
Such side jobs exist for many people now, and I donât think itâs something to be overly stressed about. If youâre not violating work hours, why should anyone be bothered? Just be careful, as some companies may have their eyes on you on social media.