Dear Bob ... Last week my colleagues and I were told that our division will be outsourced to one of the major players. To say the least, we were somewhat surprised but kinda saw this coming in the last few months. The company kept us informed of the outsourcing effort, but we didn't think it would include our division. Sound familiar? But all that is history now. My question is, do I stick around to see if the o Dear Bob … Last week my colleagues and I were told that our division will be outsourced to one of the major players. To say the least, we were somewhat surprised but kinda saw this coming in the last few months. The company kept us informed of the outsourcing effort, but we didn’t think it would include our division. Sound familiar? But all that is history now. My question is, do I stick around to see if the outsourcer will hire me on? Or do I make my own plans and move on? We’ve heard some horror stories about this company, such as they only hire a small percentage of people, drastically reduce salaries or those they hire and then only keep them on until they’ve “sucked” all the knowledge out. Do you have any insight into how these companies operate? Are they as aggressive and brutal as we’ve heard? In any case, I suppose I will polish the old resume and start looking around. Better to be safe than sorry, right?Any advice you can offer with regards to this situation would be helpful.– Outsourced Dear Outsourced … I don’t have any special insights into any of the specific companies in this business (other than Perot Systems where I used to work, of course, and even there I’ve been out of the game a long time now). As a generality, outsourcers and “insourcers” need somewhat different employee profiles, which is why, after an outsource, so many internal employees wash out. It’s a bit like the difference between a member of the armed forces and a mercenary, although I don’t want to push the metaphor too far. I will tell you that my limited and somewhat out-of-date experience says outsourcers pay their consultants relatively well compared to how internal IT pays its employees. Outsourcers are also relatively less tolerant than internal IT when it comes to non-performers. They have to be: Their employees are their product. You’re pursuing the right strategy by hedging your bets. By no means should you just stick around, counting on making a successful transition. What you should do, though, is ask yourself if you want to work for an outsourcer. Doing so doesn’t really turn you into a Sith, although there are those who see it that way. Not sure? Ask for an introduction to the outsourcer’s account manager, or just take the initiative and introduce yourself. Explain that since you’re going to become an employee you’d like some insight into what they look for in an employee, and what steps you should take to turn this transition into an opportunity to pursue a career there. The answer you receive will have a certain amount of spin on it, but not an unreasonable amount. The biggest mistake many employees make when transitioning to an outsourcer is maintaining their loyalty to their old employer, or resenting their new one. Put yourself in the position of the outsourcer’s account manager. Would you really want to keep an employee who resents you? If you take the job, act like you want the job, at least until you find a job you want. – Bob Technology Industry