commercial interior designers and conflict of interest

I have 30 years of experience, 10 years with and architecture firm and my own business, and 20 years with commercial furniture dealers. The only companies that have openings are commercial furniture dealers, and since my husband works in the operations division of a commercial furniture dealers, the other dealers won't hire me because they believe it is a conflict of interest. What do you think?

That's ridiculous! My former employers closed their design firm and starting repping for some the fine furniture companies from whom we bought. He reps for one very high end furniture line and she another. No one refused to hire either of them because they would be repping competing lines. They are very competitive with eachother. You and your husbands positions would be even less related. I know many of these companies are "good ole boys" operations. I might suspect it could have something to do with you being a woman rather than a conflict of interest. They can't say that because of federal laws against discrimination based on gender, etc. My former employers had good relationships with all of these companies having owned their design firm for 16 years. Maybe if you got to know the powers that be a little better through networking or mutual acquaintances it would help them become much better aquainted with you and allay any fears they would have with regard to your personage or marital conneciton.

Karen in Albuquerque, New Mexico said: I have 30 years of experience, 10 years with and architecture firm and my own business, and 20 years with commercial furniture dealers. The only companies that have openings are commercial furniture dealers, and since my husband works in the operations division of a commercial furniture dealers, the other dealers won't hire me because they believe it is a conflict of interest. What do you think?

Why are you telling them where your husband works? That is none of their business and not relevant. Keep this information to yourself, and there won't be a problem.