You think the end might be near, but should you leave just yet?
When many employees suspect that they could be getting the pink slip soon, they jump the gun and tip their hat. Then, the employer finds out, gets angry, and fires them or figures out a reason to fire them for cause (so they don’t get unemployment insurance). Here’s how to covertly hunt for a new job without telegraphing it to your boss.
Never Talk About It
It’s like Fight Club. The first rule of job hunting is to never talk about your job hunt. Someone might overhear you and tell the boss or may just engage in a little “innocent” gossip which can lead back to your boss unintentionally. Your boss could also get wind of the new and confront you unexpectedly. If you can help it, keep it to yourself or close friends who do not work for the company.
This also means not sharing your search on social media. It’s easy to blab about how you hate your job on Facebook or Twitter, but you never know who’s watching. And, if you do start posting about it, even once, it may come back to bite you.
Do Not Job Hunt During Office Hours
This should be obvious, but IT is watching everything you do on the corporate computers. And, it could very easily get back to the boss that you’re looking for a new job. Remember, your boss is also paying you for your time at work, and not for job hunting. You should not be answering calls from hiring personnel or HR or making outbound calls.
Don’t Wear Inappropriate Clothes On The Job
If you work in a retail establishment, it’ll probably look strange if you suddenly come into work in a suit. Your boss will notice, too. So, to avoid the awkwardness, you should do a quick suit change into your regular clothes if you will be going on interviews right before or after work.
Don’t do it at work. Do it in your vehicle or somewhere off-premises.
Set Your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter Profiles To Private
You should not advertise the fact that you’re looking for a job on social media sites, but for some sites like LinkedIn, and Facebook, it might be a good idea to just set your profile to “private.” That way, your account activity can’t be monitored. Someone you know may post to your wall or send you a message and you don’t want that broadcast all over the Internet. Don’t leave your computer screen on when you have been searching for new homes in Sarasota, FL, as this would be a dead giveaway you are planning to move.
Do Not Use Your Co-Workers As References
Sounds logical, right? Don’t use your co-workers as references for your new job. You know that they will start asking questions if your new prospective employer starts calling them and asking them. New employers sometimes ask for references from current employers. But, this puts you in an awkward position. Resist. And, if you must, give them the name of someone at your job that you can trust and let that person know in advance what’s going on.
Samantha Richards is the person her friends and family turn to when they have a job dilemma – Having herself moved from job to job, up the ladder, bettering her career and also personal life. She shares her tips and experiences online through her writing.
