If you’re in search of a new job, it’s usually a good idea to do it in secret. If your current boss learns you’re looking for something new, it can hurt you professionally in a few ways. First, you may lose your current job. Second, you may hurt your prospects of moving ahead in your current job if the new job doesn’t work out. Because if management knows you’ve been looking, there’s good reason to believe you won’t be with the company long-term—so possibilities of promotion go out the window.
How to Job-Search In Secret
In order to protect your current employment (just in case), job hunting discreetly is your best bet. But how do you look for a new job without anyone finding out? Just follow these tips:
- Schedule lunchtime interviews. Your lunch hour is a time you wouldn’t normally be on the clock, so no one will notice if you have an interview during that hour. If you can’t make a lunchtime interview work, you might also consider taking a day off to attend an interview.
- Change outside the office. If a coworker sees you returning from lunch in a suit, or leaving the building in a suit, it could raise suspicion. Instead, make plans to change your clothes offsite.
- Don’t talk about it. As tempting as it may be—don’t talk to your coworkers about what’s going on. It’s too tempting for them to spill the beans and loose lips can jeopardize your current standing at your job. Best to keep quiet about your plans.
- Set your LinkedIn profile to private. If you’ve been making changes to your profile to impress a hiring manager, this can be an indication you’re looking around. Instead, when you make changes, don’t announce them to your contacts.
- Work with a recruiter. If you’re worried about keeping your job search discreet, your recruiter has it under control. As experts in the job search arena, recruiters are very familiar with keeping a job search hidden from a current boss, even in terms of employment verification and reference checks. When you work with a recruiter you can rest assured your job search will preserve your present job if you end up needing to keep it.
Thinking About a New Job?
If you’re checking out this post, you may be thinking about a new job—and Snelling Georgia Group can help! We place qualified candidates with work in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, and we can’t wait to meet you! To learn more, contact us today!
