Finding a new job while you are still working can be very difficult. You don’t want the boss to know that you’re trying to leave, so you must be careful.
Warning: If someone finds out that you are looking for another job, you may be fired before finding a new job. Jody Davis, a recruitment agent in San Francisco and managing partner of Jody Davis and Associates, said she had a client who talked to the company’s competitors. Somehow his boss found out, and before he got a written job offer, he was fired.
To avoid such a fate, stay away from these six murderous things when looking for a job that can’t be done, not lose your old job before you find a new one.
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Don’t show that you’re looking for a job.
Professional consultants and recruitment agents say that people who work should be careful when looking for a job.
“You don’t want to put yourself in danger, so keep that information a secret,” Davis says.
Looking for a job in secret, you will not burn bridges with the boss if you find a new job. You may need your previous supervisor later in your career.
And more importantly, you will not be forced to leave your current job before you leave for a new company. «… Don’t put yourself at risk of being replaced,” says Cheryl Palmer, a certified professional consultant.
Don’t look for work during work hours.
Do not wear a chic suit in which you go for an interview, especially if you usually dress casually in the office. Don’t do this.
“If you dress up a lot better than usual, people start wondering if you’re going to an interview,” Palmer says.
“Go for an interview before work, at lunchtime, or after work. Don’t take sick leave for an interview. If you’re going to a lunch interview, don’t forget to change and hide your interview suit in the car before you go back to the office,” Palmer says.
“If you decide to take the risk of doing a phone interview, find a quiet place where you won’t be heard and use your cell phone,” says Lisa Chenofsky Singer, a professional consultant.
Don’t get a job on random ads.
“When you apply for a job listed in a random ad, you can send your resume to your organization,” Palmer says.
If you’re intrigued by a random ad, it suggests copying your job ad to a Google search. If posted on your employer’s website, you can identify the company that placed the ad.
And don’t put your resume on the job bulletin board on sites where you lose control of who’s reviewing your resume. Companies and hiring agents pay to review these resumes, and then “suddenly you’re vulnerable,” says Pete Smith, CEO of Executive Search Group in Scarborough, Maine.
Don’t use company email to find work.
There is no need to send a resume and correspond with potential employers by emailing the company.
The company has access to your inbox and can track your job search emails. Moreover, it is unprofessional. “I’m working, and I’m looking for another job. It’s not a good message that you send to your potential employers,” Davis says.
Palmer recommends limiting job search to his home from your computer and phone. And write down your email address in your resume so the potential employer won’t write to your work email address.
“Make sure you’re careful when looking for work,” Palmer says.
Don’t be idle at work.
Stay fully busy, and behave well in your current job. If your attitude changes dramatically and you seem uninterested and distant, it can signal your colleagues that you hope to leave the company.
“Have a positive attitude to work,” says Chenofsky Singer.
Smith says he will remember your work over the last 90 to 120 days at work. So if you know that, you will probably change the workplace, work even more … and leave on a high note,” he says.
Palmer adds, “You don’t want to give the organization an excuse to push you out the door because you’re not working well enough.”
Don’t rely on job search sites.
Talk to former colleagues you trust and acquaintances in your industry to learn about open jobs. Explore the companies where you would like to work and then focus on finding a job, and you will check the vacancies.
“Try to communicate with people who know about future vacancies,” says Chenofsky Singer. “You connect with people who could help you get a job later.”
Davis recommends researching companies, listing where you would like to work, and presenting your resume to hiring managers.
Waiting for vacancies to appear on the bulletin board and then addressing “you can send your resume into a big black hole,” Davis says.
