Search for a New Job, Without Making It Obvious

 

Search for a New Job, Without Making It Obvious

It can be stressful to keep your job search a secret, but it’s important to try if you think your boss will hold it against you !  If your boss finds out that you’re job hunting, they might assume you’re disengaged or uninterested in your work and move you off of important projects or give you a poor review. To mitigate the risk, there are several steps you can take to keep your search discrete, especially in the age of social media. (1) First, use your personal devices whenever applying to other roles. And be aware of your social media privacy settings, particularly on LinkedIn, before posting anything about looking for a new gig. (2) Next, build up your public profile so that recruiters notice you...without seeming suspicious. For example, you can share posts that position you as someone knowledgeable about your field and present your current job in a positive way. It's also important to include keywords on your LinkedIn profile so that recruiters can find you. Think about what words they’ll be searching for when trying to fill the kinds of roles you’re most interested in. (3) And, finally, update your skills and endorsements. LinkedIn members with five or more skills are contacted up to 33 times more often by recruiters and other members. The bottom line is, you can (and should be) visible and active on LinkedIn but do so appropriately, carefully, and intelligently.

This tip is adapted from “Does Your Boss Know You’re Applying to Other Jobs?,” by Susan P. Joyce