You’ve interviewed with a company and things went well. The next step is the job offer. In most cases, it’s a simple process — they offer you the job; you accept. But sometimes there are circumstances surrounding the job offer that complicate the process. This is the first in a series of Q&A to explore strategies for how to handle the situation when a challenge arises.
Question:
My current employer has an informal company policy that if they find out you are looking for a new job, they’ll fire you. How do I look for a new job without jeopardizing my current one?
Answer:
If your current employer finds out you are looking for a new position, they may begin planning for what they would do if/when you took a new job … which might end up forcing you out of your current role. Your co-workers may no longer regard you as a team player. Your supervisor might be hesitant to give you a major project or additional responsibility, for fear of being left in the lurch if you decide to take another job.
As much as possible, try to keep your job search confidential. This means:
♦ not posting your résumé publicly to job boards.
♦ only applying for positions that you would accept if the job was offered to you.
♦ letting any recruiters you are working with know that you’re looking to keep your job search quiet.
♦ never using your work email and/or work computer for your job search.
♦ being strategic with your LinkedIn profile. Turn off your activity notifications on LinkedIn so your contacts won’t get emails when you update your profile. And don’t list that you are looking for a new position in your LinkedIn profile. Instead, make sure it meets LinkedIn’s guidelines for “profile completeness” and you will be more findable.