How to Conduct a Job Search without Alerting Your Boss

Making a career change to move from one company to another can sometimes be harder than looking for a job when you are unemployed. It can be difficult to conduct a job search without alerting your current boss that you are on the hunt for something new.

It is common to be employed while hunting for a new job, especially if you are looking to advance your career. Here are several strategies that you can use to avoid alerting your boss or other people in the department: 

Conduct Your Job Search When You are Off the Clock

You are more likely to get caught if you are searching for new jobs when you are at work. It can be tempting to peruse job sites when you are bored or frustrated with your current employment, but it’s not a good idea to conduct your job search when you are on the clock. In fact, many companies will consider termination if you are caught searching for a new position while you are at work. 

Wait until you get home, and take care of your job search on your own dime. You can look at job websites and turn in resumes in the evenings. If you need to handle a daytime phone call or interview, then you can do these things on your lunch break. In some cases, it might make sense to take a day off work so that you have the time to schedule several interviews in the same day.

Don’t Tell Your Co-Workers or Friends

It might be tempting to talk with a few good friends about your job search, but you are increasing the risk of your boss finding out by telling other people about your plans. Even if your friends don’t purposely tell your boss, they might accidentally spill the beans in casual conversation.

One place that you need to be cautious with sharing information is on your online social media platforms. Sharing details about your job searching efforts on Facebook or LinkedIn might result in word getting back to your boss, especially if you have lax security settings on your social media account. 

Work with a Recruiter

If you don’t have the time or ability to focus on your job search during the day, then you might find it beneficial to work with a recruiter. They can make the effort to contact businesses and organizations to discover job openings so that you can focus on your current job while the recruiter does the heavy lifting.

It can be very advantageous to find a recruiter who is experienced in your industry, because they will have industry connections to help you quickly find a job and avoid the hassle dragging out the process. 

Wait to Turn in Your 2-Week Notice

In some situations, it might be tempting to turn in your notice at work as soon as you think that you have a new job lined up. But, don’t count your chickens before they hatch. You might find yourself without a job if you turn in your resignation too early, and then find out that the other employment opportunity fell through.