Employed but Miserable?

Guest post by Hannah Morgan

You aren’t alone. As a matter of fact, 32% of the people who participated in the Mercer What’s Working™ survey in 2011 said they will be looking for a new job.

My belief is that many of you have been holding on tight to a job you don’t like. You know the market is tough and you feel lucky to have any job at this point.

I remember an incident from my days working in Human Resources when I had to convince a manager not to fire an employee for working on his resume during working hours. It was a difficult conversation, but ultimately, the manager did back down. However, the employee was never viewed the same again. You don’t want to jeopardize your current job by letting people find out you are looking. This is why looking for a new job while employed has to be done discreetly and stealth-fully.

Anita Bruzzese, author of “45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy . . . and How to Avoid Them,” www.45things.com, interviewed Susan Joyce, editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org and me for an article  she wrote on this topic. Some of the ways your employer can find out you are looking for a new job might amaze you. Know what you are up against by reading her article about looking for a new job while employed.

Here are some key reminders about looking for a new job while employed:

DON’T

• Never use company time or resources (phones, computers, copiers, etc.)
• Turn off your LinkedIn update settings, especially if you are connected to your boss and co-workers.
• Never say anything negative about your work, job, boss, or company on Facebook, Twitter or any other social network.
• Don’t tell co-workers you are looking for a new job, ever.
• Don’t post your resume on Monster, CareerBuilder or Indeed.

 DO

• Set alerts for target jobs on job boards such as Indeed.com
• Participate in industry and occupational professional associations and read their publications.
• Begin growing your network purposely by connecting to people on LinkedIn.
• Schedule interviews and networking meetings before or after work.
• Let key people in your circle of friends know that you are embarking on a CONFIDENTIAL search.
• Reach out to recruiting agencies to let them know what you are looking for.
• Maintain stellar work performance at all costs!

These are just some of the many things to think about as you embark on your search for a new job. The terrain can be treacherous, so watch your step!

What are your concerns about conducting a stealth job search?

Bio: Career Sherpa, Hannah Morgan: As a Career and Job Search Consultant, Hannah draws upon her experience in Human Resources, Outplacement Services and Workforce Development to guide those new to job search through the process and towards their goals. Visit her site to learn more www.careersherpa.net. You can also follow her on Twitter (@CareerSherpa), Facebook and Google+.

 

Comments

[Meredith]

Being well connected on Linkedin is great. However, if you are connected to your current boss and he/she happens to notice you are reaching out with purpose, it could be the beginning of an awkward conversation. So being savvy about how you network is key, and remember that if you put it online you never know who will see it.