No matter the reason for searching for a new job, you are doing it the right way by searching while you’re still employed. It’s always better to have an income while you’re looking for a switch instead of having a gap on your resume.
First Rule in Job Search: Don’t Talk About It!
This rule applies to everyone at your current place of employment. Talk about your job search with your friends and family because they can help. However, telling your coworkers leaves you at risk of your employer finding out about your search. Your boss should also be the first person to find out about your job search, not the last. You want to make sure you secure the new position before you let your current employer know that you’re putting in your two weeks.
Maintain Normalcy
Be aware that you aren’t acting differently just because of your job search. Don’t mentally check out of your current job or let your productivity diminish. You should also be conscious of your attire and that you aren’t dressing more professionally for interviews if the dress code is casual.
Don’t Search on Company Time
Never ever do anything relating to your job search during your normal work hours. You shouldn’t use company equipment for your search either, such as printing your resume. While this may be inconvenient for you to do your job search after work, you maintain your integrity. A hiring manager will work around your work schedule to meet with you. If they can’t, take a vacation or personal day.
Honesty is the Best Policy, but Stay Positive
Be upfront with the hiring manager and let them know that you want to keep your job search confidential from your current employer. They will certainly understand and will make sure not to contact your employer.
If you’re confronted by your supervisor or manager about your job search, don’t lie. Nothing can be gained by being deceptive to your current employer and it will end up coming back to you in the future. All you can do in this instance is be honest.
Keep Social Media Updated
Just the same as maintaining normalcy around your current workplace, you want to maintain normalcy on social media. You should be keeping your LinkedIn profile up-to-date. If you need to do a massive overhaul to your LinkedIn profile, make sure your settings say that no one you’re connected with will get notified by your recent changes. You also should not post anything about your job search on any of your platforms regardless of whether you’re connected with your employer or coworkers or not.
Stay Incognito
If hiring managers can see your resume posted on job search engines, then so can your current employer. It’s a bit of a catch-22, but you should stay away from posting on job search sites. Instead, sign up for email alerts for job postings and spend time searching and applying manually.
During your search, you may start to realize that you like your current job and that you want to stay there. If this happens, touch the brake on your job search to slow down. Instead of being aggressive in your job search, keep your feelers out there for opportunities. You should never completely stop looking for another great opportunity.