If you’re lucky enough to already have a job in this still shaky economy, good on ya. But sometimes life happens. Perhaps your boss somehow went from having your back (like James Bond’s “M”) to knifing you in the back (a la the classic Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld). Maybe you were passed over for a promotion while a younger spy, uh, co-worker sped up the ladder, or your company simply got too stingy with the pay raises. Heck, you just might be plain old bored.
While the prevalence of the Internet and social media made our lives easier in many ways, our constant online presence wreaked havoc on “stealth” job searches. When your electronic footprint tracks through every virtual path imaginable, keeping a job search to yourself proves harder than the steely-eyed gaze of current “James Bond” actor Daniel Craig.
The simplicity of buying a copy of the local newspaper (provided your town still has one at all) and circling want ads faded away long ago. Most of us now spend many hours online every day. We have Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and Twitter accounts. We friend, connect, favorite and like the people we work with. Sometimes we even connect online with our bosses. Social gets tricky if you want a new job.
You don’t want your boss to find out that you’re on the job market. If you forgot that your LinkedIn Activity Broadcasts are turned on, and you’re connected with your boss, you’re basically telling her, “I quit!” She probably won’t bother asking you what it would take to make you stay. Most employers don’t consider employees that valuable anymore, so you probably just purchased yourself a pink-slip magic-carpet ride out the door.
But fear not (or at least fear less), I found a few tips and tricks (should you choose to accept them) you can use to keep your job hunt from being a “Mission Impossible.” This post will self-destruct in five seconds.
How Do I Start My Stealth Job Search?
If you haven’t had to send out a resume in a long time, you might wonder how start a stealth job search if you don’t want your manager to know. You may not want your coworkers to know either, because they could grass on you to your boss for reasons known only to them. Another job seeker asked this very question. Here’s the 12-step plan Liz Ryan laid out for him.
Need to Conduct ‘Stealth’ Job Search? Here’s How
If your current job feels stale and mostly unfulfilling, you might decide to seek new opportunities. Just do it on your own time, using your own gear. And don’t put “Seeking New Opportunities” in your LinkedIn headline. If your boss happens to see it, watch out! She might force you to seek new opportunities faster than you wanted. Business 2 Community has a bunch more tips for you.
Managing Your LinkedIn Settings for a Stealth Job Search
So, you’re ready to search for a new job. Your current job bores you more than a rollicking game of Pong. You seek excitement and adventure, right?! Or maybe you just figure there has to be something better out there. Honestly, chances are good, but keeping the job hunt on the QT is a smart move. Let Ed Han fill you in on how to configure your Linkedin privacy settings, stealth mode, and those pesky Notifications. We are going to show you how to turn THAT bugger off and put on your job hunting trenchcoat.
7 Ways To Keep Your Job Hunt A Secret
Lisa Rangel has a pile of ways to help you keep your job search personal and confidential. Some of these are common sense, such as using your own personal and professional-sounding email address. Some you may not have thought of, like getting your recommendations lined up BEFORE you start job hunting.
4 Stealth Apps Let You Job Hunt on the Sly
If you’re already employed, looking for a new job can be tough. You need privacy, especially since you don’t want to broadcast to everyone that you’re on the job market. Let Erik Sherman show you the mobile apps you can use for your stealth job hunt.
7 Stealth Tips for Looking for a New Job While Employed
Remember the rule from the movie “Fight Club?” I never saw the movie, but even I know the first rule about Fight Club. Don’t talk about Fight Club. Same thing goes for your stealth job hunt. Don’t talk about your job hunt. Don’t talk about your secret job hunt on social media, either, because it won’t stay secret. For the other five tips, read Maddie Bertelsen’s post.
Have some tips or tools to share with your fellow technical communicators, information developers, and content creators? Let’s network! Drop me a note: HelpFiles@TechWhirl.com. Follow me on Twitter: @craigcardimon. Connect with me on LinkedIn here. Put me in your Google+ circles. I enjoy connecting with others in the industry.
