That’s it! For one reason or another, you’ve decided that you’re done with your current job, you’re moving on and beginning the interviewing process. You updated your resume, sent it out to your favorite staffing firm, and have two interviews scheduled for the following week. Next step? Deciding whether or not you should tell your boss you are looking for a new job. Most of us just deal with the guilt that accompanies the little fibs we tell when explaining our absences, rather than letting management know that we’re unhappy and are looking elsewhere for work. But is that the best approach? Ask yourself some preliminary questions first:
Have I done everything I could to improve my current job situation? Maybe you really enjoy everything about your company; you simply just want a new challenge. Perhaps the ability to telecommute twice a week would make your current job. Do a deep-dive into your reasons for leaving before you decide to pull the trigger. If your happiness is an easy fix, have a chat with your boss—not about leaving, but about what you need to improve your current situation. What have you got to lose? More often than not, your employer would rather keep you on as an employee than deal with your unexpected departure.
If your requests are then met with empty promises or cannot be accommodated, your decision to leave should come as no surprise. So what’s next?
Your next step is starting your job search and think about whether or not you clue your current boss in. Look at how the employer treated others who gave notice. If your employer is fair to those who give their notice, you might be best served to let your boss know you are interviewing. Maybe your boss has contacts at another company and can help you get in for an interview, or maybe they want you to interview your possible replacement and train that person before you leave.
If employees who give their notice are asked to pack up and leave right away, you would be well-advised to keep your desire to leave under wraps. A job search could take months; do you really want to face the possibility that you could be escorted out of your job before you secure another one?
If you have decided to keep your job search a secret, take measures to ensure that it remains so:
* Don’t publicize your search on social media. While it’s important to make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated, don’t mention anything about seeking out future opportunities.
* Use your personal phone to make job search-related phone calls, not the company phone.
* Be considerate of your coworkers and your employer; schedule interviews during lunch, before or after work, or take a vacation day.
* As tempting as it might be, don’t spill be the beans to any of your coworkers. People can’t resist gossiping.
* Remain focused on your job. Not only will slacking get you negative attention, but it may also be a clue to management that you have one foot out the door.
When you have an offer, let your boss know. Your new employer will likely ask to speak to your current boss or employer, and while it may be tempting, blindsiding your current employer when they receive that phone call will only damage a relationship even further.
Unfortunately, the answer to the question of whether you should tell your boss that you’re interviewing is not as simple as “yes” or “no.” Just remember that there’s no turning back if you decide to spill the beans. If you are working with a Staffing Manager at Leddy Group, he or she might be able to offer some words of wisdom to help you reach the right decision for you.
