Want to change jobs?

So you are employed but are unhappy in your job? Or maybe you have a dream and want to fulfill it? The hardest thing when looking for a new job is to keep the job hunt under wraps! You are excited about going for a change – for a new job and you want to talk about. Want some serious advice? Do not talk about it until you have the new job.

There are certain ethics that need to be followed. For instance, you should never, ever use your current company’s equipment or supplies to assist in your job search. Nor should you ever search during company time. You are being paid to do a job for your current company – not to be job hunting. This includes even taking “oh, just a few minutes” to search the Internet!

Do not talk about job hunting to even your closest colleague or friend at work. You may think that they will keep your confidence but they could very easily let it slip out during conversation with someone else. It only takes one person to hear about your search and you could be sitting in front of your supervisor explaining your situation. Or, even worse, you could be on the unemployment line!

Do not make comments on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or any of the other social networking sites indicating that you are job searching! A few years ago, these companies were in their infancy but, today, employers use those social networking sites to find employees and also to check up on current employees. Maybe it doesn’t seem fair but it certainly is a fact. Did you hear about the teacher in MA who lost her job because of a posting on Facebook?

Make sure that you keep your resume and identify confidential. You can include the word confidential on the top of your resume. It’s always a good rule of thumb to indicate that you do not want your resume to be forwarded on to anyone without your permission. In addition, you might want to consider putting Confidential as your current employer on your resume. Make sure that you explain that your job search needs to be handled in a private matter.

If you do receive an offer, make sure that you give your current company plenty of notice. Certainly the standard is two weeks but some companies might need a bit longer. Be flexible on this point and never, ever burn your bridges. Never badmouth your current company or any of its employees. You never know what is going to happen in the future. You might need a reference from this company or you might even need to return to the company sometime in the future.

So, if you are searching for a new job while currently employed, remember these tips. They will serve you well in your endeavors. Good luck!

By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer