Are you happily employed with a company you actually love working for? If so, the last thing on your mind right is to look for a new job, right? But there are actually several good reasons why you should keep your ear to the ground for any potential job opportunities.
For starters, you never know if your organization will lay off its workers in the future. Restructuring may also affect your place in the company, or you might end up working for a boss someday who isn’t as great as your old one. In short, a dozen possible scenarios can give you good reason to keep your options open.
If you’re worried about the ethical issues of looking for work while still being employed, or simply don’t want to be caught doing it, below are a few ways to look for potential jobs discreetly.
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Don’t Do it at Work
The last thing you want to do is use your office computers, phone lines, and work email address to look for a job. Even if your employer thinks it’s fine, doing this can still appear inappropriate, especially to a potential employer who may see you as disloyal.
Some companies also have strict rules about this clear conflict of interest. So don’t be surprised if this kind of thing results in you being fired from your job.
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Network with Discretion
Certain industries are so closely-knit that most people working in it — especially in cities — know each other. Exercise extreme caution when evaluating your job prospects. Rather than send out resumes, the better option might be to network quietly, sending feelers to different companies through people you trust. Calling a recruiter at an employment agency will safeguard your job search from the public.
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Prepare a Redacted Resume
When it’s finally time to send your resume to potential employers, you can still keep your confidentiality by creating a redacted version of your resume, which hides all your personal data and contact information. This way, even if your resume ends up in the wrong hands, it will be difficult to know to whom it belongs.
Be sure to leave out the following:
- Your name, not just in the resume itself, but in the Properties section of the actual Word file
- Your contact information. Replace with an email specifically created for this purpose
- Your employer and any mention of words and phrases specific to your employer
The key to looking for a job while being employed is to use your common sense And remember, always be sensitive to your current employer. Follow these tips, and you should be able to look for work safely. For more job-search advice, talk to the experts at Star Staffing!
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With over 20 years in the staffing industry, Star Staffing has thrived as a top temporary staffing agency recognized multiple years by Forbes for our excellent service. Star Staffing supports multiple industries including food and wine, events and hospitality, warehouse and distribution, and more. As the economy heals, we look forward to maintaining our promise: We are here when you need us.
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