Below are seven essential things at Live Enhanced that you must do during your search for a new job to ensure you protect your prospects of landing a job.
Keep Your LinkedIn Profile Up-To-Date
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Potential employers or a recruiter will review your profiles once they get your resume. Therefore, consider updating your profile now instead of doing it last minute. You should check and edit a few essentials.
Start with turning off notifications to keep your profile updates from being broadcast across your online social network. Then avoid tagging it with the phrases like “searching for a new job” because your current boss might be watching. Lastly, ensure your listed skills are current and consistent with your present employment. Any drastic changes in your LinkedIn resume can be a tip-off, especially if they do not reflect your current job position.
Keep Your Resume Off Job Boards
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Nothing snuffs out the effectiveness of a discrete job search faster than getting dozens of messages and voicemails on your office phone from recruiters. You can avoid this by foregoing posting your resume on online and physical job boards. Instead, start networking as you search for new opportunities. Moreover, the assurance that your employer will not discover your resume online potentially offsets the risk of missing a great job.
Do Not Drop Hints
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You might want to share with your co-workers what you found during your job search. You could wish to let your closest colleague know how the interview went. In some instances, you would boldly hint to your boss your disinterest in the job or about a recent reprimand because of missed work. Avoid taking such actions. Fight the temptation. Keep things to yourself if you do not want rumors spreading.
Exercise the same reservations for your social media. Some employees like staying abreast with their employees’ professional and personal lives; hence, they will check their Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts. Perhaps they might not do this but will know someone connected to an employer via the virtual networks. Therefore, avoid posting job search-related content, even statements such as “wish me luck! Going for my second interview this afternoon.” You do not want to elicit interest in what you are considering regarding your career change.
Hold The Interviews Outside Work Hours
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How many “9 AM appointments with your doctor will you have over the week or in a month before you raise suspicion? It is better to book the meeting during your lunch or after-work hours. Your boss is more likely to accommodate your request for such hours, especially as you show the need for discretion regarding the same.
If you know the interview cannot be rescheduled to a better time, consider asking for a personal day or vacation. Calling in sick might not be the best route to take. You might be expected to be part of an impromptu conference call from home, yet you are away on personal business.
Be Stealthy
Your efforts to be discreet about everything should also extend to your office wear. Suppose you are to attend the interview a bit more spruced up than when you go to work, consider changing to your everyday look before going to the office. You do not want heads turning and people murmuring about your sudden fashion change. Consider carrying a change of clothes if you are to go for the interview before reporting to work.
Avoid Sabotaging Yourself
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It is not uncommon for a job search meant to be under the wraps to be revealed via self-sabotage. Do not adopt that “could not care less” attitude and check out of your daily responsibilities or pick meaningless fights with your current employer or workmates. Instead, do your best to avoid conflicts and stay focused on your work.
Conversely, avoid using the company network or phone to make calls and book interviews. Always assume your boss is listening or looking. You do not want to get fired over inappropriate use of the business’ resources even before you have a confident footing in your next career. Read this blog about the benefits of a career in manufacturing.
Exclude Your Workmates Or Boss As References
If you have working for your current employer for some years, putting down the boss or a close co-worker as a reference might seem a bright idea. But this can be counterproductive. Suppose the potential employer calls your current boss before making you an offer; you risk surprising your boss about your plans before anything is finalized.
Reference checks should be the last thing in your job search. Therefore, it is best not to make them a screening tool for hiring managers and recruiters. Also, protect your professional and personal network; start by letting reference names be the last thing you provide at the end of the process.
