Keeping New Job Offer Quiet
You know the feeling. You’re stuck in the proverbial rut; you need a change of surroundings, a change of boss, and possibly a complete change of career. This article was written by a previous client.
When it becomes clear that ‘one of those days’ is fast turning into ‘one of those weeks / months / years / lives’ (delete where applicable), you realise it’s time to make a clean break. It’s time to start looking for a new job.
Job hunting can be arduous at the best of times – tracking down vacancies, perhaps registering with a recruitment agency, creating a CV, attending interviews – and it can be even harder when you’re already employed.
Allow me to explain the perils of this situation. A close friend of mine (who shall remain nameless, as she is currently doing exactly what this article is all about) had become rather stagnant in her present job, and before long it became clear that in order to advance her career, she would be well advised to take up a similar position with another company. This course of action was the only way she would be able to progress further up the career ladder.
Although there was little possibility of a promotion in her current job, her bosses were eager for her to stay. Thus, the news that she was looking for another job would not have been well received on the company grapevine.
And so there was the awkward situation of job hunting, without anyone in her workplace finding out. Discretion is vital if you are to avoid any animosity in your present job. In my friend’s case, she went to a recruitment agency, who asked for her work phone number in case any vacancies arose which she would be interested in.
This particular recruitment agency was local, and quite a few employees at my friend’s company were on their books – so they were often ringing up with job offers of all kinds! Every time a jolly voiced recruitment officer rang up asking to speak to someone, the telephonist knew exactly who it was and why they were calling. The news got out in no time.
Not good. So my friend did some quick thinking and asked the recruitment officer to sound miserable and call herself Melanie instead of her real name, which it seemed everyone knew.
And so ‘Miserable Melanie’ was born – ringing up and sounding bored to tears every time there was a suitable vacancy to fill. Strange how my friend had a day ‘off sick’ shortly after each call…
An amusing little tale perhaps, but there’s a moral in there somewhere. However fed up you are with the job you’re dying to get away from, you should take care to ensure your working life stays as normal as possible while you are job hunting.
Remember – the first thing your boss should know about you finding alternative employment should come in the form of a resignation letter. Making the cut as clean as possible makes for less stress in the workplace before you quit – and a better frame of mind to enjoy your new vocation afterwards.
