Seeking new job? Don't tell the boss
By Peter Bothum
(Wilmington, Del.) News Journal
Most religions have rules against deception. Most companies would fire you for it. Almost everyone considers it to be the lowest of lows.
But when it comes to the process of looking for another job, career experts will actually suggest that you deceive your current employer.
The potential gains of telling range from gaining more desirable duties at work to a promotion. The risk: You'll end up as a lame duck plotting an eventual exit; or at worst, you'll be fired.
In a smaller office, loyalty will often be rewarded and expected, said Tom Clarke, vice president of CSS Staffing Inc. in Wilmington, Del.
The larger the company, the easier it is to leave, said Clarke, who helps technology professionals leap from one job to another. Years ago, he worked for Motorola in New York and decided to take a job in Pennsylvania. Because it was a large company that had more turnover, his bosses accepted his decision.
"It was a big company, so it wasn't the end of the world," Clarke said.
With a smaller company, any move to leave could cause a major commotion, he said.
"They think you're out there to get them. You're leaving them flat. You're actually being disloyal," he said. "And disloyalty is one of the biggest things with an entrepreneur or a small-business owner."
Katie Loizeaux left a job at a New York radio station six months ago for an opportunity at a Delaware station. She wasn't looking for another job; a former boss had recruited her.
"It was a better opportunity," said Loizeaux, who lives in Wilmington. "When I went in, I was expecting them to say, 'OK, you're done.' " But her boss at the New York station thought it was fine that Loizeaux accepted an opportunity that would advance her career.
Loizeaux played it well in making her move, Clarke said. In that scenario, Loizeaux hadn't developed enough expertise to be a huge loss to the New York station, Clarke said. Also, Loizeaux works in an industry where people move a lot.
Most of the time, employees do not tell their current employer that they are thinking about leaving, Clarke said. About two-thirds of the people he assists with new jobs will not mention a new job prospect to a manager.
The other third who do talk to a boss about a potential new position are mostly those with more seniority. They likely have a strong relationship with their boss and feel comfortable being honest with them, he said.
When the route of honesty is taken, bosses will often try to keep the employee, he said.
"A strong percentage of the managers will not let you go," Clarke said. "They may give you another offer. They may go back and give you something better to meet your needs."
But employees with little more than a year's experience should keep any explorations into other jobs quiet — especially if they're just looking to move on from their first job, a common scenario.
"It'd be better to have something waiting in the wings, in case you can't come back and the manager takes a bad turn," Clarke said.
Employees looking at other jobs should pinpoint their reasons for wanting to move on, she said. The desire to work in another industry is a completely acceptable reason to switch jobs, and a superior is likely to understand, Seattle career coach Janet Scarboro said. The fact that you hate your boss is not.
"I think some people tell when they shouldn't," she said. "There are some employers who can't tolerate the idea that you're seeking employment. Those tend to be the kind of employers you don't want to be working for anyway."
