Being The Office Snitch Can Put Your Career Or Someone Else's In A Stitch

Every office has one- the employee that knows everyone’s business and has no problem telling others. The one that can’t keep a secret no matter how hard they try. The person who makes things a little complicated when it comes to office gossip. We all know who it is- the office Snitch- the tattletale. 

The office tattletale is the person who always has one ear in the mix of everything going on. He or she never misses a beat and is the go-to person when someone needs information. They might even turn to Facebook or another form of social media to seek out information. This person makes sure to cover their own tail when anything goes down. If you are that person in your office, you might want to reconsider your position. 

If you happen to be the office tattletale yourself, you might want to tone it down a bit. Not everything is your business to tell and you should recognize that. Your image amongst your co-workers may be a little tainted, but not something that can’t be repaired. You have to be able to prove to everyone that you are changing your ways.

It’s tough to separate what should and shouldn’t be reported- everyone who tells is not an office snitch. If it’s something that could interfere with your work environment, you may be obligated to tell someone. A social media post may not seem so offensive, but airing out grievances or gossip on Facebook isn’t the way to go about your day. What goes on at work should stay within the confines of your workspace.

How do you handle an office snitch? Minimize behavior worth snitching about to keep from being a target. This can be done by keeping your head down and getting your work done. Don’t get involved in any of the gossip that could be spread around the office. Stay out of the way and continue to be productive. You shouldn’t be intimidated nor overly friendly toward the person, just keep it casual and you’re bound to stay out of the line of fire.

Truth is, it’s easy to get caught up in the office gossip. It’s a rookie mistake, but time and experience makes one wiser. Snitching on co-workers isn’t something you should be known for, period. It does not increase your value in the company. Again, your professional image should be something you care about and work to craft a spotless image. Snitching goes hand in hand with gossip in most cases, a topic that I’ve discussed in detail before. Keep to yourself and keep your mouth and ears out of other people's business.

I am president and owner of A. Solomon Recruits, a 100% minority, woman (WBENC and WOSB) certified search boutique that caters to finance, Fintech, Data Governance Management, Infrastructure Management, Information Technology and Cyber Security. Also as a coach of Cocktails & CareerTalk, I am a career catalyst, an impetus for professional change. I offer game changing, disruptive insight on executive search, career tips, advice as well as, real talk messages that will inspire, empower and create limitless pathfinding journeys. My goal is to make you continue to think, question and push your career boundaries. I'm also a girl, who proudly reps Brooklyn. A proud Brewers (Vassar) alum. A mother of four beautiful children. An always keep it real champion of global inclusion and social responsibility recruiting initiatives. If you like my writings and would like to continue reading about my executive search journeys and unique career coaching techniques then like, comment below and follow me: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asolomonrecruits/ ; https://www.facebook.com/Cocktails-Career-Talk-534763273361609/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRecruit https://twitter.com/CocktailsCTalk