How To Keep Your Job Search Confidential – And Still Tap Your Network For Help

Today’s question is about networking. One of the most efficient ways to network is at professional development conferences. I’m attending a virtual one in March where million-dollar business owners, best-selling authors and other thought leaders will share strategies for elevating your brand. Want to join me? You can get a free ticket HERE .

How do you conduct a stealth job search whilst still employed? – Patricia

It’s smart to keep your job search confidential while you’re still employed. This way, your manager doesn’t see you as less committed and preemptively fires you or ostracizes you, before you’re ready to quit. Three easy ways to fly under the radar include:

1.?????? Never using any work equipment for job search-related research or correspondence, in case your employer is tracking your devices;

2.?????? Pacing your LinkedIn activity, so there isn’t a flurry of activity that spotlights how you are putting yourself out there to be recruited;

3.?????? Keeping your resume off general job boards where your manager and/or HR are also browsing for job seekers.

That said, if you don’t apply for jobs outright and you slow your use of social media, then you’ll need to? find your next job some other way. Luckily, one job search tactic still available to you is networking, which also happens to be the most effective way to land a job that’s right for you. Networking gives you information to understand what employers really want and need , so that you can tailor your message.

Networking enables you to get in front of decision-makers to get your message heard , instead of being overlooked or knocked out out early in the application stage. Finally, networking enables the confidentiality as you control who hears about your job search activity and how much you share.

You can still tap your network to help your career , even if you never ask for a job outright:

1 – Talk about the future

Instead of updating your network about your current job, talk about what you’re interested in. If it’s a different industry or role than what you’re doing now, mention what you’re doing to learn about your newfound passion. If it’s related to a portion of your current job, talk about that specific aspect and that you’d like to do more of it.

Don’t say anything negative your current job, and don’t confess outright that you’re actively looking. Just make a deliberate effort to emphasize the interests and aspirations that are outside your current job. People will start thinking of you relating to your target, rather than what you’re doing now. If they hear about news (or job leads) in your target, they’ll hopefully think of (and recommend) you.

2 -- Become a connector

Introduce people in your network to others who can be helpful to them, and you are modeling what you hope they’ll do for you. Bring a group together, and encourage your friends to invite people you don’t know. This doesn’t mean you’ll meet people relevant to your job search, but you might.

Or, the new people you meet might themselves know people who are relevant to your search. Or at the very least, you’ll make new friends. As your connections grow, you have more people to talk about your new future (see point 1), and plant the idea that you could be doing something different than you are now.

3 -- Get involved in high-visibility activities

Give a talk or write a blog where you might be perceived as an expert in an area – recruiters poach experts. Volunteer with an organization, ideally in a Board or leadership capacity, where you might meet other experienced professionals in a context that is not about your job search. If you have recruiter relationships, even if they specialize in a role or industry you don’t want, rekindle those relationships, and get up-to-speed on the job market in general and hiring trends. Having other candidates to refer is an effective way of deepening recruiter relationships.

Networking enables you to stop top of mind when people hear about job openings

You want to nurture recruiter relationships specifically because their job is to hear about jobs. You want to expand your reach among experienced professionals in case they get called for jobs they don’t want, but they happen to know just the right person (you!). You also want to maintain your existing connections because they already know, like and trust you, and you want to ensure they don’t just think of you in the context of your current job but could possibly imagine you doing something else.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is a longtime recruiter, career coach and founder of the Dream Career Club , helping experienced professionals make a great living doing what they love.

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