I realize that many people are hunkered down, working hard at their jobs. And, a bunch of people are unemployed, looking for work. But what about all those people who are still employed but are unhappy and want to look for a job? How open can they be?
I'm from the school of "be honest with your boss" while you are looking. Somehow, I always managed to send my resume to people who were friendly with my bosses! And, once you've found a job, give two weeks notice. But if you're too scared to be honest with your boss, try these ideas:
- As you update your social networking sites, say that you're open for any and all contacts: reconnecting, networking to help other people, and interesting options.
- As you tell people that you are looking for a job, also explain you do not want to put your current job in jeopardy.
- Make sure you use reputable recruiters. The disreputable ones will send your resume to everyone they know. The reputable ones focus your search.
- Only send your resume to a company that's honest about who they are. Never send a resume to a cloaked ad.
If your boss discovers you are looking, come clean--at least, about your job search, if not the reason behind it.
It's not easy to find a job, but they are out there.
