In today’s world of social media, everybody knows what everybody else is doing. Between posts and notifications, it’s easy for us to keep track of each other. And in some ways, that is a good thing.
But it’s not ideal if you’re trying to keep your job search a secret. There could be many reasons why you don’t want others to know you are job searching:
— You don’t want your employer to find out that you are looking
— You aren’t 100 percent sure you want a new job
— You don’t want to get talked into staying at your current position
— You haven’t decided exactly what new job you want
[See: How to Quit Your Job Like a Class Act.]
To update your LinkedIn profile without your boss noticing, follow these steps:
1. Under “Me” (Right side of the main menu bar at the top of the page), click on Settings & Privacy.
2. Under Privacy, scroll to “Sharing profile edits” and turn off this option.
3. Under Privacy, change “Profile viewing options” to the generic option, or completely anonymous (versus your full profile) in case you are looking at other people’s profiles in your industry who may notify your boss that you were viewing their profile. Just in case.
4. Under “Blocking and hiding,” you can choose which followers see your public updates as well.
5. Under “Job seeking,” let recruiters know you are looking! Select “Yes” for this one (“Let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities”) and select “Yes” to share your profile when you apply for jobs on LinkedIn.
6. To be extra careful, you can also disconnect from your boss and anyone else in your organization you feel you need to (unlink yourself from them on LinkedIn) without them being notified that you have done so. While they would not get a notification that this happened, they would find out this has occurred if they happened to search for you on LinkedIn and see that you are no longer a connection. So, use this suggestion on a case-by-case basis depending on your situation and if they would happen to search for you and notice.
It’s that simple. Once these options are edited, this means that your network will not be notified when you make edits to your profile and helps ensure they won’t find out you are looking through other avenues. If your boss gets a lot of notifications about your profile being updated, it’s a big hint obviously that you are looking to make a change.
This will help you get started with LinkedIn. And, searching for a job while you have a job is a delicate process. Here are some other tips on how to successfully job search without your boss finding out:
[See: The 25 Best Social Services Jobs of 2017.]
Don’t focus on your profile just yet. This is the easiest way to keep your boss from finding out about your job search, especially in the early stages. To start, instead of just making a lot of updates to your profile to job search, reach out to a few trusted network contacts.
It is important to only enlist the help of those who will be discreet, so choose your contacts carefully. When deciding on who to ask, think about the following:
— How long have I known this person?
— Have they been discreet in other delicate situations in the past?
— Are they in a position to really help me with my job search?
— Do they work in the job industry that I am interested in?
Note: It is better to choose contacts in your network who do not work at your current organization if you want to maintain your privacy.
Once you have decided on your contacts, tell them about your situation and what job positions or organizations you are interested in. Ask them if they could put you in touch with any of their contacts who work at organizations that are hiring.
If you haven’t decided what kind of job position or organization you would like to work for, ask your contacts to help you schedule a few informational interviews.
An informational interview is a one-on-one conversation with someone who works in an industry you would like to work in, or are considering. The conversation could be:
— In person
— Over the phone
— On Skype or FaceTime
That person may have a job you might like, or simply work within an industry you’re considering. It could also be someone who is employed by a company that you’re interested in learning more about.
[See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.]
Informational interviews are a great way to:
— Decide on your career path
— Determine your next career moves
— Focus your aspirations
— Figure out if a company or role would be a good fit for you
They are a way to learn more about what a day is like in the field. You can get that inside perspective before you jump in. For job seekers, it’s also a great way to network into an organization.
Once you know what kind of position you want, take time to update your profile. You will want to make sure that:
— All your contact information is current
— Your email is not your current work email
— You highlight quantifiable results
Job search on your own time. Job searching during work hours is an easy way for your boss to find out what you are up to. It can be a temptation, especially if you have some downtime during the day, but wait until you are using your personal devices. If you need to schedule time during the day for your job search, try your lunch break or other scheduled breaks.
By following these tips, you can better control when and how your boss will find out about your job search. You can tell him when you are ready.
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How to Keep Your Boss From Noticing You Are Updating Your LinkedIn Profile originally appeared on usnews.com
