I have been working in the marketing realm for about 4 years now. Although it wasn’t what I studied in school, graphic design has always been the part of the biz that I really enjoyed. About a year ago, I took a position as a database manager for three reasons:
a) higher salary
b) higher position in the corporate food chain
c) fear that my then-current position (Marketing Coordinator) was going to vanish as the company was re-re-restructured.
After some recent soul-searching, it became abundantly clear to me that I had gotten away from the aspect of the marketing world that I enjoyed, and that the right side of my brain was none too thrilled about it.
So, here I am, preparing for a career change and realizing that the process could take quite a while, which brings me to my question:
Should I tell my employer that I am seeking employment or not?
I can think of arguments both for telling them and for keeping it to myself, but I think I’d like to stop here and see what you all have to say.
Although this is the repository of all human knowledge, your question has a simple answer.
HELL NO!!!
There are three simple reasons for this
It is always better to look for a job while you have a job
If you tell your employer, he will actively begin looking to replace you, which may shortly eliminate #1.
You might begin a job search, decide you don’t like any of the opportunities you turn up, or decide you like what you’re now doing, and decide to end your job search. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee your employer will end the search for your replacement.
Now it may be that you like everything about your job except the actual work you do. In that case, it would be proper to gently inquire whether any opportunities exist at your current employer that would be better suited to your talent and career goals. But position it only as a “just exploring my options” type conversation.
Never, and I mean never tell your employer that you are looking for another job. There is no possible benefit (real or imagined) for doing so. If you are disatisfied with you current position, you can express in interest in moving closer to what you really like doing as long as it is presented correctly and at an opportune time.
You work with people who might very well be wonderful folks whom you do not wish to inconvenience, but you work for a corporate entity which will never extend to you an ounce of human compassion, because a company is not human.
Your well-meaning intentions will mean nothing should an attractive replacement be found for you before you’ve found another place to go. They will not be forgotten should the economy tank and you elect to stay there. Instead, you’ll be remembered at the top of the list when the downsizing axe falls. While it has never happened to me, I know of at least one instance where a person who allowed her current employer to be contacted was systematically trashed by that current employer in telephone interviews with potential new employers.
Whether or not it is your right to explore other options, privately, while sitting at your desk at work is a matter for someone else to argue. I’m saying it is the pragmatic thing to do, legal, moral, polite, or not.
I wholeheartedly agree with those that say leave your current employer out of the loop until you resign. Give the courtesy of at least two weeks notice and don’t burn bridges.
My last change was an exception. I didn’t overtly tell anyone that I was looking but it was abundantly clear. Working at Biosphere II the uniform was shorts and T-shirts but when I showed up to a meeting in chinos and a tie they knew something was up but didn’t dare ask. When I resigned my boss if they could offer me enough to stay. I told him whatever offer was made would likely be an insult and told him not to bother. Within 6 months of me leaving the whole rest of the IS staff followed suit so I think my timing was good.
Though, if they are astute, will probably figure it out. Long lunches, half-days off and long weekends are all pretty great indicators…or so my husband says. He is rarely suprised when someone leaves.
A lot of employers see it as disloyal, and may well keep good assignments from you. Potential employers see it as “if he does this to his current company, he can do this to us, too.”
I work in a profession where job turnaround is fairly high, and is expected. Still, when I was interviewing with different companies, I kept my search secret. Every company I interviewed with understood not to contact my current employer until I had given notice. Once, that led to a standoff, with the company refusing to give a formal offer without references from the current company, and my general desire not to inform the current company of my departure without a hard offer. I said thanks, but no thanks. Find someone else, and they did.