Career advice needed. Starting a job hunt under the radar

[cedahm]

Agree with a lot of the advice; LinkedIn is your friend, but people who actually know you and what you can do are the ones who most often find new jobs.

100% this.

Having said that, unless you're 100% sure the company you would be going to is large enough to be stable, this might be a bad time to jump. Covid is on the upswing, although the vaccines are certainly good news. And, we have a new administration, and no one knows what effect it might have on various industries; he has vacillated on another shut down as well. If times get tough corporately, it's often LIFO; last in, first out. Good luck!

I agree that LIFO is a concern, but a lot of companies are in hiring mode now as a lot of them cut very deep this spring and overshot the mark. We are the busiest we've been in 5 years and our industry (management/strategy consulting) is usually a pretty early signal of general corporate health (e.g. people don't hire expensive consultants unless they have dough to spend or a shortage of qualified staff or both). Massive transformation programs and IT implementations are still slow but we are seeing strength in both the last 2 months.

Of course - it's December - so a lot of hiring will be paused for year-end (plus vacations, etc) - but January/February are usually strong for Job searches as many annual budgets are activated in Q1.

 

[Bob-WY]

I can come at this as a manager, but also someone who has done what you're considering. My industry is software engineering, and using a head hunter is the defacto way to find jobs, aside from personal references.

First, yes you can trust the head hunter, he uses your company, but he also represents people and other companies. So he recruits for your company, but also others and places individuals. They will have an ethical obligation to your privacy.

As some one who has switched jobs, I NEVER hinted to my current employer. If I was of the mood to change it was because something made me unhappy. I'd interview, but I would control who I interviewed with - don't let a head hunter setup an interview without you knowing something about the job, you are most likely going to have to use vacation time to intreview so you want to make sure it's most effective use.

Once I had an offer I wanted, I accepted it, in writing, before talking to my current employer. I TRIED not to use my current boss as a reference but did use co-workers, but required I know before they are called so I can give them a heads up. Just as a note, many companies now require the only thing you can do for a reference on a call ike that is verify "yes they work here" anything else is an issue. I get around it by doing all reference calls at home.

I never would hold an offer over my current employer. If I am looking, I am looking to leave. About all they can do is throw money, and money only solves the problem in the short term.

Now as a manager, if someone comes and tells me they want to leave, and they are good employee I thank them for the notice, if bad employee, I ask when their last day is. I will NOT counter offer, nobody is so good they can't be replaced. If even a great employee comes and says "I have a job offer, if you don't match it I'm leaving", I simply ask when the last day is and tell them I need the resignation in writing, I don't play those games.

with respect to the succession plan, again as a manager, I have multiple people on succession plans for my job. It's standard. They all there are others and it's not a promise. Heck I am on my bosses sucession plan. If you are saying it's not happening, have you asked why? Maybe there's a concern, maybe you just expect it to fast. Ask, have the conversation.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

I’m looking at this whole thing differently- not so much numbers and growth opportunity, but personal value and security. The OP stated 22 years dedicated to a company in an industry that sounds like everyone knows everyone else. OP now thinks he’s bet on the wrong horse. A man 22 years into a career is not considering going back to school to become a dentist. He’s also not in a position to wheel and deal, bargain. No way, this guy is looking at projected monthly SSI and other accounts total, thinking about healthcare. OP is looking at peers retiring and has probably made the joke about “well shit, could always be a Walmart greeter”. This man is in a fragile position, goddamnit, this community ought to listen and provide an ear to his problem. It’s also a time for internal reflection and to see how we all ourselves could be in the same spot.

 

[Djfan]

I hope by now you have made some decsions. Careers are tough to manage at times.

I gave up my own pest control company in a divorce. Went into teaching. Now I'm pigeon holed. I have tried many times to get out, but it seems that companies don't want what teachers offer. Thank God on high that you are in a position to look over the fence. My career offers very little of that.

Best wishes.

 

[noharleyyet]

Assuming the boss that gave you the Muley info doesn't peruse hunting forums?

 

[OntarioHunter]

After being with a company for 22 years, I'm beginning to think the succession plan that was promised verbally, is in danger of not being fulfilled. I'm contemplating my options and trying to determine how to go about developing a plan B in case the bumpy road has a washout so to speak.


I know a headhunter that specializes in my industry. He is a local and a customer of my company. I'm pretty sure he can be trusted. I don't want to appear to be a tire kicker on jobs, but....That's what I want to do.

How do you do a job search while working a full time job? How do you let other people in your industry know you "might be looking" but ensure that nobody shoots off their mouth.

And also how do you use the potential of being "stolen away" as an incentive to your current employer sweeten the deal without appearing to be unappreciative?

That depends on the nature of your boss. I worked for some who were only too happy to help me move along and advance my career. But I also worked for way too many petty shithead synchophants who were terrible people managers and in way over their heads (US National Park Service). First hint that I was looking for something better and I was instantly fired.

Do not use the threat of another job as some kind of leverage to get what you want. Even if it doesn't get you canned, it is liable to sewe the seed of distrust. Be up front. Talk to management. Test the waters. Tell them your expectations and why. See how they react. If they tell you tough, then proceed with care. If they react sympathetically but can't swing any changes due to circumstances, then go ahead and start exploring. But don't tell them you're going to look for something else. That could have the appearance of a threat. But if they learn through reference checks, then it won't be a surprise.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Wow. Everything about your post screams “wake up and move on now”. Your bent toward loyalty is a disservice to self. Get over the false choice that staying in a mediocre job you already know can be easily bested elsewhere is somehow the honorable and loyal thing to do. Only one you are hurting is you and only one you are helping is absolutley nobody.

I disagree. Frenchy has integrity that he values probably more than money. When you get down to it money is just a pile of paper that buys stuff ... and too often a lot of grief. My brother has always been hopelessly loyal and now at age seventy has little "stuff" to show for a long life working for several employers who clearly took some advantage of him (and one continues to do so). But when that guy dies I don't know where we'll find a facility big enough for his funeral. Hopefully the Superdome will have a slot in their schedule. Anyway, Frenchy must be a valued employee. I hope his company appreciates what they have is a rare commodity: someone who can be counted on.