Would you tell your employer when you're looking for a new job?

[hellonewjob]

Have NC.

Been at my current place of work for 13 years, started as weekend staff and worked my way up. 30 this year and for various reasons I feel like I need a change.

Have only applied for a couple of other jobs so far but I feel so guilty.

It's a family business and we're a close knit team, and I know if/when I left it would leave them massively short staffed, and as it stands it would totally blindside them.

Would you mention it to your line manager? Give your genuine reasons why? Or just keep quiet? I'm even flapping about potential interviews landing on a work day and wondering what I'd do.

I wouldn't at this stage, no, because if it comes to nothing then there might be a bad feeling. But much further on in the process I'd consider being honest so they can start thinking about recruiting.

I'm looking and won't tell my current boss until I get a job offer.

@Arowana that's my concern, that I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't! At what stage would you tell them? If you were offered an interview? Or wait until a job offer?

Noooooo no no no. The only scenario where it’s ever a good idea to tell you’re boss you’re job hunting is if it’s for an internal job in the public sector and they have to sign off on it (eg police or civil service).

However long you’ve been there and however lovely you think they are, you can’t predict how they might act if they know you’re looking to leave. People can take it quite personally sometimes, especially in small companies.

The sneaking around is horrible I know, but no worse than them finding out you want to leave and you not getting either of those jobs. What if it takes you months and you have to work alongside them, with them knowing you want to leave 😩.

What’s your notice period?

I did, for me it just felt courteous. I'd been there 10 years and knew my manager well and he was happy for me. I would do it in my job now too, for internal and external positions. That's just me though, everyone has different relationships with their manager etc. I've been fairly lucky so far.

only if it was an internal job - external no way

What about references though? Surely you dont get a job without references - and where would you use if not for your current job?

I wouldn’t tell them unless I had a firm job offer it causes too much tension otherwise.

No way!

Nope. If you mention it to colleagues, it can actually be construed as "breach of mutual trust and confidence" and become a disciplinary matter.

Not until I'd.got.one

I'm afraid I would not have misplaced (as I see it) loyalty to a company.

I found out when I was made redundant a few years ago I was very much expendable.

I will never be loyal again (although I have been in my current job 5 years and it's a good place to work).

Surely you wait until you have a written offer? Anything else is too risky.

You have to in teaching because you have to have the head as a referee and references are taken up before shortlisting. You’d need to tell them if you were offered an interview, surely,

Not until you are handing in your notice.

Yes I would and have done.

Very mixed answers there!

@MindatWork 4 weeks I believe, which doesn't seem long!

@WhoWants2Know thanks for that info I'm actually not close to colleagues, work alone 3/5 days. Wouldn't put any of them in that position regardless. It's only my manager I feel like I owe the courtesy too.

No way, I moved from a small family business recently and I told them when I was putting my notice in as I had a job offer. Would never tell any employer before that.

It depends entirely on your relationship with your employer.

I know one of my guys is looking elsewhere at present. He wants to relocate. The extra notice means I can get other staff to learn skills in advance, which can take longer than 4 weeks. It's not awkward, he's been a great employee and I'm not an arsehole.

The only time it's been really hard has been when someone coordinated giving notice with three weeks of holiday. Effectively it gave us one week's notice which isn't long enough to advertise, let alone train someone.

I’m public sector and I would have no problems with this but private sector then no way. Certainly not in recruitment which was the field I worked in prior to my current line of employment. I would have been sacked at any point if they knew I was looking. Any job offer you get is likely to be subject to references so that’s the point at which you tell your employer - not before interview.