By Susan P. Joyce
A "stealth job search" is when you job hunt while employed, keeping your job
search a secret from your employer and other employees.
If you are currently employed, your smartest strategy is a stealth job search. It can help you protect your job and your income, and a below-your-employer's-radar job search is possible even today.
Employers, not
surprisingly, tend to view a job-seeking employee as "disloyal," not focused on their work, and a threat to company secrets, customer lists, etc. So maintaining a low profile for your job search is the smart thing to do, even though it makes your search a bit trickier.
Unfortunately, it is not unusual to hear of someone being fired for job hunting, an employer attitude
that pre-dates the Internet.
While the employer attitude is not new, current technology offers many new ways for a job search to be "outed" and the job to be lost.
How to Conduct a Stealth Job Search
Conducting a "stealthy" job search may feel dishonest. But, quitting one job before you have another one makes finding that new job much more difficult for you (see Don't Quit First for the reasons).
Employers are more interested in employed job candidates than unemployed ones. They usually -- and often wrongly -- assume that there is "A Reason" someone is out-of-work, and that reason is not
good.
Realistically, a stealth job search is your most effective option. Following these steps will not only protect your job, they will protect your identity, too.
