The Right Way to Walk on Eggshells

[Stick2TheScript(s)]

Okay, so I get to work today, and I've got an angry email from my editor wondering why I'm interviewing for other jobs without conferring with him first.

Turns out, this other paper I simply did a feeling-out phone interview with had called up my editor without even asking if that was okay first. Isn't that why people are supposed to ASK FOR YOUR REFERENCES!?

Now I'm in the doghouse at my current spot, and I'm royally pissed at the place I just did the phone interview with.
How should I handle this in the future?

 

[SixToe]

How do you let your current boss know you're looking around?

That seems a bit counter-productive.

A good boss would want employees who are desired by other companies and then, if possible, do what is needed to keep them or give them a hearty handshake on the way out.

 

[Ace]

Stick2,

No.1 -- You gotta know by putting your name out there it could get back to your boss.

No.2 -- I still wouldn't tell my boss unless I had an offer or was turning in my notice.

No.3 -- I'd look even harder.

 

[thegrifter]

I had a boss go ape**** on me because someone else wanted to interview me. It only made me that more determined to get the other job.
You should probably do the same.

 

[Mediator]

I'm surprised the other shop called your current boss. I would not generally use my editor as a reference for that very reason.

 

[spnited]

Sounds like two guys I wouldn't want to work for

 

[Moderator1]

You get to any kind of interview stage, you probably ought to be straight with your boss. Blind-sided bosses are not good.
I used to tell my guys that if they were upfront with md, I'd do anything I could to help them.
Blind-side me?
Well, I wouldn't be helpful.

You put name out there, it is going to get out there. And back to your boss. So be upfront.
A good boss will be able to handle that. A bad boss? What does it matter? You're leaving.

 

[imjustagirl]

Was that even in English?

Regardless, my boss knows I'm looking. Hell, most of my paper knows I'm looking. I always believe in being up front, but I've also been blessed with having pretty cool bosses who were good people first.

 

[Moderator1]

Was that even in English?

Regardless, my boss knows I'm looking. Hell, most of my paper knows I'm looking. I always believe in being up front, but I've also been blessed with having pretty cool bosses who were good people first.

I apologize for not being up to your perfect standards. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me. One day, I hope to be perfect like you.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

I'd handle whether to tell the boss on a case-by-case basis. Really, you can't give blanket advice on that one.

 

[Scrubs]

It depends on your relationship with your boss. The first person I worked for in the business was all about helping me and was fine with me looking as long as I did it the right way, and that's the way I do it now with the people who work for me.
It also helps to have some bosses from the other side who show you how to NOT treat people. And I've had a couple of those, too.

 

[forever_town]

With all due respect to Moddy, my standard answer is NEVER tell your boss when you're leaving.

In just about every field you could think of, that's career suicide. Some bosses will fire their employees if they find out they're looking elsewhere.

If you have a very close relationship with your boss and you know he or she's not going to do that, that might be a different story. Even then, your boss may seem like the coolest person on earth but turn around and fire you if he or she finds out you've even put a resume out there.

 

[Moderator1]

If you work for someone who would fire you for that, you are not working where you ought to be anyway. Plus, you could sue his/her ass. I couldn't just up and fire someone because I wanted to fire someone. There had to be a really good reason. I imagine it is that way at most places.

 

[forever_town]

If you work for someone who would fire you for that, you are not working where you ought to be anyway. Plus, you could sue his/her ass. I couldn't just up and fire someone because I wanted to fire someone. There had to be a really good reason. I imagine it is that way at most places.

1. Depends on the state. If you're in an at-will state, you're screwed.
2. An employer could give whatever reason they chose and it's very hard to prove wrongful termination.

 

[Moderator1]

Well, I'll say it again: I've been lucky. Only bosses I had were people I'd kill for and I damn sure shot straight the few times I was looking. And I tried to be that kind of boss. Got blind-sided once and I didn't like it much. Everyone else was upfront with me.

 

[thegrifter]

Yeah, but not every boss is like that. Like any profession, there are some real dicks out there. And being upfront doesn't mean **** to them.
I gotta agree with FR. This is a case-by-case basis.
Most bosses I've had were real cool with me looking, and offered to help in any way they could. But there was one or two who made my life hell just because i was interested in an opening.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

I got fired for it once. Found a much better job though, and less than two years later I'm doing even better than that, and making more than double what I was making at the old place. And I'll never, ever, ever let a boss know I'm looking until I'm offered the job and putting in my notice. And I'd say the same thing to anyone else looking. While waiting to hear about my current job, I was paranoid about it in fact.

 

[forever_town]

I got fired for it once. Found a much better job though, and less than two years later I'm doing even better than that, and making more than double what I was making at the old place. And I'll never, ever, ever let a boss know I'm looking until I'm offered the job and putting in my notice. And I'd say the same thing to anyone else looking. While waiting to hear about my current job, I was paranoid about it in fact.

When I was interviewing for a job, the people I interviewed with called my then-current job while I was there and I heard my supervisor talking to them about me. That was nervewracking.

He was cool about it, but I was nervous as ****.

 

[SportsDude]

I wouldn't tell them ****. When was the last time as boss gave you advance notice you were being laid off?

We had two people leave at the same time a couple years ago. The second person announced, so the ME went to tell the publisher. She got all vindictive and wanted to fire him on the spot, I can just imagine what she would have done if he was out looking.

Anyone with half a brain would keep it to themselves, and I wouldn't work for a place that was stupid enough to call your current employer unless they were on the reference list or had permission.

 

[thegrifter]

I had someone ask me if my boss knew I was there interviewing. They wanted to know if it was ok to call my boss for a reference.
And I had no problem telling them no to both questions.