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LinkedIn Now Lets You Look For New Job Without Your Existing Boss Finding Out (venturebeat.com)
A new feature on LinkedIn can come in handy to thousands. An anonymous reader writes: LinkedIn has removed an obstacle preventing some members from using the professional social network from finding their next job: The possibility of their current boss finding out. On Thursday, the company released its Open Candidates feature which now lets members privately notify recruiters that they're open for opportunities without exposing themselves to their current company. Additionally, businesses are also receiving updated career pages that can be used to better market themselves to potential hires. In research conducted in the past year, LinkedIn claimed that 77 percent of professional workers are open to their next opportunity. However, with social media, the fear has been that any signal made on a profile could get back to an employer, which is why the Open Candidates feature lets anyone operate stealthily. It's perfect for those who are open to change, but aren't precisely set on making a move... yet. "This is a signal to recruiters that you want to hear from them," explained Eric Owski, LinkedIn's head of talent brand products.
Why wouldn't I want my boss to know that there are other people chomping at the bit to hire me?
As a manager, I don't expect blind loyalty, and I assume that all my subordinates are open to better offers. But if they are actively looking, and devoting time to sending out resumes and talking to recruiters, then I will be reluctant to give them important assignments that they may not be around to complete. If I need to make a headcount reduction or free up a desk for a new hire, then they will be at the top of the list.
When an employee starts looking for a new job, it is usually not just about the money.
That's not entirely what "right to work" means, but yes, you can be fired for any reason at all. "right to work" is normally about union suppression, but it has a number of other benefits and drawbacks.
In practice very few people do that, firing can be a messy and expensive process. You can also sue your ex-employer for any kind of bullshit that you or your lawyer thinks they can get to stick. It doesn't work that much, but if you're an employer and you maintain statistics then you can put a dollar value on a firing and make your decision that way. Honestly I'm not sure I would fire an employee that was looking, I'd put good money on that employee being someone I'd have to drop sooner or later anyway. The ones that would worry me are the ones that don't have to look, that are well known and connected and will just disappear one day.
I've been motivated to move by lack of interesting projects and work to do, so not assigning stuff you people you think are looking for a new job might be self-fulfilling. It's even worse if every time someone takes a few sick days you assume they are interviewing.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
The ones that would worry me are the ones that don't have to look, that are well known and connected and will just disappear one day.
Then make sure they do not want to leave. And this does not just mean throw money at them... Top tier people often do not leave for money.
I've always hated the whole cat and mouse game that's involved with finding a new job. You have to sneak around, start calling contacts, hope one of them doesn't spill the beans to someone else both they and your boss knows, etc. It's just one of those things you wish you could be open about, but you know you can't.
The problem is that even managers who aren't insecure know that if someone's looking, and they're good, they're unhappy and will be gone as soon as they can find something that they like. Note that I said "that they like" instead of "that pays more." Lots of employee moves aren't due to compensation. I work at my current employer for less than I could be making elsewhere because at this point in my life I trade off a flexible, stable job for reduced earning potential. Not everyone is a nomadic childless consultant who doesn't even have a permanent address because they travel so much. By the same token, not everyone is a family guy working a stable job who wants to see their kids go through school in the same place rather than move 3 times in 10 years.
It's like mental illness...if some way could be found to remove the stigma around talking about it, things would improve. If employees felt they could go to their boss with concerns and not worry about being targeted for layoffs or being fired, things would work out much better. The problem is that in the current climate, you can't tell your boss "Hey, I'm not totally happy here because [tangible reasons]" or "Hey, I could use another 5% in salary because [tangible reasons]." Even if your boss were supportive and understanding, everyone's deathly afraid of unemployment...especially if you're over 40. Getting caught out in a layoff when you're over 40 makes it significantly harder to find new work. Employers just assume anyone over 40 is too old, and anyone unemployed can't possibly be any good.