How to Keep Your Job Search a Secret

I read with amusement this recent piece on how to keep a job search a secret. Obviously don’t tell the office you are looking or post about it. Don’t use work devices/computers. Change your settings so you don’t broadcast changes on LinkedIn, and don’t turn on the “Open to Work” sign. (As a recruiter, I do not target only those who are looking anyway.)

But a couple non-obvious suggestions to get traction on your job search and not out yourself:

1. Include on your LinkedIn profile your contact info or a way for people to contact you (e.g., through a website you have) even though you don’t have the “Open to Work” notice up.
2. Ask for confidentiality when you are applying to places. When candidates ask for complete confidentiality, I always pass that onto the employer who hopefully is doing that anyway, but the reminder not to back-channel people is helpful.