What I mean is, how do you actively search/apply for job if you are not wanting to involve your current boss. This isnt a case of them finding out I am looking but more that they are the reason I am looking and therefore I do not believe would be helpful in any way.

I have worked for this company for 2.5 years and the first portion was great, I had a great boss who was helpful and supportive. Answered questions, reached out just to chat and make sure I was good not to micromanage and check on me....then the company realigned and I fell under a new boss who was hired from outside the company. He doesn't hold the same thought patterns as anyone in the company, does against the grain on everything, challenges everything, doesn't value personal time etc. There have been multiple instances of random non thoughts or little notes from conversation that he brings up weeks later and blows into a big deal and Im not sure I can stand it waiting to see if he will move on before im at my wits end.

In 12.5 years in corporate america, I've never had a good boss. Doesn't sound like your boss will help you out so you will need to do it on your own. Like most people do.

I mean how do you apply to new jobs without them reaching out to your previous employer. My previous boss at the company I am 100% willing to list as a reference.

Every company I've worked for only reached out to get verification of employment. It's an automated system that doesn't involve HR or your boss. But I've always worked for large corporations.

Employee James P Shelley to work on your resume.

Then only give references as requested. A previous boss is a good one, as are colleagues that can keep things confidential.

Then network. I was given a lot of really good advice in my thread, and it is working! Take all criticism and advice on this board as constructive. I was given a lot of tough love and I appreciate every word of it!

I've had two good bosses (one was the same guy at two different companies) and the other 6 have been dip****s, *******s, or evil narcissistic *******s.

Basically, you have to look it for yourself. Network, apply for jobs, message hiring managers directly in LinkedIn, talk to recruiters, all of it is fine. Just act like everything is normal at your current job until you are putting in your notice. Gift luck. People do it all the time, so don't worry about it that much.

Most employment verifications won't verify your current employer. So you do not have to worry about your current boss/employer finding out.

The Chicken Ranch said:

---

Employee James P Shelley to work on your resume.

Then only give references as requested. A previous boss is a good one, as are colleagues that can keep things confidential.

Then network. I was given a lot of really good advice in my thread, and it is working! Take all criticism and advice on this board as constructive. I was given a lot of tough love and I appreciate every word of it!

---

Thank you, Chicken, for the vote of confidence.

Upon my wife's resume, for her current employment directory information and in the field where the employer name would be positioned, she runs with "Employer name revealed at interview". Never has she been quizzed on that entry, except at an interview. Likewise with a LinkedIn entry.

OP, best wishes on your pursuit!

To me, it is unprofessional on the part of the company you are interviewing with for them to reach out to your current employer or boss.

If they can verify employment without disclosing that you are a candidate for a position, then maybe that's fine, otherwise it would seem like it could create some additional problems between you and your boss that you probably don't want to deal with.

I've been a hiring manager for the past 22 years. I never reach out to the current boss, but if a former boss at another firm is listed as a reference I may reach out. I wouldn't want the existing company to counter before I could finalize an offer.

tamc91 said:

---

I've been a hiring manager for the past 22 years. I never reach out to the current boss, but if a former boss at another firm is listed as a reference I may reach out. I wouldn't want the existing company to counter before I could finalize an offer.

---

Honestly, this should be the least of your worries.

It would be terribly unprofessional to reach out to a candidate's company when they are likely not informed that that person is looking outside their current job. Screw a counter offer, you can likely get them fired.

I always had the option of selecting "no" when they ask if they can reach out to my current employer. I had 3 offers before I took my current job, and that didn't dissuade any of the companies from moving forward with me.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

I mean how do you apply to new jobs without them reaching out to your previous employer. My previous boss at the company I am 100% willing to list as a reference.

---

Very few companies require anything that would jeopardize your current job. And if they do, then you refuse and you don't want to work for that company.

AggieMainland said:

---

In 12.5 years in corporate america, I've never had a good boss. Doesn't sound like your boss will help you out so you will need to do it on your own. Like most people do.

---

wow, you need to change jobs if thats your attitude. I've had bad bosses and that takes a toll after a while.

However my current boss is what makes me want to stay and do well. He's not a chummy lets go have drinks after work boss, but that's not what I really want. I like that he's professional, helpful, friendly enough to have a quick chat and he communicates with us with every change that's about to come from the company.

OP, most companies won't reach out to your current boss if you don't want them to.

I got to have an awkward conversation with my boss because the person I'm interviewing with on Monday reached out to ask about me. It is with the same company but different service line. Pretty annoyed with this person. I would think it would make sense AFTER the interview once they have decided I was worth continuing the conversation with.

Captain Winky said:

---

I got to have an awkward conversation with my boss because the person I'm interviewing with on Monday reached out to ask about me. It is with the same company but different service line. Pretty annoyed with this person. I would think it would make sense AFTER the interview once they have decided I was worth continuing the conversation with.

---

Yikes...that's really bad etiquette. Unauthorized references are an HR dept's nightmare.

Captain Winky said:

---

I got to have an awkward conversation with my boss because the person I'm interviewing with on Monday reached out to ask about me. It is with the same company but different service line. Pretty annoyed with this person. I would think it would make sense AFTER the interview once they have decided I was worth continuing the conversation with.

---

Yikes...that's really bad etiquette. Unauthorized references are an HR dept's nightmare.

Rudyjax said:

---

Captain Winky said:

---

I got to have an awkward conversation with my boss because the person I'm interviewing with on Monday reached out to ask about me. It is with the same company but different service line. Pretty annoyed with this person. I would think it would make sense AFTER the interview once they have decided I was worth continuing the conversation with.

---

Yikes...that's really bad etiquette. Unauthorized references are an HR dept's nightmare.

---

It's not uncommon to notify your current manager prior to applying for a transfer within a company. The person you're interviewing with probably just assumed you'd given your current boss a heads up.

jh0400 said:

---

Rudyjax said:

---

Captain Winky said:

---

I got to have an awkward conversation with my boss because the person I'm interviewing with on Monday reached out to ask about me. It is with the same company but different service line. Pretty annoyed with this person. I would think it would make sense AFTER the interview once they have decided I was worth continuing the conversation with.

---

Yikes...that's really bad etiquette. Unauthorized references are an HR dept's nightmare.

---

It's not uncommon to notify your current manager prior to applying for a transfer within a company. The person you're interviewing with probably just assumed you'd given your current boss a heads up.

---

Doh. Missed the same company bit. That being said, in most companies it's protocol to tell your boss you're applying for another job.

And a good boss would support employee growth. In a good company, it reflects well on managers to have their employees promoted.

jh0400 said:

---

Rudyjax said:

---

Captain Winky said:

---

I got to have an awkward conversation with my boss because the person I'm interviewing with on Monday reached out to ask about me. It is with the same company but different service line. Pretty annoyed with this person. I would think it would make sense AFTER the interview once they have decided I was worth continuing the conversation with.

---

Yikes...that's really bad etiquette. Unauthorized references are an HR dept's nightmare.

---

It's not uncommon to notify your current manager prior to applying for a transfer within a company. The person you're interviewing with probably just assumed you'd given your current boss a heads up.

---

This. Every company I've worked for had a policy that you must notify your direct supervisor before applying, or interviewing for an internal role. It was the first question HR asked when contacting an internal candidate who applied for an internal position.

To pile on, I've always encouraged my team to look for open roles in the company if they're ever looking to move on from their current role. My thoughts are that life is too short to have a job you don't enjoy, and if they're a good employee, the company is better off having them in a different role than not at all.