Hey guys I'm getting a bit over where I'm working at the moment (Programmer) and i've thought i might like to look at other jobs.

I'm not desperate to leave my current employment so i don't want my current employer to know that i'm looking for work.

As I've never been in position where I've got a job and looking for another my question is how do you apply for jobs and put accross the level of experience/duties you've acquired at your current job without your employer knowing?

Most jobs i've applied for have wanted references and/or call previous employers?

Just ask your boss to write you a reference. If he asks why just say ur updating your resume or something =)

People shouldn't ask for references until they're ready to hire you. If they don't follow this procedure then their HR department is f***ing s***house, and the company is probably crap as well :P

If they're asking for a reference and you want the job they're offering then it shouldn't matter if your boss knows because you'll be leaving shortly anyway.

Hrm I'm just concerned that if he catches wind of me looking he'll just pay me out my 2 weeks and then send me on my way.

Yeah that should fool him. (the boss)

Maybe use someone at work, who you can trust, in a higher position than you as a reference?

Yeah that should fool him. (the boss)

What are you referring to here?

Its a very small company there is me head of I.T. operations then the sales/business manager and then the boss.

In your resume say that references will be provided upon request. Referees usually aren't contacted until after an interview and they are interested in you. Most people doing the recruiting understand that you don't might not want your current employer to know that you are going to bail. I mean, who would.

So do i just say I've been working at my current place of employment for the last 6 months and have performed all these duties without actually saying who my employer is?

Ive done this a few times. Over here and back home.

1. Tell the new employer your situation. Let them know your still working and you dont want them to know.

2. Tell your current boss your not happy because of .... reasons. They might want you to stay and offer you a good deal.

tell prospective employer you don't want your current employer to know.

there are all sorts of laws against them contacting your current employer.

I had a mate working for Company X, he applied for job at Company Y. Company Y contacted Company X without his permission and Company X gave him his notice a few weeks later. He was unsuccessful with the job in Company Y so he sued them and won 6 months salary and went on holidays.

I think he works for Z now ;)

last edited by spidz at 20:11:06 23/Feb/06

Spidz: Yeah I did think there was some sort of safeguard.

So you think to just put in my work history where i'm working and just put in the intro/cover letter to not contact my current employer and i should be all set?

I had a mate working for Company X, he applied for job at Company Y. Company Y contacted Company X without his permission and Company X gave him his notice a few weeks later. He was unsuccessful with the job in Company Y so he sued them and won 6 months salary and went on holidays.

Man I would have sued Company Y sooo fuking much I could have bought Company Z!

I've always wanted to work for abc :P.

Thanks guys for all your advice so far as you can imagine i don't want to just up and leave my job without god reason.

I just can't help but feel there is something better out there than what i'm doing. I have a year commerical PHP/MYSQL skills on top of about a year of contract work before that. As I said before my job title is I.T. Manager when anything with a plug breaks its "my" fault and my boss lets me know it.

I'm under quite a bit of pressure to program (My primary job is to develop/maintain our website) and if i happen to overlook something I get dumped in the s***.

By overlooking something i mean small programming errors or issues pop up that one couldn't possibly forsee. All the meanwhile i'm being made to feel like crap if i don't complete the job in the timeframe he wants. He doesn't know about I.T. and when i try to tell him how long things will take they fall on deaf ears and basically makes me feel inferior "why would it take that long its only ...."

All of that for 36k a year whereas a quick browse on seek is showing me jobs around 40-45 that seem to be just programmer jobs with way less responsibility.

Another reason why i'm reluctant to just up and say i'm getting a new job is as you may have guessed i'm the only programmer there. I completely implemented the site and all the backend systems. So if i leave he is pretty much f***ed in that regard.

I was refering to scoob's post.

Employers generally aren't silly. You usually update your resume to move on.....

Fair call mission and thats basically what i'm expecting if he finds out. My boss has already told me when i started that he doesn't believe in 2 weeks notice he'd rather just pay you out for two weeks and f*** you off. He doesn't mess around :P

He can't just sack you for no reason if your a full time employee.

When I apply for jobs when I'm in a job, I don't really give a toss if they contact each other. My current employer will realise I'm looking elsewhere and might offer an incentive to stay before I tender my resignation, provided of course I am a valuable asset to them.

He can't just sack you for no reason if your a full time employee.

What world are you living in ???
Maybe once upon a time that was the case, now with the new IR laws, if there are less than 100 employees in the company, your ass is grass at the boss's whim an you don't have a leg to stand on.

Thanks for that Mr Howard!

Apologies, forgot about the new IR rules.

Fizzer, looks like your f***ed if your in a company with < 100 employees.

I used references from the job I had before. The last thing I wanted was my current employer finding out. They eventually figured out that I was looking elsewhere anyway, but only after I had accepted another job. Funny how the only pay rise I ever got at the company was when I left.

Is there someone you work with who would be a good reference? It doesn't have to be your boss.

Another reason why i'm reluctant to just up and say i'm getting a new job is as you may have guessed i'm the only programmer there. I completely implemented the site and all the backend systems. So if i leave he is pretty much f***ed in that regard.

sounds to me like you're in a good position. There is nothing like being indispensable. I wouldn't be too worried of they found out you were leaving, sounds to me like they'd be pretty f***ed if you left and would make a fair effort to keep you.

there's a lot to be said for working for yourself by the sounds

The guy you're working for is a tool. Forget about getting a payrise at the current job - find a new job without him knowing and hand your notice in, preferably late on a Thursday so he can't possibly get an ad in the paper that weekend therefore leaving him in the s*** for longer.

If you've only been working for a year or two just put on your resume that references are available on request. Try and line up one personal and one professional. For the professional you can use uni lecturers, the dude who you worked with when you had a part time job studying, whatever. For the personal use someone like one of you're old man's friends that's in whitecolar employement that's known you for a while.

Calling references only happens in two situations;
1. When they are deciding between you and one other and they can't make up their minds
2. As a last resort once they know you're the right person for the job. You're hardly going to put people down as references who think you're an idiot, are you?

Good luck. Feb is usually a good time to be looking for work.

They'll only ask to call a referee after the final rounds of interviewing, and will usually allow you time to contact your potential referrals (or indeed ask them to be referees) before they contact them... telling your boss you've been short listed for a job and are asking for a referral is often a really quick path to better working conditions.

Recruiters and HR departments will usually ask you if you're currently working at the time they schedule the first interview, often they say things to me like "don't worry we can be discrete" if I tell them I'm still at another company. Personally I wouldn't be worried about applying and sorting out references until you've had at least 1 face to face interview.