Never Tell Your Company You Are Looking For A Job

In the course of talking to job candidates – at all levels from junior to very senior – I often hear that they have told their boss that they are looking.  Every time I hear this, I cringe.  It is often their downfall, despite the fact that they think they have a great relationship and/or a friendship and their “search” will be kept secret. 

I recently had a very good account director tell me a story:  She worked for someone earlier in her career.  They liked each other and stayed in touch.  Several years and two jobs later when she decided to change jobs, she called him and he offered  to hire her and she accepted.  He had started a small agency which was now twenty people and he needed someone at her level.  After only a few months she realized that it was the wrong place for her.  And she told her boss that she wanted to look, but would give him ample notice once she found a job.

Wrong.

A month later she was gone.

I completely understand where she was coming from.  She and her boss were friends, so she thought she was doing the decent thing. Truth is, all she was doing was assuaging her conscience.  She didn’t take into consideration several things.  First, inadvertently, she was proving herself disloyal and made him feel as if hiring her was a wrong decision (and no one likes to be made wrong).  She also didn’t think through that once she got a new job, ample notice is rarely enough. Few employees can be replaced in two, three or even four weeks.  And the new employer will inevitably want her to start within two weeks. What happened in this case was that her boss had coincidentally met someone he liked and, despite his relationship with the account director, he did not want to get caught on the short end of the stick. You can’t blame him.  

She was shocked and surprised by being fired because her intentions were totally honorable.

The first rule of job hunting is total secrecy.  Even from friends.  I once had a person tell me that he told his roommate about a job he was interviewing for.  The roommate called, got an interview and took the job. (They are no longer friends, obviously.)

Furthermore, from the employer’s point of view, no matter how well you and your supervisor(s) get along, everyone is overworked.  So the first thing they think about when they hear that someone who is reporting to them is going to leave is a selfish thought – who is going to do the work that this person was/is doing.  As a recruiter, I have many clients who call me absolutely panicked, telling me that they are too busy and need someone immediately (that is why counteroffers are often made). 

So as nice and moral as you want to be, keep your job changing plans to yourself. Your supervisor may be your friend, but he or she has a greater responsibility to their company.

View From Madison Avenue: I’m Back. Putting Things In Perspective

I am back.  After seven long months of hospitals, rehabilitation and physical therapy, I want to thank my readers for the kind notes and well wishes I received both on my posts and through emails. I especially want to thank those who took the time to come to visit.  This unfortunate time off (I don’t wish anyone the trials and tribulations of spinal damage) puts life into perspective.

I realized that over the years I have been too wrapped up in my own world. Too many friends have been ill, been hospitalized or had problems that I had not handled well, mostly by ignoring the issue.  I was wrong. I understand that many people are awkward about death. illness, hospitals and the like.  I was one of them.  But after seeing people “like” my Facebook posts, calling, texting or emailing me, I realize how positive and good that made me feel.

I will never again allow business to keep me from making a quick call or email. (So many friends felt the need to apologize for not contacting me sooner saying they were too busy at work.  I completely understand because I used to do the same thing.    Even the likes on my Facebook posts made me feel good,)

Life is short and very random.  But stuff happens to people we know, and our jobs should not prevent us from taking time away from ourselves, our family and our friends. The short phone calls, emails, texts and visits I received meant so much to me. We all get caught up in the exigencies of our jobs at the expense of our health, families and loved ones, even our friends.  I have previously written about the importance of time off and vacation time. I am now more committed than ever to reminding people that quality personal time is essential to our well-being.  I cannot think of a single CEO or president who does not take time off even if just long weekends. I feel sorry for those who responded to the aforementioned post that they could not possibly follow my advice. They could not be more wrong. Go through what I just went through and it all comes into perspective.

I love working.  I love advertising and for seven months I missed all of it and all of you.

If you have friends who have been out of touch.  Call them, email or text them.  It will mean so much to them and it will make you feel better about yourself.

Getting Hit By A NYC Taxicab Is Even Less Than It’s Cracked Up To

As many of you know, on October 23^rd, I was minding my own business in a crosswalk, when a taxi driver made a quick left turn without looking and rammed into me.  I have been in the hospital ever since, which is the reason View From Madison Avenue hasn’t posted.

I had spinal cord surgery and I am progressing well. I hope to be my old self within a few weeks.

I want to thank my friends for the wonderful comments and well wishes I have received through Facebook and my personal email.