Let me start by contradicting myself – our government is really good at creating jobs.

Confused?

Consider this fact – the Office of Personnel Management reports that since the start of the recession the Federal Government has added 275,000 new jobs to the Federal payroll, an almost 15% increase. And the vast majority of these are not in the military or related agencies like the VA, CIA etc.

Considering that the private sector has been shedding millions of jobs through the recession it’s nice to know the Feds are doing their part to stem the damage.

Some things are always a lie – The check is in the mail; I’ll respect you in the morning; and “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

Government claims that it creates jobs falls in this category. When it comes to creating jobs – jobs that add value to the economy, produce revenue, and most importantly pay taxes – governments almost universally suck. Government jobs represent consumption, not production.

Yes, many are needed – in the military and to provide certain services, but what really matters is private sector job creation. On this the record does not inspire confidence.

The economist Milton Freidman once visited China and saw workers digging a canal with shovels.  When he asked, “why not use bulldozers?” He was told because digging with shovels created more jobs.

Friedman replied, “Then why not use spoons, instead of shovels?”

That story pretty much sums up why government efforts at job creation usually represent less than brilliant thinking. And there are plenty of similar examples.

Decades of industrial policy in Japan with the government trying to pick winners and losers produced two decades of stagnation and 10% + unemployment. European governments are the poster child of how not to do it when it comes to job creation.

And in the United States we have the government’s support of green technologies, the so-called stimulus, programs like cash for clunkers, dollars for dishwashers, and any number of other well-intentioned but completely misguided programs for job creation. This is nothing new – FDR’s policies managed to prolong the depression they were supposed to help end.

The Definition of Stupidity

Why governments continue to pursue policies that have not proved effective at job creation is not exactly a mystery. The reasons usually have to do with social programs where the impact on job creation is poorly understood.

Environmental policies are a great example. Regardless of where you stand on environmental issues, regulations of the type issued by the EPA impose costs on businesses that divert funds away from jobs.

The Keystone XL pipeline is a case in point. The administration claims that it’s pandering to, er, addressing the concerns of environmental groups. But the Canadians will build the pipeline to Vancouver and ship the oil to China.

Shipping runs more risks of spills and Chinese refineries are far more polluting than any here. So not only will we lose adding about 138,000 jobs but we’ll have increased environmental problems.

I wonder if these people have heard the expression – cutting off your nose to spite your face. This is an election year and the aforementioned environmental groups may find after the election that they’ve been summarily shafted, but that would be cynical.

A perennial favorite for job creation efforts is outsourcing, or rather prevention of the same. Every year we hear about companies that need to be punished for sending jobs overseas and if only they could be stopped all would be well.

This is especially true in manufacturing. Manufacturing is a sacred cow – a link to an era when millions of people worked in factories, and a time when a person with little education could earn a good living.

Something about producing physical goods makes the work a noble act; seeing a piece of metal turned into a car is supposedly more rewarding than say, a recruiter getting a job filled.

I’m reminded of a documentary produced by Ben & Jerry’s along with the Government of Vermont that talked about the company’s efforts to help preserve the family farm. The film evokes a vision of a family farm being a place of wonder – an idyllic lifestyle, the joys of working in the fields, raising cattle, milking cows.

What they forgot to mention is that on average, every day in America 2 adults and 1 child are killed in a farming related accident on a family farm; or that it’s one of the most unstable ways to make a living, not to mention the long hours, manure, and having to deal with harsh chemicals like ammonia.

Some of this same fantasy applies to efforts aimed at saving manufacturing jobs – preserving a vision that was never true and employs fewer people for reasons unrelated to outsourcing. An increasing share of manufacturing work is automated – a trend that will not reverse.

There’s an excellent article in The Atlantic on the reality of manufacturing today. Jobs in factories today require highly skilled employees because what we produce today is jet engines and pacemakers, not shirts and happy meal toys.

Like farming, many of those jobs that the government wants to save were not the most desirable ones – they were tedious, repetitive and dangerous, and losing them is no great tragedy. Frankly, given a choice are there a lot of people that would want a job in a factory instead of one behind a desk because the former is somehow more noble and rewarding?

Trying to fight these trends is like King Canute ordering the tide not to rise. One might as well blame ATMs for taking jobs away from Bank Tellers.

Leaving Well Enough Alone

In 2011 more IPOs were filed on the Hong Kong stock exchange than the NYSE. That’s the first time that’s ever happened. The reason comes down to two words: Sarbanes Oxley.

SOX, as the law has come to be known, created in the aftermath of the Enron debacle, has made compliance extremely expensive. The law was supposed to ensure more transparency in corporate accounting at public companies and prevent companies from putting investor funds in jeopardy.

So now instead of spending money on jobs, we have companies spending money on compliance. It’s too bad that the original sponsor of the bill – Mike Crapo, handed it to Paul Sarbanes. Then the law would have been known as Ox-Crap, which at least would have been truth in advertising. Since that worked so well, for good measure we have the new Dodd-Frank legislation.

Governments do best at creating jobs when they enable private industry to do so. Some of the best examples are Hong Kong, Singapore, and Switzerland, which have a long track record of low unemployment and few regulations.

These countries have not abandoned safety, the environment or public concerns that are usually cited as justifications for all the laws that are created by governments elsewhere. These countries also conspicuously stay away from job creation efforts of the type cited above.

Courtesy of staffingtalk.com and Raghav Singh

As a worker who is 40 or over, do you know your rights, along with what to look for when job hunting? If the answer to both matters is no, then take the time to research your rights so that you are not denied a job, especially given today’s troubling economy.

For the older worker, they bring a plethora of qualities to the interview and position if hired that simply should not be overlooked. Among which are:

• The experience factor – Older workers have been there and done that so to speak. They can be beneficial to any company, especially younger ones who are looking to get a strong foothold in the business world. With their experience, they can offer advice and knowledge that someone just out of college simply can’t;
• Determination to succeed – While there are certainly some older workers who need a refresher course in how to be a productive employee, most bring a work regimen that is second to none. They know the meaning of showing up on time, giving 100 percent, mentoring younger workers, and will be more likely to remain on hand with the company for a longer period of time;
• Connections to others – The older worker has also been around and networked during his or her career. That being said, your business can lean on them to utilize their contacts and open possible doors for sales, marketing and more. This can be an invaluable tool as you look to expand operations.

If you’re an older worker who is currently interviewing for a job, keep several factors in mind:

• Salary isn’t everything – Many of us over 40 have had to alter our work habits over time. We have also had to accept taking lesser wages in order to get back in the working world following a layoff, etc. If you find yourself interviewing for jobs that pay less than you’re used to, weigh the pros and cons of taking the position if offered. You may be disappointed in the salary, but remember that job offers do not come along each and every day. You can always take a lesser paying job to hold you over until you find what you are looking for;
• Sharpen your technology skills – One thing that can work against an older employee in today’s technologically-driven world is not being up to speed on such skills. If it has been a while since you’ve sharpened your computer skills or the job you’re applying for requires certain talents like photo shop, Dreamweaver, etc. look into taking a course at a local college so your skill level does not work as a detriment to you;
• Don’t be afraid to compete – There is a perception among some older workers that they cannot compete with younger rivals who are more likely to accept less money, more than likely are up to speed on computer skills, and are not set in their ways. If you find yourself feeling this way, change that feeling at once. Leverage your experience when fighting for a job. Don’t be afraid to highlight what you can bring to a position, however do it in a proper tone and not one of arrogance. Competition should spur you on to go after a job, not deter you.

The bottom line is that while your chronological age is not under your control, how you act is.

If you feel like you’re too old, don’t have the skill set and will not be a good fit for the company, chances are you won’t get the job.

On the other hand, if you feel younger than you are, put your experience to work for you and carry a positive attitude into each and every interview, chances are you won’t be interviewing for too long.

Courtesy Business.com

With this growing ability to access work projects from anywhere in the world, different types of flexible work schedules have emerged. The most popular types of these alternative work schedules include:

• Flex-Time – allows workers to propose a start and finish time with a goal of working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. These times vary regularly to provide optimum flexibility. Lunch hour lengths can also be adjusted.
• Compressed work weeks – allows employees to work altered hours in order to have an extended weekend. Some work four 10-hour days, others work three 12-hour days. In some cases, employees work five 9- hour days, then four 8- hour days so that they can have three-day weekends every other week.
• Telecommuting – allows employees to work remotely and stay electronically connected to their place of employment. Working from home is extremely appealing to many workers, as it eliminates commute time and offers employees free rein in their work hours.
• Job Sharing – splits one full-time position between two people who divide the responsibilities, hours, and salary. This team approach is an opportunity for employees who are only able to devote a portion of their week to work. If the job is shared between two people who work well together and pass off information and duties seamlessly, this schedule can be highly beneficial.
• On-site gym/daycare – allows employees to give their best at work without having to worry about how to fit in exercise and child care (not to mention the driving time to and from). Companies like Google, Starbucks, Cisco, Yahoo, AOL, and Dealer.com (several of which are on Fortune’s “Best Places to Work” list) provide these benefits to their employees.

Flex Time: Headache or Help?
Managers need to be able to count on the work getting done and the deadlines being met. With flexible schedules comes less reliability and less stability. Plans change, hours diverge, workers leave without notice, and managers can get stuck in tight spots. But with a good understanding of the potential pitfalls and some careful pre-planning, flexible schedules can cause little to no disruption in your company’s day-to-day activities.

Consider the following pros and cons of flexible work schedules.

PROs
Minimization of Commuting Expenses – Traveling to and from work each day, five days a week can get pricey, especially with today’s gas prices! Not only is it expensive, but it also takes time and effort. Telecommuting eliminates travel costs and allows employees to spend that travel time working – not to mention that telecommuting can certainly reduce your employees’ carbon footprints!

More Balanced Lifestyle – When employees can choose the hours they work, they are generally happier and less stressed. Likewise, working from home provides more opportunity to exercise, sleep, and develop a balanced routine. On-site gyms and provided daycare also de-stresses fully loaded employees.

More Productivity – Some may argue that workers who aren’t under their managers’ thumbs may goof off and get less done, but some studies show the opposite is true. When employees are able to choose the time of day when they can get the most done, they often will exceed expectations and deadlines. Of course, providing accurate measurement of their productivity can be a challenge (see CON #3 below).

Family Friendly – All of the flexible options mentioned above are more family-friendly. Schedules can be planned around their children and spouses.

Better Employee Loyalty and Retention – If your employees are leading well-balanced, Zen-filled lives…they won’t be going anywhere! Offering any form of flexible job can increase the satisfaction of its participants and decrease your turnover levels.

Less Burnout – Most employees appreciate having an entire day off regularly, while still preserving full-time income. This extra day away from the stress and worries of work helps employees to renew and replenish their working drive.

CONs
Fatigue – Fatigue can come from long and intense days on the job. Working 10-12 hours, even just for a few days, is physically and mentally draining and can ruin the quality of work being performed and lower the productivity of the employee.

Distraction – Working from home is convenient, but it poses a huge risk for the employer. Homes are full of distractions: television, family interactions, sleep, phones ringing, friends stopping by, etc. can prevent employees from focusing on their work.

Difficult to Measure Job Productivity – It is practically impossible to measure the productivity of someone who is working from home. Even if they are submitting completed tasks, it is uncertain how much of their time spent was productive. In the middle of the project . . . did they take a shower, answer the door, take a snooze, check Facebook and Twitter, play with their daughter? Were they being more productive at a household setting, rather than a work setting? It is hard to determine.

Certain Hours Must Be Filled – If all of your employees are working different schedules, there may be hours in the day that no one is answering the phones, responding to e-mails, etc. If customer service is necessary at specific times, flexible schedules may not be the answer for you.

Abuse of Flexibility – Sometimes employees take advantage of the freedom that comes with these flexible work options. Make sure the employees you do allow to be a part of the flex programs are trustworthy and accountable.

How to Decide What Will Work for Your Business

Remember also that staffing providers can be a good source of flexibility. Not only do employees look to temporary services for the work-life balance they want and need, but companies can also rely on the flexibility of a contingent workforce to ensure they ramp up and scale down as demanded by production schedules.

Readers – have you implemented flexible work schedules at your company? Has it worked well or provided headaches to your management team?

Courtesy Tradepost.com

Identify your skills by doing a self assessment and be able to articulate them effectively in both your resume and cover letter.   Be prepared to describe your unique abilities and strengths and explain how they relate to the job you’re seeking.  It’s helpful to write them out on a sheet before you start your resume and cover letter.  Ask friends and family to describe you if you are having trouble coming up with your own self assessment.

Focus on relationships and networking

Job searching really is about who you know as much as about what you know.  Net­work with the people you know, including relatives, friends, professors, fellow students and former co-workers.  Let them know that you are looking for work; ask their advice; seek out professional introductions via friends.   Make sure they know what you bring to a job. Find a search buddy to keep each other accountable.  Networking is a two-way relationship; help someone else make a contact and the goodwill you generate will come back to you.

Develop a professional image both online and offline.

Join a professional association. Attend your local Chamber of Commerce Meetings or local networking events.  Read industry journals to remain current in your field.  Post your profile on LinkedIn and join relevant groups, including alumni ones.  Make sure your Face­book and Twitter page is clean enough for your mom to view.  Googleyourself and make sure the data you find puts you in a favorable light.

Customize Your Resume and Cover Letter

Create a custom version of your resume and cover letter for each job or industry that interests you.  Make sure it highlights your skills that relate to the job that employer is seeking to fill. Your cover letter needs to connect the dots from the job posting to your resume. You must convince the employer that you have the skills to do the job from day one.

Create a job search strategy

Organize, prioritize and plan.  Make a check list or spreadsheet to help keep track of your job search efforts.  Research the industry, companies and even the people with whom you interview.  Look for connections.  Read their latest press releases and company reports.  Find an opportunity to impress and bring value to an organization.

Practice your pitch

Preparation is the key to a successful interview. Know your skills and be ready to illus­trate how they relate to the job in question. Practice with a friend to get comfortable with your responses and to formulate strong answers to questions you might not anticipate. Be ready to provide a couple of key stories or examples that clearly demonstrate your experience and expertise.

Follow up is key

Follow up on all leads as soon as possible. If you don’t, your competition may.   Call and make sure the employer received your resume.  After an inter­view, always send a thank-you note the same day.  Be pleasantly persistent.  You can also use services like ResumeBear’s free real time delivery and tracking service to see who received your resume and when they received it.

Have a Plan B

If you don’t land your dream job right away, don’t get discouraged.  Find a job to pay the rent and then volunteer or get a second job that keeps you on your career track. Volunteering or Interning for an organization or company is a great way to meet people and find out about a company or organization.  For example, it’s OK to be a barista by day and tutor kids at night if you can’t find a teaching job.  Everybody starts somewhere. You have a lifetime to create a satisfying career. Do your best wherever you land and keep your eyes on the hori­zon for your next opportunity!

David Gowel has made many career transitions: from civilian to military, from military to academic, and finally from academic to entrepreneurship. Along the way, Gowel used LinkedIn to achieve each step; an experience, he says, that has made him into an expert on how to use LinkedIn to become a master networker.

He even wrote a book to prove it. The Power in a Link: Open Doors, Close Deals, and Change the way you Do Business Using LinkedIn, (Wiley, December 2011) is a 159-page opus on becoming a master social networker. Gowel, a West Point graduate who served as a platoon leader in Iraq and has taught leadership classes at MIT, says CEOs and entrepreneurs are generally pretty bad at using LinkedIn. He says they use it as a business card or résumé service when they really should be using it to mine for new clients, new connections, and new employees.

“LinkedIn has very slowly evolved into an incredible force for social business intelligence that is readily available if you know how to use it,” says Gowel, who was once described as a LinkedIn Jedi. “That’s why we don’t think [entrepreneurs] are generally using it as well as they could. When used properly, LinkedIn is very much disrupting other ways we’ve done [networking]. You can reduce the time you spend in those other activities and be much more focused on making connections if you are high-quality and ethical.”

In January 2010, Gowel and his co-founder Mark Rockefeller started RockTech, a Boston-based software company that has built online tools for CEOs, entrepreneurs, sales professionals and job seekers to help leverage their LinkedIn accounts. Their main product, TAP for LinkedIn ($29/year) ties directly into a LinkedIn profile and guides its user through the recommended settings and strategies. According to Gowel, it’s easier than reading a book, and cheaper than online tutorials.

Inc.com decided to tap Gowel’s LinkedIn expertise and his new book for some of its networking inspiration. Here’s five key takeaways:

1) Don’t be a “Johnny Milker”

One of the first mistakes LinkedIn users make, says Gowel, is milking introductions from the start. “People generally know when someone else has used or is using them,” he writes. “Treat people like the friends, contacts, and respected employees they are while you network, and not like the tools that you’re trying to manipulate.”

2) Update, update, and update again.

Status Updates, much like Twitter, allow you to post succinct messages to your LinkedIn feed. Gowel believes it’s an underused feature that can get you in the spotlight and keep you in the forefront of people’s minds.

“Using status updates is a much more personal way to keep from being forgotten and can potentially differentiate you from the crowd,” he writes. Plus, he adds, if your status updates are fresh, the people in your network are more likely to believe the content on your profile is fresh.

3) Don’t run through walls to make connections.

It’s all about the recommendations and introductions. Gowel says that entrepreneurs often see what they want, or someone they want to know, and will run through walls to get to them directly. But that’s not always the best approach. Gowel says it’s almost always more effective to enlist the help of current connections—even if it’s 2^nd degree—to get in touch with the people you’re trying to do business with.

4) Don’t accept any old schmo.

To accept or to reject? Perhaps breaking some conventional wisdom, Gowel says it’s better not to just accept any random request you receive from someone you barely know, or someone you don’t know at all.

“Remember that if you accept someone whom you don’t know into your network, you also give him access to your e-mail addresses,” he writes. “Ignoring someone is equivalent to giving him a cold shoulder: the request stays in his sent messages, and he may believe you just haven’t come across his invitation yet.”

5) Search is the best tool on the Internet.

“Here’s a bold statement for you,” Gowel writes. “LinkedIn’s search capabilities are going to be more valuable than Google’s search capabilities.” Gowel asserts that because LinkedIn’s search offer access to “self-updating relationship information” while Google is essentially data agnostic, the value of a LinkedIn search is becoming more valuable for business owners constantly looking for specific, personal connections.

By using “relationship searches,” “CEO searches,” or “industry searches,” savvy entrepreneurs can leverage current and potential connections to expand business and create deals.

Being simply there and doing what you’re told at work is no longer sufficient for most workplaces, or for your career growth in general. Seth Godin, marketing expert and founder of Squidoo, says the time of the “average” worker is quickly ending with the dwindling of the industrial age. He believes that if you’re an average worker doing what you’re told, someone will replace you at a cheaper cost. However, Godin states, “If you’re different somehow and have made yourself unique, people will find you and pay you more.”

Positions are becoming more specialized and fluid than they were decades ago, which requires workers to become more involved in their career direction. Making yourself indispensable through your work, will not only keep your job, but also keep you engaged and motivated to go beyond your job description.

So, how you can you become above average in your position? Consider these three ways::

1. Be organized. Take time to sort your folders and files (in your workspace and in your computer). De-cluttering your space will improve your focus and cut down time when trying to search for a document from last year.

2. Keep learning. Just because you graduated doesn’t mean you can’t learn new things – in fact, learning a new skill that pertains to your job will hinder any complacency that you may feel after awhile and make you a more valuable employee.

3. Do more. Create extra time to get started on a new project or to help your coworkers. In doing so, your expertise will grow substantially and be noticed by others.

GET IN THE KNOW…and DO it!

Here are the 12 Most powerful ways to staff your company with star employees:

1. Empower your company with great leaders

Leaders who are engaged, committed and motivated to work as part of the team.

2. Encourage your leaders to interact with their team members on a day to day basis

This ensures that they have a true sense of what is happening, and puts them in a position to always respond.

3. Know your environment

Determine what behaviors in the environment will generate reward for employees. Hire people who are motivated by what you have to offer.

4. Be open and authentic in presenting your company to new candidates

Give a thorough overview of what they can expect. Don’t just stick to job tasks. Include environment, team behavior, and walk them through what a day looks like in your company. Be as open with them and as authentic as you would be with your existing employees. Have you heard about how being authentic in Social Media is the key to success? Well being authentic when you are interviewing is also a key.

5. Allow the potential candidate to meet existing team members

Something that I do when hiring is to have existing team members meet with the candidate. I encourage the candidate to ask existing employees any questions they may have. This gives them a chance to feel if it is going to be a good fit from the start. Don’t wait for the first weeks of work for things to come up when it is too late and you’ve already spent your time and energy on the hire.

6. Take the opinion of current employees into consideration in the hiring process

Their perspectives are different than the hiring officer or the manager. These are the people who will be working closest with the new employee. Let them conduct their own “interview”. Existing employees can often shed light on people from a different perspective. They will have special insight that will contribute to the long term success of the team. Let them have candid talks with the new hire. Get their feedback. This also gives current star employees a sense of value and ownership of their own team. People who feel valued and empowered stay.

7. Get continuous feedback from employees on how things are going

Services such as Rypple or Cleargears allow for this kind of feedback in an anonymous way that allows people to express what is really going on. Getting this kind of feedback give you an opportunity for recognition, support and opportunities to identify potential issues in operations, morale or service. Addressing issues and being proactive keeps the environment positive and productive.

8. Recognize individuals and teams for their accomplishments regularly

Everyone feels good when something they do gets recognized. Organizations are machines. Star employees need to hear about how they are doing – machines can’t do this, but leaders and colleagues can. Create an environment where recognition on individual and team levels are part of the “routine”. Celebrate each others’ success, recognize both small and large accomplishments on a regular basis and people will thrive. (Rypple also provides an excellent, self managed tool for doing this easily).

9. Be trustworthy and reliable: listen and respond

Things go wrong, people have off days, humans have conflict – when this happens, listen. Listen to people and ensure that people know who they can talk to about issues. Clearly define and assign people to be there and resolve issues. Half of solving the problem is listening. Once you have heard the problem, be committed to respond, investigate and resolve issues. Part of being in a strong team is working together. Most importantly, however, is having someone for employees to rely on so they can focus on their work and do what they do best.

10. Create opportunities for people to be engaged

People who are happy in their positions are engaged. Hold meetings or activities that bring people together and use team communication to help everyone stay in the loop on an ongoing basis. Yammer is a great tool which I have used in my department to keep team communication active. Encourage idea sharing, value adding activities, and active participation. (Example: We have “Team Think” meetings and we also take our employees on activities like Dinner Cruises, Cocktail evenings, Bowling.) It is also important to have fun together.

11. Focus on strengths and give opportunity for development

Everyone may be doing the same job tasks, but every individual has their own strengths and special qualities. Managers should take the time to get to know each of their employees. be observant, ask questions and then develop an understanding of who they are, where their strengths are and what their goals are. Create opportunities in the team to use those strengths and reach those goals. Acknowledge these thing so people know they are valued and they matter as people to you. If you use the strengths of your people you will always have a winning team.

12. Do not lose your focus

Make a commitment to all of the above points and review yourself and your managers on a weekly or monthly basis. Are the employees of your firm happy? Do they feel recognized? Have you created touch points to stay in tuned with what is happening? Have you addressed issues and resolved problems? Have you created opportunities for people to use their strengths and develop their skills? Are people feeling fulfilled and rewarded? The importance of reviewing this regularly, and maintaining consistency is critical to ensuring you have created an environment where star employees can not only shine, but stay and drive the company forward.

When people are happy, feel engaged, recognized and are given opportunities they will thrive at their careers and in their job. Like attracts like – keep your superstars happy and the environment will thrive. This kind of engagement makes for an exceptional team, and this is what lays behind any great company: great employees.

Courtest of 12most.com

When hiring employees, most employers tend to look for someone that already has the skills they are looking or, and then train them in how they want them to respond to customers. It should be just the opposite. ‘Hire for attitude, train for skill’ should be your rule in hiring, rather than vice versa. When “hiring for attitude, training for skill”, you can use the acronym “ATTITUDE” to help determine the individual who will excel in your office as a new trainee::

Is the individual Appreciative?
Is the individual Thoughtful?
Is the individual Teachable?
Is the individual Insightful?
Is the individual Trustworthy?
Is the individual Understanding?
Is the individual Dependable?
Is the individual Eager?

Whatever your reasons may be for leaving, job searching in this situation requires walking on a fine line between being proactive yet watchful of your boundaries. In fact, 88 percent job seekers agree that keeping your job search private is very important – and even while employed, some would be reluctant if coworkers found out instances of their job search process.

While being covert of the process in general, what etiquette should an employee practice while job searching? An article by Jenny Foss on The Daily Muse offers tips for being both respectful yet careful about your search. Consider below the do’s and don’ts:

Do use discretion. On social networking sites, on job boards, and within the office – be mindful of what you communicate on all levels.

Do interviews before or after work. Schedule your interviews, follow ups, and phone calls away from your current work schedule.

Do be honest if confronted. If asked by your employer, be straightforward about your intentions.

Don’t use company time or tools. For you efforts, you should completely rely on the use of email, Internet, etc.– but not while on the job. Not only is it disrespectful, but also can easily be traced to you when you’re trying to be confidential.

Don’t forget about your current job. Within your work hours, stay focused on the responsibilities you have now. You owe it to your employer that you can remain to be a productive employee for the time you’re still there. If you’re about to put in your notice soon, wrap up projects to make your transition as smooth as possible.

Be aware that you do have the right to keep your job search under wraps. Be sure to exercise caution and give your employer plenty of notice if you’re accepting an offer. Most employers will understand and be willing to cooperate if you’ve continued to be focused.

Courtesy:: Katie Louise