When is a good time to tell Supervisor I am looking for new employment?

38 Comments

1. AnonymousAugust 19,2024 at 7:56PM UTC

   Never. You wait until you actually have a WRITTEN offer in hand and a firm start date set. At this point you are just shopping around. I. This market, chances are good you won't have a serious offer in hand for many months.

2. KatAugust 19,2024 at 8:33PM UTC

   Keep your job search to yourself. Never let anyone at your current employer - especially your boss- know you are looking. You're not obligated to tell anyone what you're doing. As you've noted, you could get fired if they find out you're looking, so why risk it? Wait until you have a firm offer and a confirmed start date. Then notify current job you're leaving and when.

3. AnonymousAugust 19,2024 at 9:19PM UTC

   When you have accepted a new job and are giving notice.

4. Ashly MartinezAugust 19,2024 at 10:37PM UTC

   Thank you everyone for the responses. Much appreciated!!

5. Evon Young, MBAAugust 20,2024 at 1:36PM UTC

   With the current job market, I would advise you tolerate your current position until you land something concrete with a start date. Also, if you leave on your own terms, you will not be eligible for unemployment benefits (if you need it.) The job market is a beast right now, so think wisely before making a move. Also, you should never inform your boss or other co-workers that you are looking for new opportunities. Think about it. When companies make decisions about employment (layoffs, fires, etc.) they do not give you a heads up that it is coming, they just do it. E!

6. Ashly MartinezAugust 21,2024 at 3:14PM UTC

   Appreciate that perspective, thank you.

7. AnonymousAugust 20,2024 at 6:55PM UTC

   If a direct report came to me and told me they were looking for a new job, I'd fast track them right out the door. What benefit could you possibly hope to get from your manager by giving them a heads up that you're leaving? Will you be tagged as a flight risk-YES. Could you be let go before you find another job-YES. Would this burn bridges-YES.

8. Ashly MartinezAugust 21,2024 at 3:12PM UTC

   Thank you!

   Open communication, mostly. Potential future reference, ECT. It could promote a discussion on improvement, and pay negotiation, but I'm confident in the "finding a reason" to replace me before I am able to secure the new employment. I always give two weeks, but unfortunately, as my promotions/transitions have always been internal, I have experience in the retaliation between departments.

9. AnonymousAugust 22,2024 at 9:03PM UTC

   Please don't hold your breathe on this notification spurring a discussion on improvement and pay negotiation. Few of us are that special that an org will upend current policy to accommodate.

10. BarbaraAugust 20,2024 at 7:47PM UTC

    When you have a signed offer letter and you give your notice. Not before.

11. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 12:35PM UTC

    When you are ready to give notice—not a moment sooner.

12. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 12:55PM UTC

    What's the desired outcome of telling your boss you're looking for a new job?

13. Ashly MartinezAugust 21,2024 at 3:11PM UTC

    Open communication, mostly. It could promote a discussion on improvement, and pay negotiation, but I'm confident in the "finding a reason" to replace me before I am able to secure the new employment. I always give two weeks, but unfortunately, as my promotions/transitions have always been internal, I have experience in the retaliation between departments.

14. GirlBossanova934974August 21,2024 at 1:00PM UTC

    As one commentator has already stated, you don't discuss any other employers with your current employer until you have a signed offer letter (both your signatures on it) AND a start date. The ONLY thing I would add is that these days, there are some FLAKY FLAKY companies out there who rescind signed job offers so you had better be sure you are signing up with a STABLE company. The good news is that the vast majority of these FLAKY companies are in the TECH sector so if you stay out of TECH, you should be OK. If at all possible, please be sure you check out the financials of your new employer.

15. Ashly MartinezAugust 21,2024 at 3:09PM UTC

    Thank you for the added information. I will do so!

16. Mich.Fr.August 21,2024 at 2:17PM UTC

    Don't say anything until you have accepted a new position.

17. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 2:38PM UTC

    You say absolutely nothing until you’ve secured another job offer. Then you can give your 2 weeks notice.

18. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 2:53PM UTC

    Tell your boss when you are giving notice. Even if you and your boss are friends. Even if you have a cool boss. Otherwise you could get immediately fired as they have no reason to keep you. I've seen it happen. I've seen people get screwed over by bosses who asked their employees to let them know when they were thinking of leaving.

19. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 3:52PM UTC

    Don’t say a word to anyone (colleagues, bosses, not even the cleaning staff) until you have a signed offer in hand and you’re ready to hand in your notice. That way, if they decide to accept that notice immediately, you will already be on your way to something else.

20. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 5:11PM UTC

    Wait until you have something in hand to give any notification that you are leaving. Don't risk that they will replace you before you are ready to go.

21. Kate SingletonAugust 21,2024 at 6:10PM UTC

    Do NOT tell Sup until you are resigning. Why tell?

22. Regina BrownAugust 21,2024 at 9:59PM UTC

    You tell your supervisor AFTER you have confirmed that new job position. You just said it yourself "My fear is being let go before I find solid employment"!! You take care of YOU!! WHY do they need to know?

23. Tom ReulandAugust 22,2024 at 12:08PM UTC

    You do not until till you have an offer and a firm commitment.

24. Alexis GladstoneAugust 22,2024 at 12:20PM UTC

    Definitely not until you have the offer in writing and have accepted! As a matter of fact, I wouldn't tell anyone at work you are looking no matter how good of friends you are. You never know what will slip out by others.

25. AnonymousAugust 22,2024 at 12:27PM UTC

    I'm a little different because I work in state government and am a union member. I've been with my current office for twelve years, but am wrapping up my BFA spring 2025. I've been very open with my director about my job search. I'm looking for something that will either utilize my degree (more than my current position) or provide additional experience to round out my portfolio.

    Being up front has provided the possibility of a reclassification/update to my job description. My director sincerely would like to retain me, and is doing what she can to meet my employment needs.

26. Sarah BordersAugust 22,2024 at 1:40PM UTC

    Absolutely! It is not burning bridges to wait until you’ve accepted an offer to give notice to your supervisor. In preparation, you can set up the transition for success by documenting everything you’re responsible for, any associated processes, and access information, so that once you give notice, you can share that you’ve started preparing the way for your successor, and that can help to soften the blow, especially for a supervisor who hasn’t been in the position that long. Good luck to you on your search!

27. misskelleypAugust 22,2024 at 4:03PM UTC

    absolutely do not tell them one thing until you have an offer, in writing and a confirmed start date. The new job could fall through, and the old job decides if you're gonna leave they may as well replace you - and then you end up unemployed! Two weeks' notice is standard and professional, but don't give it until you DEFINITELY have a new job - passed the background check and any other gating issues.

28. Marci IacobucciAugust 22,2024 at 7:13PM UTC

    Follow this advice.

29. AnonymousAugust 23,2024 at 1:48PM UTC

    When you've signed an offer agreement. Not a second sooner.

30. Gigi DevanneyAugust 23,2024 at 2:59PM UTC

    don't breathe a word until you have a signed contract

31. Madam anon663August 24,2024 at 10:31AM UTC

    Why do you feel you need to say anything at all? Its your life, they wouldn't hesitate to let you go if it suited the company.

32. AnonymousAugust 25,2024 at 7:15PM UTC

    HR for over 15 years here- you can certainly discuss your frustrations with your supervisor if you have an open and trusting relationship, but I would not tell your supervisor directly that you are looking for a new job. Believe me, supervisors have disclosed these conversations to me plenty of times. In some cases they are scrambling to brain storm ideas to keep the employee- comp increase, promotion, transfer, etc. This response isn’t a guarantee so you have big risks. Sounds like your overall burn out would not be resolved with a new role in the org or more money.

    There are some leaders out there that would keep that knowledge to themselves and support your efforts in finding something new, but more often word gets out and/or the leader starts treating employees differently. (why invest in this employee, why assign them this work, etc., if I know they are leaving). It can also cause just an overall shift in your relationship. I don’t know all the details of your situation and relationship with your leader- but don’t make things harder for yourself when you’re already burned out.

    You touched the nail on the head- you never know what discussions are happening behind closed doors and if you prematurely share you are looking for new jobs (flight risk), you may be impacted. While you think it would be the nice thing to do on your end by giving advanced heads up, your fear could become a reality. Think of it this way- Companies don’t reciprocate by giving employees a heads up (in most cases). This is a tough market right now- you need to count on staying in that role for the time being.

33. Chrissy Regan SmytheAugust 26,2024 at 1:26AM UTC

    You would be let go. Why would your current employer continue to invest in you when they know you don't want to be there? Why would you ever consider telling your employer you're looking for a new job? If you have concerns about your current position, then have that conversation. Leave any hint of a job search out of it.

34. AnonymousAugust 26,2024 at 12:35PM UTC

    You don't resign until you have signed the offer with a new company, PERIOD. What are you thinking? They are not your 'friends' - it is a business!

    Be prepared, some companies when presented with a 2-week notice ask you to leave the same day. That means, empty your things from the office, and be ready to go the very minute you resign.

    Build that into your resignation period - meaning, if that salary money is important to you, time your resignation to coincide with the start date of the new role.

    National average is we all stay in roles for 2-4 years, so you are due for this change anyway - to keep yourself 'attractive' to the overall market.

    It is no one's business you that are checking out other companies, and do not share that info with anyone at your company - you could get stabbed in the back by someone spilling the beans prematurely. This could damage your standing, and should you change your mind and stay anyway - you won't be looked at the same.

    Good luck to you - a company change can be reinvigorating!

35. Patricia Lehr BayneAugust 26,2024 at 12:41PM UTC

    When you have accepted another job.

36. AnonymousAugust 27,2024 at 1:53PM UTC

    Never give notice before you are basically out the door. Get a solid job offer first.

37. AnonymousAugust 28,2024 at 10:50PM UTC

    Do you have a solid handle on the company's culture and reaction when this has happened before? I suspect the answer is no since you fear what they might do. In this case, I would wait until you have a firm offer and do it with appropriate notice. I would only notify them ahead of time if I didn't care if they let me go and could get by with unemployment. Another reason would be if my mental health were suffering and I had enough in savings to survive through a several-month job search. In that case I would likely voluntarily quit.

38. Kim RaperAugust 29,2024 at 1:48PM UTC

    NEVER reveal that intent until you have an offer in hand. It does not work out well - you will be seen in a different light and may be let go before you are prepared to be.