Hired? How to turn off your job-search process

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Perhaps your job search has dragged on for more months than you dare to count. You met dozens of hiring managers, answered hundreds of questions about your background and sent reams of resumés and letters with real stamps in old-fashioned envelopes. Finally after all this time, you have a job offer in your hands. Time to celebrate? Not quite yet.

There are a few steps to take before releasing the reins on your extended job hunt. First, formally accept the offer and gather information about the on-boarding process at the new company. Then, take a deep breath and muster up some courage. It’s time to call off your employment search.

I know, I know. The economy is still on the rocks. Job hunters have to shield themselves from potential layoffs and financial woes. So it’s a good idea to keep your job search alive at all costs. Right? Maybe. Maybe not.

You need to be smart. It’s too soon to determine the stability of your new position or the long-range success of the company. You don’t even know if you will enjoy the responsibilities of your new job. But if you wait too long to shut down your existing job hunt, your new boss might discover that you’re still actively seeking employment. Lose trust in you. Withdraw the offer. And leave you out in the cold.

To protect yourself, break down certain parts of your job search right away. Here’s how:

Update job boards and profiles. Immediately remove your resumé from all job boards and revise your profile on LinkedIn and other networking sites. If you’re hesitant about your new position or feel strongly about maintaining your resumé online, that’s OK. Just ensure that your document remains confidential. Be diligent. A mistake about your employment status can have a negative impact.

Clean up your interview trail. If other companies were considering you for employment, thank them for their interest in your background and tell them that you have accepted a new position. They’ll appreciate the courtesy. Most of these communications can be handled by e-mail. But don’t send your message to more than one recipient. Write and send an individual e-mail to each person on your list.

Update recruiters. Recruiters go out of their way to market you to employers. If you had a good relationship with one or more recruiters, you may wish to let them know that you landed a job. This way, they’ll take you out of the hiring mix, which can time and energy for everyone involved.

Here’s an important tip: Don’t update recruiters too soon. They’re salespeople, so the moment they know you are out of the job market, they will probably contact both your new and old employers to solicit new business. There’s nothing wrong with this practice; sales is a big part of the recruiting field. Just be sure to protect yourself. If you aren’t ready to inform your former boss or colleagues about your transition, give it more time.

If you decide to keep your job hunt running, make sure it lurks behind the scenes. Professionalism is vital to building trust with your future boss and colleagues. Once you have everything in order, you can exhale. And celebrate!

Contact Eve at Eve.GetaJob@gmail.com.