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When trying to find a new job, the last people you want to tell is your current boss and co-workers. However, keeping it a secret can get complicated, as longer office hours are forcing workers to squeeze job hunting and interviewing into the work day.Though a bit of a taboo subject, job hunting from the current job is far from unexpected or even unusual. Chances are good that even the bosses are doing it, according to a survey by ExecuNet, an online networking service for executives. About 23 percent of executives surveyed are conducting job searches during business hours, with an additional 10 percent doing so during the lunch hour. Gone are the days when most workers would pick a company, stay for life and claim their gold watch on the way out. “That’s just not happening anymore,” says Robyn Greenspan, ExecuNet’s editor in chief, adding that the average executive’s stay with one company has dwindled to only about three years. The nuts and bolts of the job hunt have also changed. Instead of strictly using job search web sites, more professionals are supplementing with professional networking. It’s a clever way to multitask, balancing company expectations with personal career goals.“I would recommend that people target some companies they would be most interested in working for and network with the people who have a relationship with the decision-makers and understand the inner-workings of the organization,” said Susan Whitcomb, president of Career Coach Academy and author of six career books, including Job Search Magic. “Most of the time, if you change jobs, it’s going to be in the same industry. If you do it under the guise of networking, then you end up bringing value to your organization as well as yourself.” The goal during a job search is certainly to keep credibility intact and give employers no reason for suspicion. Nevertheless, there will be the rare company that takes extreme steps to monitor employee actions, even without any apparent justification. For instance, Greenspan pointed out one example of a company that actually placed cameras on the desks of employees.“When I heard that, I almost fell over because that seems very antiquated. I think part of the employer-employee relationship is built on trust,” she explains. To further that trust and keep a positive working relationship, employees should be as honest as possible at all times – even in the midst of a job search. Employees who are tied down to the office with inflexible work schedules may consider referring to job interviews as “personal appointments,” and negotiating flex time to accommodate them.“I just think honesty is always going to be better than covering up, even if it’s little white lies, because you just never know when you’re going to be caught and then you’ve got credibility issues,” Whitcomb says. If an employee’s job search is discovered, co-workers may turn resentful and relationships can sour. Of course, such a discovery doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. It can also be viewed as an opportunity for frank and open discussion, Whitcomb pointed out. “I think this is where you can have one of those courageous conversations,” she suggests. “Say, ‘I’m really interested in furthering my career and my capacities, and I have goals. Now, if I can accomplish those things here, I’d love to have a conversation with you about it.’”Just as job-hunting employees may be forced into a frank discussion with supervisors, they should be equally prepared to have a frank discussion with themselves. Is it really the right time for a job change? Circumstances and events may say otherwise, and a savvy employee will be aware of that.“If you push so hard to make something happen and the timing just isn’t right, there’s always some kind of hidden reason,” Whitcomb believes. “There might be a ‘Life Lesson’ you need to learn. It might be, ‘I need to be a better teammate to my co-workers,’ or, ‘I need to have a better attitude.’ “Find the power to be content in those difficult circumstances in your old job and say, ‘I’m going to make the best out of this situation, even though I want to leave.’ That can really turn the tables completely at your current job and open up opportunities you never even knew existed.” In leaving their current job, employees owe it to their colleagues and supervisors to remain focused and productive until the end. As Whitcomb recommends, “Don’t leave mentally before you leave physically.”A well-executed exit strategy can strengthen an employee’s self-image and professional reputation. Furthermore, in conjunction with good on-the-job performance, a graceful exit can also help preserve a strong reference that will be useful in future job searches.

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