Tell People You Are Job Hunting

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

 

EP 3120 What are you doing? Keeping it a secret?

 

Timestamps

• 00:00 – The stress of the “To tell or not to tell” dilemma.
• 00:38 – Why conventional wisdom about “quiet” searches is built on a myth.
• 01:02 – The Recruiter Myth: Why staying silent is self-sabotage.
• 01:49 – The high cost of keeping your search a secret.
• 02:02 – The 85% Statistic: Where the real jobs are hiding.
• 02:18 – The Smart Script: How to announce your search without sounding needy.
• 03:02 – Your Secret Weapon: How to handle unexpected recruiter calls.
• 04:08 – Moving from “hunting” to “setting up a magnet.”

Alright, let’s talk about something that honestly stresses everyone out when they’re thinking about a career change. Should you tell people you’re looking for a new job? Or should you keep it a top-level secret? Turns out, one of those choices might be completely sabotaging your search before you even start. So you’re officially on the hunt.

The big question is, do you keep it totally under wraps? If you’re feeling a little shaky on the answer, hey, you are not alone. It’s a classic dilemma. But it turns out there’s a surprisingly clear answer.

Yeah, this is what we’re calling the job hunter’s dilemma. And look, there are basically two ways people think about this, but one of those ways, it could seriously be holding you back. You know, a lot of people think it’s just smarter to keep your job search on the down low.

The idea is that it gives you some kind of an edge. But honestly, that whole idea is built on a myth. A big one.

And we’re about to bust it. So why did people stay so quiet in the first place? Well, it usually comes down to one big fear. Let’s call it the recruiter myth, because it is a huge misconception.

So here’s the myth. There’s this old school idea that recruiters don’t like candidates who are actively looking for a new gig. It’s this weird belief that if you’re on the market, you must be, I don’t know, less valuable, kind of like you’re on a clearance rack.

The Modern Job Search

The thinking goes that the real prizes are the people who have to be hunted down and persuaded to leave their current job, not the ones sending out resumes. Okay, so let’s just cut to the chase. The source material for this is super blunt.

It calls this idea wrong thinking. And not just like, oh, that’s a slight miscalculation. No, it’s a huge self-sabotaging mistake that costs you big time.

So what exactly is this massive opportunity you’re missing out on by staying quiet? Well, it’s all about using the single most powerful tool you’ve got in your career toolkit. Think about it. When you decide to keep your job search a secret, you are literally ignoring the number one source of new jobs out there.

It’s like showing up to a Formula One race and deciding to leave your fastest car on the garage. It just makes no sense. All right, get ready for this number, because it’s a big one.

As many as 85%, that’s 85% of all jobs are filled through networking. Let that sink in. By staying quiet, you’re basically invisible to the place where almost all the action is happening.

Okay, so the takeaway is you’ve got to tell people. But wait, how you tell them, that’s the whole ballgame. You don’t want to come across as desperate, right? You need to be strategic, and that’s where the smart script comes in.

So check this out. It’s a really simple but powerful little language trick. Instead of telling your friends or colleagues, hey, I’m job hunting, which can sound a little needy, you say this, hey, just wanted to let you know I’m starting to be open to other things.

See that shift? It’s huge. One sounds like you’re asking for a handout, the other sounds like you’re a valuable asset who’s considering their options. Okay, but what happens when a recruiter calls you out of the blue, right? That can throw you off your game.

Build Your Referral Community

How do you handle that call without immediately giving away all your power? This next line. This is your secret weapon. You should literally memorize it.

When they ask if you’re looking, you say, actually, I’m not actively looking. You reached out to me, but I’m here to listen. Boom.

Instantly, the whole dynamic of the conversation just flipped. Let’s break down why this is so brilliant. First, you correct their assumption right off the bat.

Nope, not looking. Second, you subtly remind them who called who. They came to you.

That shifts the power. And finally, you position yourself as the prize. You’re not just looking for any old job.

You’re happy where you are, and they’re going to have to work to impress you. And look, this is about way more than just having a few clever lines up your sleeve. These little tactics are actually part of a much bigger, much smarter way to think about your whole career.

Because at the end of the day, real career success isn’t just about grinding away at your desk. It’s about always, always being alert to new opportunities. When you tell your network you’re open to other things, you’re not just sending out resumes.

You’re building an army of people looking out for you, bringing opportunities right to your doorstep. You’re not hunting. You’re setting up a magnet.

So let’s wrap it up here. You now know the myth about staying silent is just that, a myth. You know where 85% of the jobs are hiding in plain sight.

You’ve got the scripts. You’ve got the strategy. So the real question is, what’s your next move?

Crafting Your LinkedIn Mission Statement