Worried about being caught looking for a job
October 20, 2016 5:15 PM Subscribe
So here is what happened... I have been applying to jobs, and I got an email from a recruiter about not getting a job offer, and I was reading this on my phone. After I read it I put my phone down, and I accidentally left the screen on after things got really busy at work, and so I forgot I left my phone on and went to a different part of the building. When I came back I then realized my screen was left on with the email for everyone to see. And I found out from my coworker that my boss came inside the room. And so my mind is racing and worried about if my boss went up to my phone and read the message.
I never been in this situation but if a boss finds out you are looking for a job, do they immediately start questioning and letting you know that you are going to be replaced? Or is it something that they keep in the back of their mind and then later ask you about it like 2 months later, as if it is a surprise they come up with down the road?
The possibility of being caught and not knowing if my boss read it is making me worried even more.
I never been in this situation but if a boss finds out you are looking for a job, do they immediately start questioning and letting you know that you are going to be replaced? Or is it something that they keep in the back of their mind and then later ask you about it like 2 months later, as if it is a surprise they come up with down the road?
The possibility of being caught and not knowing if my boss read it is making me worried even more.
It's very unlikely that your boss would read your phone in front of everyone. That would be really bad for morale and make everyone hate and distrust them.
If you are in a job where you work with recruiters - meaning not fast food level work - you are somewhat difficult to replace, even in a hectic economy. They have to find someone who is a good fit, that person has to give notice at their job, etc. And even a person who is a great fit will take time to train and get up to speed.
In general, most bosses in even sort of healthy workplaces do not want to fire/hire for trivial reasons because it is expensive and you never know what you're going to get. Some toxic bosses do, it's true, but not most.
Even if your boss did something that almost no bosses would ever do - pick up and read an employee's phone in public - and chose to act upon improperly obtained information - it is very unlikely that "replace pieceofcake" would be the first thing on their mind. Maybe "we might have to replace pieceofcake, that will be a real PITA".
Remember that hiring/firing is expensive and inconvenient and even the meanest, shittiest boss generally doesn't want to do it unless they have to.
Do you get really anxious over little stuff? I do, and I could totally see myself making up terrible scenarios in your situation. But they would be terrible, anxiety disorder scenarios. If you routinely worry like this, think about talking to a doctor or therapist, or taking up some kind of vigorous physical activity, etc. It's a real torment to always be running these scenarios.
posted by Frowner at 5:35 PM on October 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
If you are in a job where you work with recruiters - meaning not fast food level work - you are somewhat difficult to replace, even in a hectic economy. They have to find someone who is a good fit, that person has to give notice at their job, etc. And even a person who is a great fit will take time to train and get up to speed.
In general, most bosses in even sort of healthy workplaces do not want to fire/hire for trivial reasons because it is expensive and you never know what you're going to get. Some toxic bosses do, it's true, but not most.
Even if your boss did something that almost no bosses would ever do - pick up and read an employee's phone in public - and chose to act upon improperly obtained information - it is very unlikely that "replace pieceofcake" would be the first thing on their mind. Maybe "we might have to replace pieceofcake, that will be a real PITA".
Remember that hiring/firing is expensive and inconvenient and even the meanest, shittiest boss generally doesn't want to do it unless they have to.
Do you get really anxious over little stuff? I do, and I could totally see myself making up terrible scenarios in your situation. But they would be terrible, anxiety disorder scenarios. If you routinely worry like this, think about talking to a doctor or therapist, or taking up some kind of vigorous physical activity, etc. It's a real torment to always be running these scenarios.
posted by Frowner at 5:35 PM on October 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
> it's very unlikely that they saw anything.
I agree. Try to relax and assume the best; if your boss saw it and is bothered, you'll find out, but don't borrow trouble.
posted by languagehat at 5:36 PM on October 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
I agree. Try to relax and assume the best; if your boss saw it and is bothered, you'll find out, but don't borrow trouble.
posted by languagehat at 5:36 PM on October 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
It also depends on you.
If you're a valuable employee, if I know you were looking, I would ask some leading questions in our next one-on-one chat to see if I could get a read on why you were unsatisfied, and what I might be able to do to rectify that. Let you know that you are a valuable person in the organization, and examine what I've done wrong to make you want to leave.
If you're only marginally effective, I would start preparing a new job requisition ahead of time, and start talking to my networking contacts. I'd be secretly grateful for the advance notice so I had more time to find a competent replacement.
But yes, in the end it's highly unlikely anyone saw something. Even if your boss did, I'm not sure I would really care what my boss thought about me leaving if they were the kind of person that would snoop on your personal business just because your phone was unlocked and the opportunity presented itself. That breach of trust would just hasten my exit.
posted by SquidLips at 5:36 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you're a valuable employee, if I know you were looking, I would ask some leading questions in our next one-on-one chat to see if I could get a read on why you were unsatisfied, and what I might be able to do to rectify that. Let you know that you are a valuable person in the organization, and examine what I've done wrong to make you want to leave.
If you're only marginally effective, I would start preparing a new job requisition ahead of time, and start talking to my networking contacts. I'd be secretly grateful for the advance notice so I had more time to find a competent replacement.
But yes, in the end it's highly unlikely anyone saw something. Even if your boss did, I'm not sure I would really care what my boss thought about me leaving if they were the kind of person that would snoop on your personal business just because your phone was unlocked and the opportunity presented itself. That breach of trust would just hasten my exit.
posted by SquidLips at 5:36 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
From what you describe, unless your phone never ever goes to lock mode, AND your boss is a notorious snooper, I would doubt that your boss read your email.
What did the email say? Unless it was in your own words (an email from you, not to you) and said "I hate my job and am definitely looking to get out of here ASAP because I hate it here, especially my asshole boss who is the worst," I wouldn't worry so much. Something like "Sorry the offer didn't come through, but don't worry because there will be a next time" could be about anything. It's unlikely that even if, somehow, your boss read your email, that he would turn it over and over in his mind to try to decipher its exact significance.
Even if the email did say something clear about your job hunt that made it obvious to your nosy snooping boss that you've considered eventually leaving, there are a lot of ways you can spin this. For example, you could say that you were approached out of the blue, not actively looking, and were just curious about what would happen. When you didn't get an offer, it was a no harm no foul situation.
posted by Sara C. at 5:48 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
What did the email say? Unless it was in your own words (an email from you, not to you) and said "I hate my job and am definitely looking to get out of here ASAP because I hate it here, especially my asshole boss who is the worst," I wouldn't worry so much. Something like "Sorry the offer didn't come through, but don't worry because there will be a next time" could be about anything. It's unlikely that even if, somehow, your boss read your email, that he would turn it over and over in his mind to try to decipher its exact significance.
Even if the email did say something clear about your job hunt that made it obvious to your nosy snooping boss that you've considered eventually leaving, there are a lot of ways you can spin this. For example, you could say that you were approached out of the blue, not actively looking, and were just curious about what would happen. When you didn't get an offer, it was a no harm no foul situation.
posted by Sara C. at 5:48 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's very unlikely your boss saw anything. But even if they did, if they are any kind of decent boss, their first thought is likely to be more along the lines of "I wonder if pieceofcake is unhappy or feeling unchallenged/unappreciated" rather than "I need to start looking for a way to fire pieceofcake.
posted by lunasol at 5:54 PM on October 20, 2016
posted by lunasol at 5:54 PM on October 20, 2016
It's not unusual to get emails from recruiters and it has nothing to do with whether you're looking or not. Even if he did see it, for him to decide that receiving and reading an email meant you were looking, and then from that to decide that you should be let go - well, that's two giant leaps.
posted by bunderful at 6:11 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by bunderful at 6:11 PM on October 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
Set a screen timeout for the future.
I think it's unlikely that entering the room would get your phone read. If your phone is anything like mine it will be very obvious when someone is trying to read it because they'll probably have to pick it up.
posted by rhizome at 6:17 PM on October 20, 2016 [3 favorites]
I think it's unlikely that entering the room would get your phone read. If your phone is anything like mine it will be very obvious when someone is trying to read it because they'll probably have to pick it up.
posted by rhizome at 6:17 PM on October 20, 2016 [3 favorites]
The boss might or might not say something if they saw it. But it was your phone, not computer screen, so I bet they didn't.
posted by J. Wilson at 7:18 PM on October 20, 2016
posted by J. Wilson at 7:18 PM on October 20, 2016
You're probably ok, but in the future, you should probably leave your phone face-down on your desk.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:24 PM on October 20, 2016
posted by kevinbelt at 7:24 PM on October 20, 2016
It's smart to always be looking for the next job, raises & promotions don't come from staying at the same place anymore, you are just being prudent, if your boss is smart they know that too.
posted by TheAdamist at 7:25 PM on October 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by TheAdamist at 7:25 PM on October 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
If you're low enough on the ladder, your being let go is equally chancy as being let go for any other bullshit reason.
If your boss saw it, it might impress upon them that you recognize that you're being treated as valuable, and be in-the-future treated moreso.
Everyone is trying to get paid better/more-fairly. Always go after increased pay if the revenue is there. "Revenue sharing" is a thing. Ask for it.
posted by porpoise at 8:06 PM on October 20, 2016
If your boss saw it, it might impress upon them that you recognize that you're being treated as valuable, and be in-the-future treated moreso.
Everyone is trying to get paid better/more-fairly. Always go after increased pay if the revenue is there. "Revenue sharing" is a thing. Ask for it.
posted by porpoise at 8:06 PM on October 20, 2016
Your boss probably didn't look, but a coworker might well have, so don't be surprised if people know.
Other than changing your phone's settings, I don't think there is anything you can do to change anything at this point. It's a problem or it isn't, regardless of what you might say or do.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:24 PM on October 20, 2016
Other than changing your phone's settings, I don't think there is anything you can do to change anything at this point. It's a problem or it isn't, regardless of what you might say or do.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:24 PM on October 20, 2016
If they are downsizing, they'd probably fire someone they knew is planning to leave anyway. That happened to someone who worked under me. For some reason, she told the head of our division she was looking -- I think maybe she was hoping to get more responsibility in a different department that interested her and was more related to her degree. Either way, it was dumb and I wish she had just spoken to me about it. We were going through a round of layoffs and she was chosen for layoffs, even when I pushed to keep her, and they made the decision without my input because they didn't want to risk laying someone else off and having her leave soon anyway. Moral of the story, definitely keep stuff like this to yourself, even among co-workers you aren't 100% sure you can trust.
Otherwise, I can't imagine even if they saw your cell phone, there is anything to worry about. It's not like they'd fire you for looking at what's out there or responding to emails from recruiters. And if they like your work, they could just want to keep you from leaving.
I also agree it's unlikely the boss saw it so I wouldn't worry. Just about every time I worried my boss noticed something that could be bad, they never did or if they did, I never knew about it because it never got back to me. Your best course of action here is to do nothing, other than get a lockscreen on your phone and shut the screen off when you put it down.
posted by AppleTurnover at 1:27 AM on October 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Otherwise, I can't imagine even if they saw your cell phone, there is anything to worry about. It's not like they'd fire you for looking at what's out there or responding to emails from recruiters. And if they like your work, they could just want to keep you from leaving.
I also agree it's unlikely the boss saw it so I wouldn't worry. Just about every time I worried my boss noticed something that could be bad, they never did or if they did, I never knew about it because it never got back to me. Your best course of action here is to do nothing, other than get a lockscreen on your phone and shut the screen off when you put it down.
posted by AppleTurnover at 1:27 AM on October 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
You could be looking for jobs on behalf of your cousin. Just forget about it.
posted by Namlit at 3:06 AM on October 21, 2016
posted by Namlit at 3:06 AM on October 21, 2016
remember (deep breath)...you can always just pretend it was spam.
posted by sexyrobot at 10:53 AM on October 21, 2016
posted by sexyrobot at 10:53 AM on October 21, 2016
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posted by so fucking future at 5:19 PM on October 20, 2016 [12 favorites]