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I have been in a long job search while continuing at my current one. 20+ months now. A lot of interest, always come up short, but that is beside the point. My old boss left 2+ years ago (almost 3 now). He actually suggested I look outside of my current company right before he left for his new job. During the course of the search, I requested to use him as a reference, which he accepted without hesitation. I even had him as a referral for a job with his new company last year (which I didn't get because I was out-referred... new hire was brother of the outgoing employee).
I have kept my job search entirely secret from everyone I currently work with. Now in a strange turn of events, my old boss may come back to this company. Not all of the details are known to me right now. If this happens, that means someone in the company could know about my search. This has me a bit nervous... Anything to worry about? Has anyone else ever had something similar happen?
In the professional world its an unspoken rule that youre always putting out feelers for a new job, unless you literally just started your new job. This is how we pulse the market to see what were worth. Also if anyone asked you about it you could simply say that you were looking down the road to see what you'd like to grow towards. That's what HR is always cramming down our throats right?
That being said a company isn't going to fire you for looking at the jobs market, they'll only get nervous if they find out youre interviewing. Why? Because it takes forever to fill a position and if they think youre about to bail then they'll start the process.
"Hey Boss, I'm glad you returned so now I don't have continue my job search as this place wasn't the same without you".
^^ This, although I wouldn't say the job hunt ended. I'd just say, "Hey Boss, I'm glad you returned as this place wasn't the same without you," and hope that the old boss would assume the job hunt came to an end with his return.
And don't use him as a referral going forward, obviously.
Well the OP said he "may" come back to the company. It also doesn't mean if he does that he will be the OP's boss again.
He knows you have been looking, so there is no point in lying. He sounds like a decent enough guy by being a reference and even helping the OP land an interview at his current company.
He knows from his own experience people "jump ship", at most I would say to him "I appreciate your help, and as you can understand I want to keep anything we discussed confidential".
I highly doubt that if he does return, he is going to announce to everyone what the OP did. He could be a reference for a few people at the OP's company.
It's official now that he will be coming back. Initially, he won't work directly with me, but he will in part regain his old role as my direct boss, as well as other things within the company. I don't expect to be fired immediately or anything drastic like that, but it does lead me to believe if in the long run, I will participate in more "knowledge transfers" and things of that nature since I know quite a bit that nobody else internally does.
He's a good guy and I have some degree of trust that he won't be unfair. Unfortunately, he was my best reference being most familiar with my work and abilities, I don't expect I can go directly to him as I did before during the interview process. He actually shared with me some of his personal opinions of this company, particularly upper management, and it is surprising to me he would come back. But I suppose, if you're looking and get a good offer, why pass it up?
"knowledge transfers" as in he knows your loyalty is not with the company...especially if you have been looking for such a long time. As long as he is there it is in his best interest transfer whatever you know to some one "hungry".
Since he left, and then returned, he knows a little about loyalty that he might be projecting on to you since he apparently did the same.
Drop him from your reference list at once but keep your eyes open for somewhere else to hang your hat. I once worked with a guy who forget to close his computer screen and when his boss saw that he was working on his resume, he was walked out within the hour.
It's official now that he will be coming back. Initially, he won't work directly with me, but he will in part regain his old role as my direct boss, as well as other things within the company. I don't expect to be fired immediately or anything drastic like that, but it does lead me to believe if in the long run, I will participate in more "knowledge transfers" and things of that nature since I know quite a bit that nobody else internally does.
He's a good guy and I have some degree of trust that he won't be unfair. Unfortunately, he was my best reference being most familiar with my work and abilities, I don't expect I can go directly to him as I did before during the interview process. He actually shared with me some of his personal opinions of this company, particularly upper management, and it is surprising to me he would come back. But I suppose, if you're looking and get a good offer, why pass it up?
You have to keep in mind he also left your company, went to another company, and now is coming back to your company.
I really think that you're "overthinking" this. It's kind of the like the person who says in a mocking manner "guess who I saw in a strip club"....well they were also in that same strip club.
You already said he is a good guy, he looked for other opportunities, so he certainly can't fault you(and it doesn't sound like he would) for doing the same.
I doubt he will even say anything to you, but if he does you just downplay it.
But you will need to replace him as a reference for now.
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