You are ready to look for work, but don’t want to leave your current job in a poor manner.  Where do you start?  Are there rules?  Well, there is definitely a wrong way to do it.  To be discreet and professional in your job search, here are some tips:

Perform your job search on your off hours.  Don’t use work time or equipment to look for other opportunities. Make necessary calls over your lunch hour or after work.  Don’t go to interviews when you should be at work, schedule them during your off hours when possible.

Use your personal email address for communication; do not use your work email address.  Also, use your cell number instead of any work numbers.  Set up a voicemail appropriate for job hunting and do not answer it at work.

Be careful where you post your resume. When using CareerBum.com you can set your resume to confidential so that your information will not be displayed when companies look at you.  By doing this you will reduce the chance of your current employer seeing your profile.

When you land an interview, do not wear your interview clothes to work.  If you normally dress business casual and show up in a suit, people are going to wonder why.  Keep your jacket in the car, or change at a neutral location before the interview.

Do not discuss job hunting on social networking sites.  Your employers reach most likely goes far beyond you are aware.  It is best to not mention a job hunt or change your about section until after you have spoken to your boss.

By following these simple steps you will retain a good relationship with your employer and hopefully a future reference.