Job hunting can be extremely stressful. Between searching through job vacancy boards to putting together a killer résumé, compiling a winning cover letter, sending applications, following up on applications, scheduling interviews and patiently waiting for feedback. Then there’s the most stressful of all, doing all of this without your current boss noticing.

Nobody wants to get into that awkward position of your boss finding out that you’re on the hunt for better prospects. While in a dream world they would still be professional about it and understand where you’re coming from. But in reality, things can get messy when they find out.

The good news is that no one is ever paying as much attention to you as you are. It’s easy enough to go about looking for a new job discreetly and you should be able to sneak out the office now and then without your boss noticing. Though, we do understand that there are some helicopter managers out there, following your every move. For those who find it difficult to get anything past their boss, here are a few tricks for carrying on with your job applications in secret.

1. Work on your résumé and applications at home

It doesn’t matter how fast you are at switching tabs, working on your résumé while at work is risky business. The same goes for sending through applications. Keep all of that off your work PC or laptop. You never know when a nosy colleague might walk past, or the IT department has to do something on your computer.

Use a Gmail or other personal email address for all your non-work-related communications. If you absolutely must continue job hunting while at work, make sure to set your browser to incognito mode as some companies may track your internet usage.

2. Don’t put your current boss as a reference 

When building your résumé, don’t put your current boss or anyone that currently works with you as a reference. While this seems obvious, it’s amazing how many people put their current boss as a reference thinking that they’ll never call them. But most hiring managers really do follow up on references.

Hopefully you have good references at your previous jobs or other reputable references that you can use. If you absolutely have to use someone at your current work, list a trusted colleague and make sure to speak to them about it first. Swearing them to secrecy!

The moment you start slacking and not putting in any effort at work, it’ll be the first sign that something is off. Not only is it bad practice to let your performance suffer, but it’s a clear indication to your boss that you’re looking to head out the door. Also, you never want to leave on bad terms. So, keep working hard until the very end.

4. Discreetly reach out to your network connections

This is not the time to be loud and proud about what you’re up to. Only talk to your professional connections that you can trust. Ask them if they can send any leads they come across your way, reminding them to keep your confidences and not to disclose the fact that you're job seeking.

And while you may think it’s okay to mention things on your Facebook page if you aren’t friends with your boss or any colleagues, don’t count on that ‘friends only’ post staying private. You should absolutely not post anything on social media – from ranting about your job to putting out a ‘hire me’ status. No!

This goes without saying, but make sure to turn off the ‘Notify Your Network’ setting. Also, turn on ‘Let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities’ in your privacy settings – this works without your network seeing it.

We’re an anonymous platform where you simply send us a link to your LinkedIn profile and salary expectation. Then sit back and we’ll contact you with only the best job opportunities that match up to what you want to get paid. We’re taking the ‘hunting’ out of ‘job hunting’. Which, of course, puts you at less risk of your current boss finding out that you’re flirting with the job market.

Rather than sneaking off in your lunch break or making up some ridiculous excuse why you need to leave the office for two hours, book a full day off. Using one of your vacation days is the best way to avoid rousing up any suspicion. Legally, you don’t have to disclose what you’re doing on your days off. Just make sure that you have an iron-clad alibi for those inquisitive colleagues – because they will ask.

If don’t have any vacation days left (understandably so #YOLO), then make sure to schedule your interviews during times that you won’t be missed at work. I.e. not during your weekly Monday morning standup meeting. Earlier or later in the day tend to be easier to explain to your current employer.

As a last resort…call in sick. But we don’t really recommend this as it is extremely risky and will end up causing you more stress on the morning of your interview. We’re not all good liars!

Unless you have a private office with a door that can lock, don’t do any phone interviews while at work. Try to schedule on your lunch hour or early or late in the day. Do it in your own time and on your own phone.

When you get a stream of interview requests coming in it’s easy to get carried away and accept all of them (well done you by the way). Try not to. Live by the principle of quality over quantity. As the interview process can be time-consuming, go for the top opportunities only. The jobs that you know you’ll say yes to. Your time is important and should be spent looking for a job that you really care about. It also means less time out of the office, which is less cause for suspicion.

If you normally rock casual attire to work, don’t suddenly strut in looking all smart and formal. It’s a clear sign that you’ve got something else going on later in the day. And everyone’s first guess will be that it’s an interview! Bring a change of clothes and change elsewhere before you head out to the interview and back to work.

You got a request for an interview at your dream job! Heck yes! Naturally, you want to tell absolutely everyone around you. Who wouldn’t right, this is amazing news! However, you need to fight the urge. Rather step outside and phone your mom.

Even if you consider your coworkers as besties, don’t put them in the awkward position by telling them that you’re looking for a new job. It could lower the morale in the office and there’s also the risk that they might spill the beans to the wrong person.

Don’t share too much excitement about new job prospects until it’s a done deal. Avoid the sheepish return to work should the job fall through.

Our last few tips on successful job hunting.

Never bad mouth your boss. No matter how awful he/she is, take the high road, demonstrate some class and ensure that you don’t burn any bridges. Keep the rants for your nearest and dearest.

Let your prospective employer know that your job search should be kept confidential. Be honest with them about your situation. If they’re the kind of boss that you want to work for, then they should understand.

Stay focused at your current job. Continue to perform at or above your current performance level. You want them to be bummed out when you finally hand in that resignation letter, not relieved. 

Don’t post your résumé on job boards.

If you do get confronted by your supervisor or manager, just be honest. If and when they explicitly ask you about your intentions, don’t lie. Lying never leads to good situations.

Be patient. Job hunting takes time and it’s important to not rush into anything. Which makes it so important to keep things cool and happy at your current job as you may still be there a while.

Ideally, your boss won’t know about your job search until you have a confirmed offer and have your resignation letter ready. And remember, just some simple discretion will be fine. This doesn’t have to turn into the next best spy escapade.

Job hunting can be extremely stressful. Nobody wants to get into that awkward position of your boss finding out that you’re on the hunt for better prospects.

The Key to Job Hunting on the Sly

Your cover letter is your first impression when applying for a job. In many cases it’s your make or break moment. 
And in this ultra-competitive job market, it’s not good enough to quickly whip together a few generic paragraphs on why you are the best person for the job. You need to put a little bit more thought into each cover letter that you send.


You can’t simply Google ‘good cover letter examples’ and pull a few paragraphs from each. A good cover letter highlights the specific skills employers are looking for and is personalized to the job that you are applying for.


When we talk about personalization, we mean beyond replacing the title and company name in each cover letter that you send out. Use your cover letter to not only demonstrate your amazing skills and experience, but also to share your passion for the company that you are applying to work at. 


Why is your cover letter so important anyway?


Your cover letter needs to knock your potential employers socks off. Or they won’t even bother reading any further into your application. Don’t bother putting a killer resume together if you aren’t putting any thought into your cover letter. It’s a waste of time as it won’t get read.

It’s your first introduction to the person who may hire you, which makes it so important to make sure it is as memorable as possible. It also serves as a chance to present a clear, concise, and compelling writing sample that shows off your personality and ability to convey ideas.


Good cover letter examples: 5 things that they all include


It’s easy enough to Google examples of cover letters and simply copy them directly into your cover letter, changing a few details here and there. But that’s a cookie-cutter approach, and at Wanted we are anything but cookie cutters! That’s why we aren’t going to feed you generic cover letter examples, but rather guide you down the road to figuring out how best you can write your own cover letter. 

So, instead, we are drawing your attention to five points that all good cover letter examples include. Points for you to keep in mind as you start to craft your own cover letter for your next job application.

For maximum wow-factor, you need to build a cover letter that highlights your industry-specific experience, credentials and accomplishments.

It’s important to also adjust your tone to suit the industry that you are applying to. If it’s super corporate then keep your letter professional, perhaps dropping in some lingo that you know will impress the reader. If you’re applying for something more creative, or in the advertising industry, then you could probably be more relaxed and show off a bit more of your personality. A law firm is looking for your qualifications, while a tech startup is looking to see if your level of geekiness will fit in with the rest of the team (along with your qualifications and experience, of course).

2. Personalized to the company you are applying for


Not only should your cover letter be industry specific, but it should also be personalized to the company that you are applying at. Do your research on the company and make sure to show this in your cover letter. 

How can you help this company – list specific examples that you know are relevant to them. This indicates that you are serious about the position as you actually took the time to read up on them.

You can also adjust your tone specifically towards the company you are applying with. For example, if you’re applying to work at a vegan food company, perhaps sign off with ‘Yours in hummus, X’.

It’s small, simple additions to your cover letter that really show what kind of person you are as well as what kind of employee you will be.


3. Cover all requirements listed in the job advert


If you are applying for a job based off a job advert, then make sure that your cover letter includes all the listed requirements. They included these requirements for a reason, so make sure that your cover letter makes it clear that you fit all of them. If a job ad receives hundreds of applications, then the first thing the recruiter will check is whether the applicant meets the requirements. If even one requirement is missing, your application will likely be tossed into the ‘reject’ pile.

Include relevant stories about your career. It’s a great way to demonstrate your skills while showing more insight into your personality or work style. This can include how you tackled a certain problem in your previous job or how you managed to get a company from point A to point B. Again, make this specific to the company that you are applying for. If the company is looking for someone who can set up their lead generation system, tell them a success story of how you’ve done just that for another company. Just keep your story brief (more on that in the next point).

Try using words that aren’t the generic cover-letter words. Say that you’re imaginative rather than creative, or inventive rather than innovative. Be tenacious, not determined. And reliable rather than hard working. This shows that you think differently to the rest. Which can only be a good thing, right?

Also, always be honest. If you don’t have a certain skill that they require, be upfront about it and list ways that you are willing to learn the skill.

Imagine receiving hundreds upon hundreds of job applications in your inbox and having to go through each and every one of them. You’re probably going to skip past the super long ones, promising that you’ll ‘come back to them later’. But you probably won’t. As others will catch your attention and you’ll completely forget about that longer pile…

This is the reality of job recruiters. Make your cover letter appealing to read by keeping to short, sweet and well-formatted. Use paragraphs, bullet points and neat, embedded links (NEVER paste long, messy links).

Simple subject – don’t get too creative here, keep it simple.

A memorable introduction – this is where your creativity can come out with a clever, memorable opening line/paragraph.

Specific, organized examples of relevant work done – remember to include all job requirements.

Concise conclusion with a strong call to action – keep it to the point.

That’s all – cut the fluff in between.

Lastly, all good cover letter examples are proofread several times. Don’t make the mistake of quickly editing certain paragraphs when customizing each letter and not rereading the full cover letter once you’re done. Mistakes creep in and suddenly you’re calling Richard, Susanne in the last paragraph and talking about a completely different company. Awkward…

You can’t simply Google ‘good cover letter examples’ and pull a few paragraphs from each. A good cover letter highlights the specific skills employers are looking for and is personalized to the job that you are applying for.

5 Examples of Good Cover Letters

To make a business successful, you need to have the right employees. Employees that are qualified to do their job, but also employees that are happy and satisfied in their job. This makes hiring and retaining top talent a critical component to the success of organizations. But we’ve found a major flaw in the recruitment process and it all comes down to the lack of transparency.

Offering a fair salary in relation to industry standards and what fellow co-workers are earning is just one of the strategies taken by companies to keep employees’ content. But what is a fair salary? Who determines the fairness of the salary? In most cases, it’s the employer. The employer will know what everyone else in the company is currently earning as well as what the industry standard is. And the employee is usually left in the dark. Is this still fair? Not exactly a level playing field, is it?


We grow up being told not to talk about how much you make, so when you get a job, you don’t know how to have a conversation about salary. The subject of salary transparency has been a taboo for too long. We’re shaking off this taboo and giving you the power to put your salary expectations out there, up front. And at the same time avoiding the awkward conversion down the line.


Our vision at Wanted is to have talent recognized and appropriately valued for their contribution. In our world, there isn’t any discrimination due to gender, race, sexual orientation or religion. Salaries are based on skills and experience.


It’s our mission to make the job industry transparent and to empower talent to know their worth. We’re here to educate, inspire and empower people to know what they are worth on the job market and what they should be paid.


Our values are transparency, fairness and simplicity. Our product is simple (sign up takes only one-minute), fair (you chose the salary for which you'd like to be hired out for) and transparent (salary is committed by the company. There is no range and no estimation, only your salary requirement or more). 

We’re here to speak up for you. And to encourage you to speak up for yourself and ask for what you deserve. We’re pulling you out of your comfort zone. Though, is it really a comfort zone if it’s a place where you are likely being taken advantage of?


Wanted is a talent first platform. We are here to make the talent life simpler. You don't need to fill in a 15-page form to get on board - simply drop your LinkedIn profile and minimum salary and you’re done. We have human validators (no relying on algorithms for this important task) that are approving profiles and pulling your information off your LinkedIn profile to then match with our database for job opportunities.

We do this so that talent (that’s you) can focus on what matters. Finding you opportunities that make sense, by filtering out those that don’t.

We’re keeping things simple and straightforward. Companies listing job opportunities on Wanted commit to signing a pledge to commit to a salary first, based only on experience and skills. Candidates stay fully anonymous in the process – not letting their age, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion influence any decisions made by the company. Your identity (as the talent) is only revealed when a company selects to have an interview with you. But by that time, they have already committed to the salary that you want.

Think of us as your personal head-hunter – scouting only the best opportunities for you.


The traditional methods of talent recruitment need to change. Firstly, to fix the wage gaps and secondly to address wage stagnation.

Wage gaps generally occur between men and women, as well as between marginalized groups and white-identifying groups. On average, white women in the U.S. earn 79% of what white men make, black women earn 63% of what white men make, Native American women bring in 57%, and Hispanic women bring in 54%, according to a 2018 report from the American Association of University Women.

Equalizing the field is crucial for any industry to pay competitive wages — and to promote fairness. We’re doing this by bringing in anonymity – making the company select a candidate without allowing prejudice, whether conscious or not, to creep in. 

Wage stagnation has also increased calls for pay transparency in the economy. U.S. workers have struggled with wage stagnation for several decades and it’s time for salaries to start increasing along with the inflation rate.

One of the major benefits of pay transparency is encouraging equal pay among employees. Pay transparency also helps attract a more diverse workforce, which is always a good thing. In addition, transparency establishes trust, and makes employees feel that they’re working for a company with higher ethical standards. When transparency is added to the corporate culture, employees will be more engaged and committed to the vision of the company.

While many in the job market industry are calling for increased pay transparency, few companies are actually doing it. Overall, only 17% of private employers in the U.S. now make pay transparent, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR). This isn’t enough.

Yes, you want a job that offers you job satisfaction. But you also need to pay your bills, right? It’s become too hard to get both. We want you to land your dream job that can also pay your bills. Dream job with a dream salary. Yes, it’s possible.

Listening in on the job market doesn’t need to be a fulltime job. It should be easy to find the job that you’re looking for. We’re putting the power into the job seekers hands and making the companies find you. Simple and easy. 

We’ve also found that there is so much time wasted in the recruitment process. Many companies tend to make talent go through a series of interviews before actually getting serious about putting an offer in the table. Then, the offer could be far from what you are looking for. Which basically means you’ve wasted your time. Or, you go through the whole process and just end up being ghosted by the HR representative or recruitment company. We’re putting a stop to that. Commit to the serious things first, like salary, and then work through the nitty gritty. No negotiations.


We’re here to create a world of fair, equal and transparent salaries across the board. A world where your age, race or gender have absolutely no influence on your salary. And a world where you don’t have to waste precious time job hunting and partaking in long recruitment processes. Because, after all, you’re better than that. We know you are!

Why we exist? We’re here to create a world of fair, equal and transparent salaries across the board. A world where your age, race or gender have absolutely no influence on your salary. And a world where you don’t have to waste precious time job hunting and partaking in long recruitment processes. Because, after all, you’re better than that. We know you are!

Our blog

The Key to Job Hunting on the Sly

5 Examples of Good Cover Letters

Our Mission to Create a Transparent Job Market