I was researching job openings during work yesterday, and my manager walked over and saw my screen. She confronted me about it, and I denied it in the moment. Now I'm anxious about potential consequences. Could this actually get me fired, or just put a target on my back?
11 replies (most recent on top)
Kind of responding to @kp+1kdrkyhyz, but not exclusively.
You can be fired for no reason. Managers may give a reason, which can create problems, especially with protected class employees.
The issues here? Using company time and lying. I don’t mind if my team looks. I'll help if I can. But lying. Not completing tasks. Problems.
OP:
Recommend you schedule a 1:1. Explain you were exploring, panicked, and see this as an opportunity to have a conversation you now realize should have happened before. Apologize. Be ready to describe in detail what you are looking for - make it positive, realistic and growth oriented. Do not discuss salary, commute, RTO or negatives. Any opportunity to raise team and management issues is long gone.
Don't push for decisions at end of the 1:1. The management handbook guides us to be uncommitted and say let me think about some options. You will not be told to pack. However, your manager may be discussing an exit strategy for you, especially if they are head count heavy or you're not worth effort. Be honest with yourself.
@ew have a pay discussion to cover it over, you found that other jobs have been paying more. I don't think your searching for work will make a 'for cause' firing valid, as it would if you stole money from the company. They could still terminate you and provide you severance.
I always look at job descriptions at other companies for both research and job hunting. Tell your boss you were working doing researching another via job postings. It’s in fact a great way to find what systems they use and reverse engineer what competitors do! Just tell her you were doing that!
Why don’t you talk to her about it?
What else did they notice
What is she gonna do? Cry about it and watch a soap opera? Man up buddy
@b4 External, sadly.
I think you'd better move on. They'll want you gone in any case. Its more likely to put you on a layoff list than get you fired this week. You were obviously looking for a reason.
Were you looking at external jobs? That would be more of an issue - using company time and equipment. If internal…I see no real issue. Schwab supports people moving around. Saying this as a PL.
I panicked. Not my best moment, I admit.
How could you deny it in the moment, when she was right there, seeing with her own eyes, what you had up on your screen?
Gaslighting and denial only works if you're dealing with someone d-mb enough to actually believe you when you're lying to them.
Lying about and denying the reality you're both presently experiencing in real time F2F, and expecting the other person to play along with your magical land of make-believe is crazy work...especially when it's your boss!