BTQ

Account Manager

Telling your boss your interviewing: Good idea or Bad idea?

Hey yall. I checked the search bar but figured this may get some different takes since the economy is much different from when those original threads were posted.

I recently started interviewing with other companies with no real rush to exit the door. Unfortunately, these would be lateral moves as an SDR but I'm willing to move for the right product/benefits/salary bump.

I'm close to an AE role here (or so they tell me) but I'm in SDR limbo. I like my role at <redacted> and I don't want to jump ship for something worse than I'm at now. I guess I'm just getting a little impatient.

But for the scope of this post is it a good idea or a bad idea to tell my boss I'm interviewing?

What think?

Attached poll

Good idea Bad idea Show results

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

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35 comments

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oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

Having been on the receiving end of this, here's how I've reacted at various points in my career.

As a new manager:
-Fuck this guy after all I've done for him

As a seasoned manager:
-Need to immediately hunt for replacement

As a veteran jedi master manager:
-Fuck this guy after all I've done for him
-Need to immediately hunt for replacement

Don't do it.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Succinct and accurate

BTQ

Politicker

Account Manager

Thanks oldcloser

KB_FarmerType

Opinionated

Strategic Sales

Absolutely

GOLFaaS

Politicker

Sales Leader

Exactly. See ya. ✌🏼

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

No not at all, only bring it up to use for leverage for the AE promo or a raise, and do that once you get the offer

If you tell them, there will be some loss of trust and some managers will take offense. So keep it to yourself

HVACexpert

Politicker

sales engineer

Bingo, don’t say anything until you have a written offer in hand then bring it to them and see what they say.

FoodForSales

Politicker

bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad idea

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

Never tell anyone you work with, that you are interviewing. It can only hurt you

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

Would you tell your wife your on tinder?

BTQ

Politicker

Account Manager

lmao good point

Wellss

Tycoon

Channel sales

I think there are many factors that go into it - like your performance at the current company, your relationship with your boss, and so on. In your case, I would get concrete steps from your boss on what you need to do to get that AE promotion. If you meet them & still don't get promoted, then it could be a good time to bring up the thoughts of moving elsewhere

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Yup. Otherwise don't bring it up.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

There are a very few circumstances where advising your manager goes well. Usually it's best not to.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

Why do you want your manager to lose interest in your growth :)

Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

I can't imagine a scenario where/how this could go south.So, tell them! Just don't rub it in their face or burn a bridge.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

What are you smoking...?

This could break bad easily.

Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

I get where you're coming from. I'm still thinking if this question arises in BTQ's mind, it suggests that somewhere within the organization, they acknowledge the lack of progress in the AE movement.

RealPatrickBateman

Politicker

🔪Amateur Butcher🔪

Quite literally the worst take, ever....

We've gone over this, TELL NO ONE until you have the offer letter signed, the new laptop acquired, and you've returned the old companies video tapes. Period.

punishedlad

Tycoon

Business Development Team Lead

I certainly see how it could go south if they're close to AE in their current role. What incentive does the employer have to continue to invest in their development if they have one foot out the door?

Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

Fair. I'm just wondering if BTQ were close to AE in the current role, why look outside?

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

(1) Always keep 1 foot out the door. Every good sales person I know is always open to a conversation about a different opportunity/gig. If you aren't moving forward, you're dying.

(2) How do you picture that conversation with your boss going? "Oh @BTQwe don't want you to leave, here's that AE position you've been wanting..." I don't think so. They will interpret it as disloyalty (even though your boss is probably interviewing with other companies too) and you could be pushed to the top of the chopping block.

Short answer - keep your interviewing to yourself.

Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

Would only do it if you have another offer in hand.

coletrain

Politicker

Account Executive

Fastest way to get canned IMO

Fenderbaum

Politicker

Retired Choirboy🪕

When's the last time they told you that you were close to AE? I would jump ship if it's been a while.

BTQ

Politicker

Account Manager

Last week but it’s 6 months awayish.

Maximas

Tycoon

Senior Sales Executive

Fact!

Beans

Big Shot

Enterprise Account Executive

Terrible idea.

You put yourself as expendable as you're thinking of leaving, and your resources get pulled as you're no longer seen as a long term team investment.

SiliconBBQ

Politicker

The Metal Rooster

Hell naw it ain't a good idea. They won't tell you they're about to lay you off.

It's a need to know situation, don't run your mouth till they need to know.

fuzzy

Notable Contributor

CMO (Chief Meme Officer)

You stand to gain nothing from telling your boss. Even if they come back with a better offer, they won't trust you to not leave if you're not tenured.

nolaydowns

Good Citizen

SAE

If you want a promotion, just ask for one properly.

JDL

Catalyst

CEO

If this was the question in an engineering space, it would be YES. They do this and get better offers right away 🥹

Senior Exhibit Consultant

Hold your cards close so you are in control of your future.

Deputy Commercial Manager

Only if you have something on your hand…

bravadojanitor

Opinionated

product

Curious, what did SalesGPT say? Personally for me, I only told one of my bosses because he told me he was looking first - this one was ok. Another of my bosses found out I was looking around, and put weekly 1-1's on my calendar to ask 'on a scale of 1-10 how committed are you to this company' - this one was so bad.

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BTQ

Telling your boss your interviewing: Good idea or Bad idea?

What think?

35 comments

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