Blog
One question at a time, with the source beside the answer
Short pieces for people who are employed, senior and looking quietly. Each one answers a single question and cites where the answer came from, so you can check it yourself.
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How to run a confidential job search while employed
Guide · 8 min read
3 sources, each checked and dated
The guide the posts hang off: the five ways a search becomes visible, the settings to change, and the order to change them in.
Read the guideJob-search tools
AI job-search tools: what they can and cannot do
8 min read
10 sources: OpenAI Help; OpenAI, Temporary Chat; and 8 more
CV writers, auto-apply tools and keyword scorers all promise a faster move. What each one does, where it falls short, and who ends up holding your CV.
LinkedIn
What LinkedIn private mode hides, and what it costs
3 min read
2 sources: LinkedIn, private mode; LinkedIn, profile updates
Private mode keeps your name and headline out of the viewer list of anyone you research. On a free account it also hides who viewed you. Where the setting is.
Regulated roles
Regulatory references: will my bank hear I'm leaving?
4 min read
5 sources: SYSC 22.2; SYSC 22.1; and 3 more
A UK regulated firm must ask your current employer for a reference before it appoints you to most senior roles. When the request goes, and what you control.
Executive search
Who does an executive search firm work for?
4 min read
2 sources: Heidrick 10-K, 2024; AESC
The company that pays it. How retained search firms are paid, what they owe the candidates they call, and why some of them will never call you at all.
Job boards
Can my employer find my CV on a job board?
4 min read
2 sources: Indeed privacy FAQ; CV-Library help
If your CV is set to be searchable, yes. What Indeed and CV-Library say about who can search a CV, how to hide it, and why a copy can outlive the setting.