One of the most difficult tasks in a secret job campaign is answering a "blind" ad. Responding executives are often horrified to discover that what appeared to be a truly outstanding opportunity was a job at their level or lower in their own company. Imaginative personnel managers can do wonders with the most prosaic of jobs. Executives who blissfully respond with little caution or forethought are needlessly risking their present jobs.
You should respond to blind ads that hold interest for you. As mentioned previously, blind ads usually generate fewer total responses than open ads, since many employed job hunters are reluctant to use them. Thus a significant portion of your competition is eliminated before you even pick up your pen.
Before responding to the blind ad, you must discover who is behind it without revealing your own identity.
Another technique you can use is the third party approach. As in the third party sales letter, begin your response with "I have a friend who..." or "I know an executive who..." Then lead into a special explanation: "I am writing to you in response to your advertisement for an advertising manager. However, because this executive is currently employed, he does not wish to reveal his identity until your identity has been established."
Take the advertisement apart, listing each requirement and describing specific accomplishments that qualify you for the job. Your concluding paragraph should read along these lines: "This executive will be happy to meet with you to discuss further details of his background and the position. Please contact me at the address or phone number listed in this letter."
Another way to discover the advertiser's identity is to use an answering service at a rented address. In this case, you should write a first person response to the advertisement, ending with the following sentence: "Because of the sensitivity of my current position, I cannot reveal my identity at this time. Please call or write the answering service listed in this letter." Don't forget to instruct the answering service not to reveal your name to callers.
Finally, you can rent a box number and use that for your address, signing the letter with the box number rather than your name. At the end of the letter explain why you are not revealing your identity and when you will be prepared to do so. The major disadvantage of this method is that it requires the PE to respond in writing. Many PE's prefer to contact prospective employees by telephone. Keep in mind that any method that does not allow a PE to call will cost you a certain number of interviews.
Additional Guidelines for Conducting a Campaign in Secret
If you are currently employed, it will be difficult to participate in the IIP unless you use vacation time or take time off from your normal routine. However, if you can manage to practice I IF techniques to generate interviews, use the third party approach. Start your conversation, as in a third party sales letter, with "I have a friend who..." or "I know someone who...." After interest has been established you can reveal yourself as the job candidate. If a PE requests information by mail, keep your identity secret until an interview is confirmed.
Regardless of what technique you use, you must be extremely careful of what you say about yourself until you are ready to drop your cover. Unusual experiences or assignments can be particularly revealing. You must either omit these items from communications with a PE even though they would add to your presentation or disguise them in such a way as to make them innocuous. For example, if you earned a Ph.D. in Paraguay, don't mention the school or country in describing your education. If you are the only one in your industry who has worked in China, either do not indicate where you obtained your experience or describe it as "experience in the Far East"
In general, you can trust PEs to keep your file confidential. But it takes only one exception one PE getting back to your current employer to endanger your security. For this reason, you should make it clear to every PE that you do not want anyone contacted until you have a firm offer. To make sure that your wishes are followed, do not release the names of former employers until you have an offer and are interested in going to work for the PE.
Use descriptions instead of names. For example, if you must fill out an employment form, describe your present company as "a major firm in the garment industry" or "a small independent petroleum company." Do the same with former employers. For your references, write descriptions of their present office or function: "manufacturing manager of a large company" or "past president of the American Bar Association." Finally, note on the application that you will provide names of companies and individuals after mutual interest has been established, and that you do not wish your present employer, references, or anyone else contacted until that time.
The Story of Engineer X
Engineer X was a bright, experienced engineer who once worked for me. He was doing well and as far as I knew was happy with his assignment. One day, out of the blue, I received a form letter from the personnel manager of a large company in the East. The letter stated that Engineer X was being considered for a job and asked me to fill out a detailed questionnaire on his salary, qualifications, and duties and my opinion of his performance.
When I questioned Engineer X, I was surprised to learn he had specifically requested that his present company not be contacted until he had accepted an offer. At the time I received the form letter, no offer had been made. Since I am an executive who believes that employees are not showing disloyalty by trying to better their job situation, no punitive action was taken. But it is an unpleasant fact that such unauthorized inquiries are made. The burden is on the executive job hunter to take the necessary precautions.
