I recently learned a tough lesson about job hunting while still employed. I had confided in one coworker, someone I thought I could trust, that I was looking for a new job. I figured it was a safe space since we often shared our frustrations about work. However, within a week, that information had somehow reached my supervisor. I hadn’t even started interviewing yet, but my boss pulled me aside to ask if I was happy in my role. It was a wake-up call for me. From this experience, I realized that even if you think you have a close relationship with someone at work, the moment you share your job search, that information is no longer private. It can easily slip out, and before you know it, your position at the company can change. I noticed that I was treated differently after my boss learned about my job hunt, and I missed out on opportunities because of it. Now, I firmly believe in applying, interviewing, and accepting offers all in silence. I won’t be sharing my job search with anyone at work again. It’s clear that coworkers are not always friends, and you can’t know who will keep your confidence until it’s too late.