No harm in having an honest conversation with your boss, the days of presenting yourself as having unlimited commitment to your employer are long gone.
A reference from any medium sized or larger company will not contain much more than title and duration of employment so I wouldn’t worry about that whatsoever.
Firstly don’t worry about the reference.
Any major employer now will only give you a written reference stating the bare minimum, just confirming that you worked there between x & y.
You can just say that you’ve been getting frequent approaches from Recruiters on LinkedIn who’ve been saying you can earn x if you move.
You don’t have to divulge everything you’re doing, but there’s definitely something to be gained from openness. Let them know you’ve enjoyed your time there and have learned a lot, while giving a lot for the team, but you’re looking for the next step in your career and are considering a move. Don’t mention the countless hours you burned on TFK, or how your side project on IPTV is not as lucrative as you’d hoped.
Do mention the Romanian mafia if he starts to play hardball
I can give you a reference if needs be.
Keep bang’s name out your mouth
Hi boss,
Before we start, is this suprise meeting about the dodgy FitBit racket I was running?
Ehhh… No
Is it about the IPTV service I’m providing?
Ehh… No
Dodgy Romainian betting syndicates?
No!
Oh, ok please proceed…
Tell them that four years in you are open to explore development opportunities.
Defo… I don’t want to go anywhere but the cost of living etc made me an offer I couldn’t refuse etc
Perfect. Mention that you really like working there and you want to stay. But realistically is that going to happen and you’re thinking of looking around.
I am talking to cunts like him every second day.
How does your manager know you were emailing a recruiter ?
He’s only guessing that at the moment was my reading of it
I’d say he’s putting 2 and 2 together.
I reckon he knows I’m not happy at the moment. I’d get on fairly well with one of the girls in our office. She’s looking to leave also and has provisionally accepted an offer. She’s after asking my boss for a reference and not her own. So in a roundabout way I’m thinking he knows that I know she’s leaving and I might follow suit to get out the door also. She only asked him for the reference on Friday and this morning he scheduled a meeting for tomorrow…
Oh right. The manager knows nothing and keep it that way… what benefit is it to you if tell him ?
@Copper_pipe if you want to stay on more money you have him over a barrell if other people are leaving
The fucker might panic and give him more money
I knew that pellet gun I bought last week could be handy at some point.
Are you in exact same role as you started?
Or have you run out of promotion opportunities in your current employer?
Same role but went up a level since I started.
If I moved up another level it still wouldn’t be near what I’d hope to be getting from potential new employers.