Do I have to tell my manager I applied for another position?

Question

I have applied for two other positions in my company (in a different department). Do I need to tell my manager at this point? Both of these positions are more aligned with my interests and background than my current position and considered a promotion. These types of positions are rarely available in my company, so I thought I should give it a shot. I'd prefer to wait until I at least secure an interview. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

You do not have to tell your manager that you applied for another position. There is no reason to put your current job in jeopardy when you don't even know if you are being considered for the other position. Tell your manager once you have been offered the job. It is not a good idea to tell your manager yet, because you do not want him or her to start considering replacements for you if you do not get the new position.

Answer 2

Chances are pretty good that the HR department of your company has already contacted your manager, or will be contacting your manager soon. Would you be comfortable with your manager finding out from someone else?

Think about telling your manager so he/she is not blindsided when they find out you're applying for other jobs internally. Maybe you can address it like this:

"I just wanted to let you know that I have applied for X job. I am not unhappy in my current position; rather, I saw this opportunity and thought it could be a great next step in my career path with the company. I did not want you to find out about it through the grapevine since there are no negative reasons why I am applying for this position. I like the company and really am interested in moving forward with them in my career."

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you lots of luck and that you'll get those interviews!

Answer 3

It would be a good idea, since someone will pretty surely mention it to him.

Good luck.