-1

I work in a very small company (only 3 developers, one of which being my tech lead). I have been here for over two years now and had the fortunate experience of being mentored by a very competent technical lead. I had warm experiences with mentors and leads over two years at different locations, so I feel confident in saying that this one genuinely did a fantastic job.

After some issues between management finally reaching a peak, my technical lead put in essentially a two month notice (saying that he'd stay until the current project is finished). I have no doubt that he will follow through with that. The other developer and I had expressed to him before that if he decides to quit, we would definitely follow suit as well.

To be honest, ideally, I'd really like to keep working with this team, or at least with him. I wanted to know if it's normal or accepted to ask a technical lead, or any colleague I suppose, if they feel comfortable to inquire at places they interview at if they're looking for additional spots to be filled.

3 Answers 3

4

You asked,

I wanted to know if it's normal or accepted to ask a technical lead, or any colleague I suppose, if they feel comfortable to inquire at places they interview at if they're looking for additional spots to be filled

This is a little tricky to answer, since "normal or accepted" will vary from region to region, and also perhaps more importantly based on the size and culture of the company and the seniority of the person you're considering asking.

Also, it seems like you're asking one question (is it normal to ask someone if their new employer has openings) but are really intending to determine if it's likely that your whole team will be able to move to a new company together, which is a little different.

Someone in a leadership position in a smaller or more flexible company may be more likely to be aware of openings across the company, and able to influence hiring to the point that using them as an introduction would be effective. Compare that to someone in a less-senior position in a larger, slower moving, more rigid environment - they may not even know about openings, and they will almost certainly not have influence enough to bring a whole team into the company intact.

At the end of the day, it certainly doesn't hurt to ask someone (with whom you have a good relationship) if their new employer has openings. The worst that can happen is they say "I don't know." Or maybe they can point you towards the employer's job postings online (although, you could probably find those on your own). Or, maybe that person will be happy to talk to you about openings, because they get a referral bonus if you're hired. So - it's certainly worth asking.

0

is it normal to ask for them to share my resume as well?

It does happen occasionally but it's fairly rare and it may actually violate existing contracts, so you need to proceed very carefully

Check your contract and/or employee handbook.

Many companies have "anti-poaching" clauses in their contracts which explicitly forbids departing employees to connect remaining employees to new job opportunities, at least for a certain period of time.

If that's the case, you should NOT approach your mentor. You would be asking them to breach their existing contract and potentially expose themselves to legal action.

0

"Let me know how it goes" is what you want to say to your mentor.

If you don't hear anything, wait a few weeks after you contact has started their new position. Then reach out to them and ask if they are enjoying the new job.

The reason for doing this two-fold:

  1. They may have made a horrible decision and are already looking at moving again, in which case, you do not want to try to follow them. Wish them luck and start your own job search.

  2. They are so happy with the decision that they will ask you if you're looking to move. If that is an option, they may go ahead and ask you for your resume to forward onto their hiring manager.

If the response you get is positive, but they don't go ahead and ask for your resume, go ahead and tell them how much you enjoyed working with them, and how exciting the new company is. Then ask if they think they'll be hiring anyone with your level of experience. If they say yes, ask where you can send your resume.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .