I am a programmer on a fairly small team. I am planning on seeking new employment sometime this year. What is the best way to go about asking coworkers to serve as references without alerting my employer?
I have six coworkers that have worked with me enough to serve as proper references; however, three of these coworkers are my superiors, so I can't ask them. That leaves just three coworkers that I could ask.
Being on a small team my role is large enough that losing me would be a big hit to productivity. It could take them a longer than some other employers to replace me and get a new employee up to speed. So, if I do ask anybody, I would be concerned about it getting out.
And there's always the chance that they let it slip in a daily stand-up or product meeting.
This is actually my first full-time salaried job, so I have no experience with this. What considerations do I need to make?
Thanks!