Confidential searches are a necessity for those who can't risk having their current employers find out they are looking to leave. Understand how to conceal your identity without jeopardizing your job search.

First of all, ask yourself this question...."Do I mind if my current employer finds out I am looking?". If not, you don't have to hold back on anything. However, if this is a problem for you then there are some things you will want to do to avoid being caught by your current company.

Understand that companies are constantly searching the web and candidate databases for profiles. In fact, beyond looking for prospective new hires, it's common practice by many employers to use their own company name as a key word to determine who might be looking to leave (very sneaky, I know). This happens everyday!

Here are some things you will want to be aware of if you are running a confidential search and are building a profile on any of the major job boards:

Don't make your name or address visible on your profile (they can find your resume very easily this way).

Don't use your real email address (this typically has your whole or partial name or company name in the address. Use a confidential email url).

Your company name (this is the most common search term used to try and find people that are looking to leave. Instead of saying the company name, describe the company "Fortune 100 Retail Company", "Top Management Consulting Firm", "Major Brokerage Firm" ).

Be wary of applying to confidential ads. Remember, it could be your company.

Always alert your recruiter. Most recruiters will actively "market" your background to prospective clients. If you don't want the word out on the street that you are looking, ask them to not use your name or company when pitching their background and to only disclose these details if there is bona fide interest in an interview.

Always provide references upon request and do not offer them upfront. One phone call and they will get all the details they need on who you are.

Make sure that the rest of your resume provides as much detail as possible. Sometimes the anonymity of a confidential profile can be a turn off to employers. So try and humanize yourself through all the other categories of information you can provide to offset what you have concealed.

If you are applying directly to a company, you can fully disclose your particulars since this will be a privately held database. However, there are still a few things to remember if you want to remain discrete:

Always put down your home or cell number. Never put your work number or else you could be implicating yourself with the suspicious calls that will be coming in.

Always use a personal email as opposed to work email. Although, you can protect who has access to your work email, many times you will leave your inbox open on your desktop. It will just take one quick glance from your boss to see an email with the subject line "re:interview tomorrow" to blow your cover.