Managing a Job Search While You're Employed

Managing a Job Search While You’re Employed

November 21, 2016

Sometimes, your current job is just that: a job. It’s not the job of your dreams by any stretch of the imagination, so you go looking for something new. Unfortunately, that means that you’re juggling new interviews with your current job responsibilities–not to mention keeping your job search a secret at work. These tips, however, will make managing a job search while you’re employed easier.

Juggle Your Time Creatively

Inevitably, future employers will ask you to come in for an interview during the workday. While it might be difficult to sneak out of your current office, getting creative with the time slots you have available can make the process easier.

Schedule interviews for first thing in the morning or last thing in the afternoon, then take time off for an “appointment.”

Set up an interview around lunch time. Make sure you have plenty of time to get back and forth between locations!

Ask the hiring manager if a phone interview is an option. Just be certain you leave your current place of employment to make the call.

For serious interviews that are further away you should consider taking a personal day.

Keep Those Bridges Intact

You don’t want to burn bridges with your current colleagues and bosses. Continue to give your job your best until you’re already out the door. Be willing to go the extra mile to help your colleagues and take care of all of your job responsibilities. Don’t throw up your hands in frustration and storm out of the office, regardless of whether or not you already have a new job lined up.

Stay Honest

When you go in for an interview, they may ask to contact your references. Be clear about the fact that your current employer doesn’t know that you’re job hunting and request that they not be contacted at this time. If news does get out that you’re job hunting, be honest with your current employer: explain your reasons for looking, let them know that you’ll stick with the job for as long as possible, and give them reasonable notice when you’re ready to leave.

Looking for a job when you already have one can feel dishonest to many people, but in today’s employment environment, most people don’t expect to stay at one job until retirement. Give yourself a break and be willing to take a leap of faith. In the end, the sneaking around might be all worth it.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.