How to Job Search From Your Current Job
Although we don’t like to admit it, hiring managers in fact expect their employees to be on the lookout for better jobs, either inside or outside of their current company. The days when people stayed in their jobs for 30 or 40 years without even updating their resumes are for the most part long gone. Studies show that today people between the ages of 18 and 32 switch jobs every two years. This means that job hunting from your current position is now the norm. Here’s three tips on how to do it correctly.
Avoid Doing Phone Interviews from Your Desk
No matter how hard you try to hide it, your voice will come across as being unnatural. You’ll either speak too softly, afraid that others will overhear you, or you’ll speak too fast from a feeling of guilt. Either way, you won’t be able to give your best interview. If you get an unexpected interview call while at your desk, simply say you can’t interview right now and ask for a time – lunch is always good – where you can leave your desk for the interview. Any potential employer will understand and respect this.
Dress Normally While at Work
Most people who go on interviews understand the need to dress a step or two up from what the position requires. So when you have to leave early (or come in late) due to an interview and you’re dressed up, everyone – including your boss! – will automatically assume you’re interviewing.
Try to Schedule Your Interviews for the End or the Beginning of the Day
Your goal is to interfere with your current job as little as possible when you’re searching for a new job. This will generate fewer inquiries about your intentions. The best way to do this is to schedule interviews if at all possible early in the morning, before you come to work, or late in the afternoon. By doing this, it may also be possible to change back to your normal work clothes after a morning interview, or change into your interview clothes after your leave work for an afternoon interview. You goal is always to not draw attention to the fact you’re job searching.
And finally, don’t feel guilty about looking for a better job. Your boss probably did the same thing and it’s nearly impossible to do all your job searching while not at work because your potential employers want to talk to you during business hours. So long as getting your current job done well remains your top priority, your conscious should be clear.
