5 Things You Should Do When Your Job Searching While Employed (And 4 Things You Shouldnt) - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

5 Things You Should Do When Your Job Searching While Employed (And 4 Things You Shouldn’t) - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. Conducting a job search while youre currently employed is both a smart and tricky move. You want to ensure you have a secure position before leaving your current job, but you also want to be respectful and discreet when doing so. There are some dos and donts to applying for jobs while still currently employed, and weve compiled a list of a few helpful tips below! Update Your Profile on Linkedin This platform is solely to present your past employment, strengths and to build connections. Updating your Linkedin profile wont raise concerns.   Any company that is interested in hiring you, or wanting to research you will most likely check your Linkedin profile first. So having it updated is another easy way for them to research you that will benefit you. Don’t Post Your Search on Social Media Regardless of what social media site/privacy settings you think you may have, you can never be too careful. Mutual friends can get you in trouble, so its best to not publicize your job search in a post, in the comments section etc. Make sure your friends aren’t posting about looking for a job for you either. You never know who knows who. Don’t Post Your Resume on Job Boards You should also avoid posting your resume on job boards. The chances of your current employer seeing your resume on a job board website (or someone who knows them for that matter) is enough to cost you your job before youre prepared to do so. Instead, be selective on where youre sending your resume. Aim for secure email addresses/company websites instead. Schedule Interviews Outside of Work Job interviewing is tricky when you are still currently employed. Scheduling multiple appointments during work hours can raise concern from your current employer. Aim to schedule interviews before or after work. IF not possible, schedule interviews during your lunch break. You can also take a vacation day and schedule a few interviews in one day. But the less these interviews take away from your current job, the better. Keep Showing Up Literally and figuratively. When people search for jobs while still currently employed, they get lazy and mentally check out of their work. This sends off red flags and your employer can suspect your intention to leave. Instead, give your best effort. You’ll enjoy work more and it will give you the opportunity to leave on a positive note. Not to mention, prevent you from burning bridges upon leaving. Don’t Put Your Co-Workers or Boss as References One of the most common mistakes people make when job searching is listing their current employees/ colleagues as references. This is one of the easiest ways to derail your search. Instead, list past managers, or past coworkers, coaches, etc instead. Leave your current colleagues and employer out of this one for now. Note Your Employment Status Two reasons, one: as a candidate who is currently employed, you display proactivity and show the potential employer that you are employed elsewhere aka you’re already valued at another company (which scores you bonus points). The second: let the employer know you are currently employed and want your conversations confidential. Dont Use Company Resources In todays world, companies have access to everything you do on their resources. So when you are actively job searching online, avoid doing so at work. This will raise suspicion and even cost you your job. Do so on your own time and on your own personal devices to ensure youre keeping your search private. Be Honest If your employer hears you are looking for other jobs and they approach you be honest. You will get more respect by telling them the truth, than lying. You don’t want to be dishonest and have it affect you in the future. Being straightforward is key.