Looking for a new job while you still have a job is one of the best positions to be in. But, it can also be stressful. You may not want your current employer to know you’re exploring other opportunities; however, you should still be looking out for your best interests. In addition, though most employers understand that many people come to them already employed elsewhere, they will want to know why you’re looking to move. Then there is the question of where to search and how to best find the most relevant opportunities for you. There are tools available and approaches to consider when exploring other job opportunities and discussing your current employment situation to prospective employers.
Where and How to Look
We all know about the large job boards, such as Indeed.com. These can be useful to see what the job landscape in your field looks like and how in demand your skills are. But, as someone already employed, you may want a more targeted approach. A good, working relationship with a recruiter or two can usually yield quality results. Often, recruiters will seek candidates who are already employed to see if they’d be amenable to other prospects that may offer more money or opportunities for advancement. Recruiters know that employed job seekers will want to explore their options discreetly and not waste time with job openings that aren’t a good fit. Recruiters will often be understanding and respectful of your current job situation. They might set up interviews around your lunch hour or explain to a prospective employer that you’re coming from your current job and may not be wearing the traditional “interview suit.” A good recruiter will understand that you can’t keep stealing away from your job to go on interviews. They should only present you with opportunities that match your interests, experience, and career goals, as well as salary requirements. With a good, working relationship with a recruiter, you’ll have someone doing the legwork of bringing quality job prospects to you—without having to worry about your boss seeing you on job-seeking websites.
A less traditional avenue to explore is a job-matching site like Anthology (formerly Poachable). Seeking to edge their way into the space recruiters occupy, these sites offer anonymous, targeted job searching. Unlike many job-hunting websites, where you must weed through a huge number of listings and compete with every other job seeker in the market, sites like Anthology offer more of a matchmaking employment service. Using some of the same principles as a dating app, employer and employee enter their job criteria, what they’re looking for in their counterpart, and even more specific characteristics like working from home options and details about your potential supervisor. Such an approach might limit the opportunities available, but could be a welcome approach when you’re already employed. You probably will have a good idea of what you want—and what you don’t—at your next job, so having only a few, targeted positions to apply for may be beneficial.
What to Tell Your Boss
Nothing. The notion of staying at a company for several decades is pretty much over. Employers and employees alike understand that mobility is a salient characteristic of today’s job market. However, you should still be tactful and discreet about searching for a job while you have a job. Letting those you work with know you’re dissatisfied and seeking employment elsewhere can disrupt your office; adversely affect your relationship with your boss, colleagues, and company as a whole; and, ultimately, put you in an uncomfortable position if other job prospects don’t pan out. The key is to explore other opportunities tactfully, respectfully, and discreetly. While your boss may not be happy to see you move on, having approached the process in a positive manner will reflect well on you. In many industries, people’s paths cross and intersect at other companies. It’s always good to leave a job on a positive note, if possible.
What to Tell Your Prospective Employer
It’s almost a given that your prospective employer will ask why you’re looking to leave your current company. Approach this question in a positive manner. View it as a way to expand on what your career goals are and what you want from an employer, as opposed to a gripe session about your current boss or company. Though a new employer may be trying to pull you away from your current employer, a negative approach to this question may cause them to reconsider. You want to present your best self to an employer who, at this point, knows very little about you. Being petty or vindictive will reflect poorly on you, no matter your qualifications. Even if you’re profoundly unhappy in your current position, use this question as an opportunity to tell your prospective new employer what you value in a workplace and how this new company may help you achieve your career goals.
We work in a very fluid, mobile employment environment. People are constantly moving around, seeking better opportunities, advancement, and more money. Even when in the optimum position of looking for a job without needing a job, the process can be stressful. Use the tools available to you to search for jobs, get quality job results, and meet with employers who are most likely to advance your career to where you want it to be—all the while being respectful of the place and people with whom you are currently employed. This way, your search for new horizons will be a positive, fulfilling one.
