> Looking for a Job While You Have a Job

Are you feeling restless in your current job? Underpaid? Or maybe just plain bored? If so, it might be time for a new job. (Check out our blog post on signs that you should look for a new job before you make any rash decisions, though).

It is wise to look for a job while you are still employed – but move forward with caution! Here are some tips on how to approach your job hunt:

Keep your search private

Your employer might not appreciate your decision to explore other opportunities, and if they find out you could face some serious backlash. This really depends on your supervisor/employer, but it doesn’t hurt to keep your job search private. No one is entitled to know what you are doing and why you are doing it. If you are pursuing a job with a competitor, the situation becomes even more precarious. You will likely be viewed as a threat to your own company if your supervisor (or anyone else) becomes privy to your job search.

Don’t let your job search affect your work

Nothing good will result from your job hunt negatively impacting your work. You are being paid by your current employer, and you should respect that fact. Additionally, if you find that the job market isn’t all that you thought it would be, you don’t want to have to embrace the reality that you will have to stay in a position that you essentially checked out of a few weeks ago. Looking for a job is certainly time-consuming, but make sure that you do all of your job hunting off the clock. You don’t want to have to explain to your supervisor why you were on Monster.com yesterday. Talk about awkward.

Use your employment as leverage

There are a couple decided advantages to looking for a job while you are employed. First, employers like to see that you have a job. You will have the leg up on someone who is unemployed, fairly or unfairly. They either lost their job or quit (unless they recently graduated from college), both of which reflect poorly on them as a candidate. Second, if you eventually get to the stage of negotiating salary, don’t be afraid to play a little hardball. After all, you have a safety net if the offer falls apart. Let them know! They will up the offer if they truly want you on board. Obviously, everything should be treated on a case-by-case basis. If someone offers you your dream job then it would be foolish to push the envelope too much. Use good judgment.

 

Job hunting is difficult. Ultimately, if you already have a job, you are in a better position than 7.6% of the US population. You have every right to look for a new opportunity – just don’t jeopardize your current position.

–Cobey Culton

> Signs That it’s Time to Look for a New Job

On this blog we have published numerous posts that pertain to either finding or starting a new job – but what about the other side of the coin? When do you know that it is time to leave your current job and pursue other opportunities?

The sad reality is that many people are in a job that is simply not a good fit for them. Maybe the work isn’t something that they are passionate about. Maybe the culture and work environment of a company doesn’t mesh with their personality. There are countless reasons why a job might not be a good fit for someone, and more often than not there are obvious signs that indicate it might be time to start looking for other opportunities.

Here are some to look out for:

Your work doesn’t interest you

A feeling of indifference toward your work is often at the root of many people’s unhappiness. If you don’t like what you are spending 40+ hours per week doing, you are going to have some serious issues. A general lack of interest in your job will lead to other problems: showing up late, not putting forth your full effort, etc. Obviously, not everyone can have their “dream job,” but having at least some interest in your work will solve a lot of problems.

You don’t feel challenged

If you don’t feel like you are being challenged, it might be time to check the latest job postings. This usually means that you aren’t being utilized properly. Make sure you explore all avenues before quitting, though. Your supervisor might be open to giving you some new responsibilities, so don’t jump ship before you’ve at least discussed that possibility. If it’s clear that new opportunities in the same company simply isn’t going to happen, or you wouldn’t be interested in staying even if they offered, it’s probably time to pursue other opportunities.

You aren’t being paid enough

This is a tricky one because just about everyone thinks that they deserve to be paid more. If you truly feel that you aren’t being compensated fairly, either based on the industry-wide average or what your coworkers are making (provided you somehow obtain that information), talk with your supervisor. It never hurts to ask, even if you don’t think your odds of getting a raise are very good. If your request for a raise is turned down (and you are being blatantly underpaid) it could be time to look into other job openings.

You don’t get along with your coworkers

If you are constantly clashing with your coworkers and/or boss, it might be time to at least consider moving on. With that being said, before you start looking for a new job you need to look in the mirror and make sure that you aren’t the root cause of all the conflict. If you really can’t put up with your boss or coworkers despite your best efforts, it wouldn’t hurt to explore other opportunities. You will never be happy if you can’t stand the people you work alongside for 40+ hours a week.

Please Note: In very few situations is a good idea to quit your job without any sort of plan in place. If the situation is within your control, make sure that you have a job lined up before you submit your letter of resignation. Otherwise you could find the world of job hunting to be far less merciful than you anticipated.

– Cobey Culton