Looking for a new job while still working your old one.

So I thought at one point I had cracked the rubix cube of this whole job hunting thing. Get experience, get certs, move to a new job when you plateau at your current. Of course it’s not that easy. Enter the new variable, how to interview when you are working.

A really great job came along which is almost exactly what I want. I just finished my VCPv4 and thought, “Ok this is really going to take ma places.” But no, I got nothing but resistance from the headhunter. I work 9am to 5:30pm in a multi-client position. I could be anywhere in the city and just cutting out early is not really an option. This one headhunter is really pushy and telling me that I have to help him out and just make it happen. Well I cannot jeopardize my current position for the possibility of something better. I think at this point I need a little more guarantee.

So how do you guys handle the interview process while you were still employed? Am I going to have to use all my vacation or is my roommate right when she says, if they want someone they will make time for the interview?

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Comments

shodown

If you don't have a positon that allows for flexibility in personal time off that is more reason you need to be looking.

QHalo

The opposite could also be said "if you want the job you'll make time for them". That aside, don't let anyone push you around especially if it could involve compromising the integrity of your current work situation. They're not going to pay your bills if something happens.

If they're not willing to work with you on the time, then you're going to have to evaluate if it's worth yours and take a half day if possible. I've had companies that have worked with me, even during lunch times and late in the day. Your roommate is right that some places will make the time if you already appear to be a good fit. Some places won't. Nature of the game unfortunately.

hackman2007

You mention you start work at 9am. How about having an interview at 8am and just take an hour or two of vacation rather than taking the entire day? You will need to find out how long the interview is of course.

erpadmin

I had an interview recently that was at 6:30PM! (First time for everything.)

They had to be understanding because they had wanted an interview during the time when I'm at my most busiest...the beginning of a semester. That's when all hands are on deck and bosses want to see doctors notes if you call out sick during that time. I explained to them that it was not going to happen that week and they would have to be understanding of that fact. (Since the company had solicited me, I was in the driver's seat, and truth be told, just like when women know in the first 10 seconds if there will be a second date, I pretty much knew before I got there I would not take this job....I was flaterred all the same, though and still went through the motions. I always can use the practice.)

dontstop

langenoir wrote: »

A really great job came along which is almost exactly what I want. I just finished my VCPv4 and thought, “Ok this is really going to take ma places.” But no, I got nothing but resistance from the headhunter. I work 9am to 5:30pm in a multi-client position. I could be anywhere in the city and just cutting out early is not really an option. This one headhunter is really pushy and telling me that I have to help him out and just make it happen. Well I cannot jeopardize my current position for the possibility of something better. I think at this point I need a little more guarantee.

Add into the equation "truth" and you will solve your riddle. Be upfront and honest about your intentions, if your a good employee your boss will want to keep you on board and even offer incentives for you to stay. Otherwise he will start looking for your replacement, which in the long run is a win for both you and him. There is nothing worse than giving your employer only 2 weeks notice when your in a skilled job.

I've made it quite clear to my current boss i'm only in the position for 6 months, after that i have another job offer im going to fill. I am not going to go behind my bosses back and get interviews and drop him at the sight of a new job (obviously not saying your are either)

Being upfront with your boss is the best way, he may even give you time to speak with the interviewer. Nothing more backstabbing then doing it during workhours and nothing more demotivating than doing it on holidays.

In the case of "they will make time"... yes they will, depending on your level of skill and how much under pressure they are to get a new employee. Typically you need to be the flexible one... not them.

Goodluck

bababooey1

I used a few late notice 1/2 day vacation days. I also had a 6:00 pm interview which is rare but nice. It's a pain but it can be worth it if it works out.

baseball1988

I work full time while looking for a new job. I landed the job offer!!!

The hardest thing is to conduct phone interviews. You don't know how long the phone interview will last...some recruiters say its very short....but i end up talking for 15-20 mins long while at work...and it just doesn't work especially when you work in a help desk/call centre environment. You can't disappear from your desk for too long. You will need to schedule it on your lunch break, before work, or after work. My SOON-TO-BE employer emailed me instead...and asked me to call them to schedule an appointment. The interview process was quite relaxing. There are also crappy employers out there that call you in the middle of the day and expect you to do phone interview on the spot.....otherwise they move to the next candidate.

Then next challenge is how to go to interviews?? Most companies are understand you work. You tell them exactly when you are available and they will make it happen. I work 4 business days during the week (10 hours long each day). So I had 1 spare day off during the weekday and I used it to attend job interviews/do phone interviews..

I guess you need to be very selective when it comes to applying for jobs...you don't want to make it look suspicious by taking too many days off.

My mom and sister always say "You have to look out for yourself". Make sure you prepare like nuts and nail the interview. And make sure it's the job you want. Otherwise you will be wasting your vacation days.

Good luck!

pham0329

Your roommate is kind of right, but kind of wrong at the same time. It's true that if they really want you, they'll make the time. However, the interview process is used to determine whether or not they really want you!

Personally, the way I handle this depends on how I feel about my current job. If I like where I'm at, I don't even pick up calls form head hunters, but instead, I'll wait for them to leave a message regarding the job to see if I even want to talk to them. Should I be interested, then I do phone interviews, try to find out as much about the position as I can and if I reallllly like the job, I'll do an in person interview. Whether or not the company can schedule it before/after my work at this point doesn't really matter as I reallllly want the job!

If I'm unhappy with where I'm at, I won't be so selective with the in person interviews, and I'll take long lunches or schedule it sometime between the work day, or towards the end of the day so I can take off early, etc..

langenoir

Right now I make myself available 7am to 8:30am and 6pm or after on the weekdays. I only get a half hour for lunch (ya I thought the same thing), so it's even more dificult to do things over lunch. I also opened up Saturdays and Sundays. I don't like to do initial inperson interviews because I like to do a phone screen as much for me getting a vibe about the position. I've had my resume on Dice for just over a week and I've gotten a really good responce. I'm really just kind of testing the waters right now, because my position is cushy and pays ok. I'm trying to focus on finishing my VCP v5 before the end of Feb and then I'll really ramp up the process with the other job boards.

Hopefully with the new year I'll have a few personal days/sick days I can burn. Thanks for the input.

Turgon

langenoir wrote: »

So I thought at one point I had cracked the rubix cube of this whole job hunting thing. Get experience, get certs, move to a new job when you plateau at your current. Of course it’s not that easy. Enter the new variable, how to interview when you are working.

A really great job came along which is almost exactly what I want. I just finished my VCPv4 and thought, “Ok this is really going to take ma places.” But no, I got nothing but resistance from the headhunter. I work 9am to 5:30pm in a multi-client position. I could be anywhere in the city and just cutting out early is not really an option. This one headhunter is really pushy and telling me that I have to help him out and just make it happen. Well I cannot jeopardize my current position for the possibility of something better. I think at this point I need a little more guarantee.

So how do you guys handle the interview process while you were still employed? Am I going to have to use all my vacation or is my roommate right when she says, if they want someone they will make time for the interview?

Nonsense from recruitment agents. They will happily let you use up vacation days to give them a chance of landing someone in a gig so they can collect their commission.

Telephone interview out of hours. If that goes really well on both sides the employer will understand you are a professional with commitments and meet you out of hours.

baseball1988

langenoir wrote: »

Right now I make myself available 7am to 8:30am and 6pm or after on the weekdays. I only get a half hour for lunch (ya I thought the same thing), so it's even more dificult to do things over lunch. I also opened up Saturdays and Sundays. I don't like to do initial inperson interviews because I like to do a phone screen as much for me getting a vibe about the position. I've had my resume on Dice for just over a week and I've gotten a really good responce. I'm really just kind of testing the waters right now, because my position is cushy and pays ok. I'm trying to focus on finishing my VCP v5 before the end of Feb and then I'll really ramp up the process with the other job boards.

Hopefully with the new year I'll have a few personal days/sick days I can burn. Thanks for the input.

Great! I believe you work in a help desk environment? and you can't leave your desk for too long?

Employers will most likely leave a voice mail and you will need to return their call. Go find a quiet place (inside your car) and do the phone interview if possible. Sometimes you need to look out for yourself and just take a day off to go to these job interviews. Employers do like it when people are employed rather than unemployed. I only had 3 in person job interviews with 2 different companies. Failed with 1 company and the second company made me go to their office TWICE...sometimes you just need to play it safe...and tell your boss "I will be coming to work late today I'm stuck in traffic" or something instead of taking the entire day off.

I am not sure why you post your resume on Dice....if everyone can see it.....then your boss or HR can find it too......you don't want to get fired before you even have a job offer in hand.

blargoe

You can post a confidential profile on Dice... as long as you leave off your first and last name and the name of your current company (I changed my company to "A Global Manufacturing Company", then it shouldn't be a concern unless some part of your skill set or experience is unique enough to identify you to Human Resources.