How to Look for a Job When You're Employed
Jul 26, 2021
Are you in job purgatory? You know something is going to change in their organization but you don’t know what or maybe you’ve just lost the fire for the company. You want to move on but there's this fear and this idea that moving on maybe isn't the best thing so you are stuck...in purgatory.
I want to talk about how to look for a job when you're employed to get you out of purgatory and to find your fire again.
Let go of the guilt
First, you need to let go of the guilt! I have worked with so many people that say to themselves “but I get paid really well, I have great benefits and I really should be happy where I am” but they aren’t and it's okay. In fact, it is your mind and body's way of saying it's time to do something better, more innovative. Looking for a new job does not make you disloyal it makes you smart because you want to grow.
Employed people are more attractive
No, you don’t look like a supermodel because you have a job, but you do seem more enticing because you have a job. Having a job can make people assume a lot of positive things about you and this is a time when assumption can work in your favor.
Get clear on your mental health
Check your desperation level. If you are desperate to leave the organization you’re a part of because it’s toxic, that will show up in your job search in all the wrong ways. On the other hand, when you're in a good emotional state you are better able to wait for offers and to make sure they are in line with your lifestyle and finances.
Use your Annual Reviews
Log in to your work systems and look at your annual reviews. This will be a treasure trove of information that will help you better write your resume. We usually forget our awesomeness over the years but these reviews end up helping us jog our memory. If you don’t have a fancy system with reviews in it just search your emails (and in the future create a folder in your email for these for easy access).
Go into stealth mode on Linkedin
In your settings, you can choose who can see that you’re open to new opportunities. Set this to recruiters only. Also, in your headline and summary do not say “Actively looking for new opportunities.” I don’t recommend this even for unemployed people but in this case, your nosey boss won’t know you’re looking.
Treat it like a second job
This process is usually fairly slow but it’s important to stay the course. Carve out time each week to apply for jobs, follow up with interviewers and reach out to your current network. Schedule this on your calendar and make it like a second job. You wouldn’t miss work every day so don’t miss your job search time either.
Use your lunch break and vacation time
Interviews are going to start cropping up but make sure you aren’t using your current company’s time for these activities. Try to schedule phone interviews on your lunch break and use your vacation time for longer and in-person interviews. This will also help you better focus on the interviews themselves.
You can say no
Offers will come but if they don’t feel right trust your gut and say no. Remember you don’t have to take everything that’s offered to you. Did you marry the first person you went on a date with? I know I didn’t! This is a time of exploration and you get to decide when the exploring is complete. Don’t let scarcity get you, it’s an employees’ market after all!
Stay connected with news and updates!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
