3 Good Reasons to Job Search While Employed

With the summer dwindling down, the job market tends to heat up.  Hiring managers look to fill vacant positions and most job seekers return from their vacations with a renewed energy to get hired.  You may know how to perform a job search when you’re out of work, but there are many advantages to doing so while you’re currently employed.  Here are a few advantages to consider when deciding whether to start a job search while you’re working:

1. No Desperation – You don’t have to apply to every opportunity that comes your way or jump at the first offer you receive.  Taking your time and being patient with your options may ultimately land you a better fit for a new position and possibly more money.  It’s also easy to avoid tricky interview questions like “Why are you unemployed?” if you’re currently working.
2. Leveraging Connections – While it’s very important to keep a job search private while you’re employed, you can have your finger on the pulse of the market if your job currently has you talking to vendors, trade show attendees, suppliers, or even competitors.  You never know what opportunities might fall in your lap just by building and maintaining these relationships.
3. Confidence – A major advantage of searching while you’re employed is having the confidence that an employer believes you can do a job well enough to keep you around.  This bodes well as the perception for prospective hiring managers will be that you are well sought after and as a result, more desirable to them.  Having a steady paycheck and financial security certainly doesn’t hurt either!

Now that we know there are some major advantages to searching while you’re employed, just remember to keep these two tips in mind as well:

Plan – Make sure to update your resume, cover letter, and reference list to reflect your current employer.  Try to schedule phone interviews during your lunch hour or off-work hours so as not to impact your work schedule.  If you do ultimately need to leave your current job for an interview in the middle of the day, bring a change of clothes and be sure to schedule them scrupulously.

Keep it Private – Don’t post on social media or share with anyone at your current company that you’re looking.  The more people that know, the better chance your current company finds out which you do not want.  Finally, don’t give notice of quitting to your superiors until you have a firm job offer, accepted that offer, and have been given a start date.

Feel free to comment below with your experiences as a passive job seeker and any questions you may have as well.  Happy hunting!