How to Look for a Job While Employed

People change jobs, sometimes several times during their lifetime. Whether you are looking for a new job to increase your salary, to find better working conditions, or to move closer to home, use caution when applying for a new job while being employed.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Keep the fact that you are looking for a new job from your boss. Your boss may be concerned that you will become less focused, that you may negatively influence other workers, or he may immediately find a replacement.

2. Maintain your silence around every coworker, janitor or security guard, no matter how close your relationship may be. Telling someone at work you are looking for a new job will give all the employees something to talk about, and the wrong person (like your boss or someone who wants your job) may hear about it.

3. Ask any prospective employer to refrain from contacting your current employer. This is well understood by anyone looking to hire an employee. Ask them to call your former employers instead.
   
   

4. Try to make an appointment for an interview either before work, after work or during lunch. Alternatively, take a vacation day or a sick day.

5. Stay away from using the telephone or emails at work. Don't list your cell phone number or business email on your resume. Make any calls out of the office, and preferably in a place where no one will walk by while you are on the phone.

Tips & Warnings

• The ideal situation is to have a new job in place before you ever give notice at the old one.
• If someone asks you why you are dressed in a business suit if the dress code at work is casual, tell them you have a function to go to directly after work.
• Telling your boss that you are planning to leave may result in your being walked to the front door and being asked to leave immediately. This is especially common in big corporations.
• If you have a very stable employment history and have worked for very few companies, there may be no one for a prospective employer to call. Former businesses could be closed, or employers may have passed away. Ask former colleagues or clients (if you owned a business) if they would be willing to give you a reference.

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