Searching for a Job when You’re Busy
By Elijah Thomas
One of the major stumbling blocks for professionals looking for new jobs is time — the lack thereof, that is. When you’re busy with your work or family, it can be difficult to put the right focus on improving your personal career growth.
Daily work meetings and project deadlines obviously hinder your ability to search and apply for new roles during your regular office hours. That leaves early mornings, evenings and weekends. And for working professionals with family members at home, finding uninterrupted time for an effective job search can seem next to impossible.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can improve your job search while still holding down a full-time job. Depending on your family’s financial situation, it may even be possible to leave a job in which you’re unhappy to search for a role that would enhance your career happiness.
Read on for some key things to consider when trying to maximize your time for a job search.
Should You Quit?
We can all agree that having more time for a job search would likely produce better results. But should you quit your current role to work on finding a new one?
Many Americans are saying, “Yes.”
According to the 2018 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), American workers are quitting at the highest rate since 2001. It’s a trend that can be seen across all age, location, industry and wage brackets, including those who earn six figures.
When you feel it’s time for a new career path or position, it can be tempting to quit your current role and job hunt full time. Unfortunately, without a substantial savings account, your finances may not survive an extended search.
Take a deep dive into your current salary, bills and savings before making an emotional decision to leave your job — especially if you have no prospects for new work.
How to Search While Employed
Searching for a new role while you are employed can be tricky, but it can be done. Most recruiters and hiring managers will understand if you need to coordinate an interview during your lunch hour or after hours.
If you’re asked to meet with a human resources representative to interview as a potential job candidate, it’s imperative to be open about your current work schedule. You should also always be honest with your current employer about any interview opportunities that may occur during your day.
If you are unable to arrange an interview around your regular work hours, consider using a vacation or a personal day for the meeting.
Technology has made the interview process easier than ever. Depending on the platform used by your prospective company, you may even be able to take a video interview from your smart phone. Make sure to set up in a quiet, professional setting to give a great first impression.
No matter how you decide to go about your new job search, it’s important to remember to give yourself ample time to prepare for interviews, and to also give yourself enough of a timeline flexibility to not expect a new job immediately.
A patient, consistent approach will often lead to success in landing new interview opportunities. Just remember to work with integrity at your current role, even if you’re unhappy and looking for outside opportunities.
