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The notion that it's easier to find a job if you have one is more that you are more attractive to employers. So the interview process is moot if they aren't even interested in you.
From experience on both sides - employers are aware and can be flexible (I've held interviews after 5 or as early as 7am depending on the candidates schedule and how interested I was). Outside of that - you can ask for a phone screen first just to make sure the job meets your basic requirements (type of job, salary, benefits, etc). And this can be done on a lunch break or in a fashion that won't affect your current work schedule.
Of course, if your current work is very inflexible - it will be harder. That's just the nature of things.
Not always in your control, but sometimes you can try to schedule more than one interview on the same day or have them on consecutive days. This will minimize the optics of you taking a bunch of time off.
As a Fed - just keep in mind that the process can be excruciating slow. I made the jump from a contractor to Fed. So I was already working with the group. They essentially created the position description for me. Pretty much a case where it couldn't be any easier outside of an internal transfer. And it still took almost 6 months...
The interview I have is for a federal job and that is what concerned me the long drawn out process
The interview I have is for a federal job and that is what concerned me the long drawn out process
While drawn out - it's not exactly super involved. Or any more/less than your private sector process. It's just the time between each step will take longer. And this may actually benefit your concern. Rather than having 2-3 interviews within a span of two weeks. It may be across two months. So you'll essentially be taking time off far apart enough where it won't draw suspicion?
And depending on the role/department - they may be in a hybrid environment where you'll be doing mostly video or phone interviews. So even easier to work around.
All of this is a guess of course. At the end of the day - there is a reason why you are looking. I'd focus on that and understand that this is to benefit your future/career. So it's worth the "effort".
Flex your hours if you can rather than use PTO. If that is not possible, ask for the interview to be early or late in the day, combine it with personal errands, and then tell your employer you are arriving late/leaving early for the errands but “conveniently omit” mentioning the interview. For example, check your engine oil and coolant levels and say you needed “car maintenance” so you get 4 hours but only spend 15 minutes, with the rest going to the interview. Or drop by the pharmacy but tell the boss you needed to “sort out a healthcare issue”.
The exception would be in rare cases where your company has told you that your position may be ending. If this is the case, then just straight up tell them you need time off for an interview.
The interview I have is for a federal job and that is what concerned me the long drawn out process
I have a federal job now. My hiring process from start to finish was 5 weeks between the ad closing and my start date. They did a preliminary background screen and finished the complete screen after we were already working. In contrast, I am in a detail assignment now (a shorter term in-agency assignment without a competitive hiring process) and it seems like all the participants selected (including me) applied in August and we did not start until March. The point is that you really don’t know how long it will take. It seems to happen more likely than not in my office that the certificate for a job is too short to actually be able to complete the hiring process than the opposite. IIRC, I flexed out when I did interviews and it was not a big deal. Most of the federal ones are via phone, so you could even do it in your car if you need to.
Flex your hours if you can rather than use PTO. If that is not possible, ask for the interview to be early or late in the day, combine it with personal errands, and then tell your employer you are arriving late/leaving early for the errands but “conveniently omit” mentioning the interview. For example, check your engine oil and coolant levels and say you needed “car maintenance” so you get 4 hours but only spend 15 minutes, with the rest going to the interview. Or drop by the pharmacy but tell the boss you needed to “sort out a healthcare issue”.
The exception would be in rare cases where your company has told you that your position may be ending. If this is the case, then just straight up tell them you need time off for an interview.
The issue is if you dont get that job then the job search continues where u need to still find time to interview.
I been working for over 20 years and this is my first time looking for another job while already employed. It mainly because of the area I work in not the commute or the salary. So I applied for a federal job a couple of months ago and they contacted me for a interview. So my question is when trying to schedule an interview is the person willing to work with you knowing that you are already employed? Im just trying to think how can someone go on multiple interviews while already employed which could lead to no job offer. So I never bought into the whole........."its easier to find a job when you already have one" statement. I would say its easier to get called for a interview when you already have a job.
moneymkt,
There are lots of really helpful responses here to your question. In addition, I recommend reading this blog (Ask a Manager) by Alison Green. https://www.askamanager.org/category/interviewing
I have been reading her blog for years and there are lots of helpful posts and you can submit a question too (most work related topics and some off the wall unexpected office happenings).
Good luck and I hope that you find the job you are looking for
Usually, the hiring manager is willing to work with the candidate to arrange a convenient/suitable time for interviews.
In my cases, I started with phone interviews, then interviewed late in the day (after leaving my current position 1-2 hours early, etc), or even took a day off for a “full day” interview.
If the new company/firm wants you, they will be flexible about accommodating your schedule and preparing the necessary arrangements to interview you.
Yup this is what I've seen in most cases. The initial phone interview will probably be during lunch or even after hours because the interviewer is aware that you are currently working. And hopefully when you get to the live person interview hopefully it won't be a situation where you have to have multiple in person interviews to the point where you suddenly calling out sick/dentist/doctor/car tire's etc... starts to look suspicious.
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