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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.
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.
Some additional comments, I have also been “on the other side” in the role of a hiring manager.
I always tried to be conscious of a candidate’s current job situation. I often arranged in-person interviews over coffee at Starbucks at noon, after work hours (as some examples) to accommodate a candidate that we had high interest in.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I have never been unemployed, all of my job interviews have been while still employed. I have always been able to schedule interviews after my work hours, or use PTO hours. Now as a hiring manager we try to schedule on one day, first to last (8-10 at most) and we rarely have anyone that cannot make it, they always seem to be able to get away from their job for the interview.
I have never been unemployed, all of my job interviews have been while still employed. I have always been able to schedule interviews after my work hours, or use PTO hours. Now as a hiring manager we try to schedule on one day, first to last (8-10 at most) and we rarely have anyone that cannot make it, they always seem to be able to get away from their job for the interview.
Same here. With one or two exceptions very early on in my career I've always been employed while interviewing for the next potential job. Either took PTO, an earlier or later lunch, shifted my normal scheduled work hours for that day to accommodate a meeting, etc. Something usually worked out. More recently used some sort of conference call/video. My interviewers always knew from my application I was employed so they were flexible too. I have also been on the hiring end interviewing others. The folks most interested in the job tended to be the most flexible. The ability to overcome obstacles is a desirable trait.
I have never been unemployed, all of my job interviews have been while still employed. I have always been able to schedule interviews after my work hours, or use PTO hours. Now as a hiring manager we try to schedule on one day, first to last (8-10 at most) and we rarely have anyone that cannot make it, they always seem to be able to get away from their job for the interview.
But how often did u use the PTO without looking like you were interviewing?
At this point, I've landed jobs in about equal numbers while having a job, and while not having a job, and I can say that the advantages of having a job are overrated.
That said, if you are looking to do the same exact thing, the app to interview ratio is high and the prep time is a breeze. So might as well just do it while still working.
If OTOH you're looking to do something different (which I suspect few here are), the prep time is far greater. I would take a PTO day to prep for the interview (on top of time spent over the weekend) and a PTO day to go to the interview and the 2nd round. That's three PTO days and I didn't get the job.
Staying the course is always easy...
Also, if you totally hate your job, that's an entirely different circumstance all together.
I have been on both sides of it as well. I have been a manager who evaluated resumes and made the primary decision on who got an offer, plus also worked 6 different jobs in my career. I always used PTO for my on site interviews as every single new job I got was in a different state, so i always had to travel to interview. Sometimes it was probably obvious I was looking for a job, sometimes not. But I do think it is easier to get a job when you have a job. There is often a question in people's mind why someone became unemployed. Even when millions of people lost their jobs in Great Recession, i feel like i got some snarky questions why i was unemployed. But i would say use discretion in the process. Use co-workers as references. In the event you don't get job X, you don't want to limit opportunities at your present job.
But how often did u use the PTO without looking like you were interviewing?
No way to predict. Everyone's situation and job hunt is different. Sometimes I think people stress out too much trying to be devious about stealth job hunts.
Does your current employer really require an explanation for why you're taking PTO? I doubt many pay that much attention. If you have PTO on the books, you follow your workplace's procedure to request PTO, you aren't creating other red flags for your supervisors, what you do during that time is up to you. You earned it...its yours to use.
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.
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...
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