What About Job Hunting on the Job?

Thanks to a competitive labor market and a recovered economy, more people are job hopping as they try to make the best possible career moves. You might find yourself job hunting while still on your current employer's payroll. Tread carefully by following these tips that can make your search less obvious when you're on the clock.

Prioritize Your Tasks

Job hunting takes a lot of time, since you must research open positions, tailor your resume and cover letter to each position, apply for the job and follow up with the hiring manager. Prioritize your tasks while job hunting at work, and only perform tasks that require minimal effort during work hours. It takes less than a minute to respond to someone's email with a quick note or to confirm an interview time. Tasks that require deep concentration should be done off the clock.

Use Break Times Wisely

Don't waste the time of your current employer because you still need a good reference from your supervisor to land your next job. Use your breaks to take care of business. Most employers give workers morning and afternoon breaks in addition to unpaid lunch hours. Those breaks add up to several hours during the week that you can spend job hunting. Use your personal mobile device or laptop rather than a company computer to ensure the IT department remains unaware of your job search activities.

Use Personal and Vacation Time for Interviews

Your prospective boss may give you an interview time that conflicts with your current work schedule. Since most HR departments set aside several blocks of time for candidates to choose from, request a different interview time. Remember that job recruiters are usually just as eager to fill the position as you are to land a great job, so consider using some of the personal time you accumulated to attend interviews. Take off a few hours at a time instead of taking off entire days. If possible, schedule more than one interview in one day to ensure you make the best use of your personal time.

Consider Telling Your Employer

Someone at your company might find out you're job hunting, even if you take precautions. A social media post or new LinkedIn connections might give you away. Own up to the fact that you're looking elsewhere if confronted. If you have a great relationship with your supervisor, he might understand your desire to explore new opportunities with different organizations. If you're a valuable employee, your manager might even consider you for a promotion within your current organization.

Job hunting can happen at any time thanks to a connected world with wireless internet, smartphones and tablets. Performing a discreet job search at work is tricky, but doable, if you follow these tips.

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