One of the most challenging positions to face, is job hunting while still employed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being employed, can complicate the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You still have to work on your CV, send out applications and attend interviews but you have restricted time as you\u2019re also required to fulfill your job requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In such a situation, there are fundamental things to consider to make this situation less complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re employed but searching for another job, it is critical that you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just because you plan to transition to another company in the near future does not mean you should be spreading the word just yet. You may not yet know, \u201cWhat type of job you\u2019re seeking\u201d, or \u201cWhat sort of company you want to transition to\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, it is essential you keep your career plans to yourself. You also don\u2019t want to risk coming across as a non-team player or have your loyalty questioned. Until your plans become clearer and you figure out your next steps, keep this information private.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caribbean islands are not big places as far as networks are concerned. The last thing you need is to spread the word that you\u2019re job searching, only to have that information get back to your boss through a shared, mutual connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If networking, stay clear of people familiar with your present colleagues. Avoid making public statements about your pending departure on social media as well. You don\u2019t want the wrong people hearing about your intended plans, particularly through third party channels. This looks both untrustworthy and unprofessional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Making a career transition requires a clear idea to provide a sense of direction when evaluating career options. This helps you find the option that is best suited to your goals, skills and competencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If presently employed, your CV should indicate this. Do not create any false impressions to potential employers. Indicate that you are working and seeking to transition. This way interviewers will understand how to treat your application, in terms of contacting you and scheduling meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similarly, if you\u2019re employed but seeking opportunities, there are some behaviours to avoid. Ensure that you do not:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You risk your reputation if you use too much company time to attend interviews, communication property \u2013 desktop, laptop or mobile phone, as well as their office supplies to send out applications. This can be interpreted as acts of dishonesty. Furthermore, you place an extra burden on yourself by constantly having to look over your shoulder to make sure you don\u2019t get caught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overconfidence when switching jobs diminishes your character and professionalism. Avoid announcements on social media, or to colleagues until plans are finalised and you decide the timing is appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You may not have 100% control over the date and time the interviewer wants to meet you. There are times you simply will have to take time off or a personal day. However, be upfront with your potential employers and let them know due to your status, scheduling interviews after working hours or during lunch would be ideal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are only so much personal or \u201csick\u201d days you can take before your colleagues begin to notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regardless of how great the temptation is, never badmouth former employers. Caribbean territories are socially small when it comes to word-of-mouth. Even if your interviews seem promising, don\u2019t take this as an opportunity to make disparaging remarks about your boss, company or colleagues. In any event, you may need a recommendation or reference from them. Making disparaging remarks is a quick road to self-sabotage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Promising interviews do not guarantee interview success. There could also be a dozen other applicants who would have had \u201cpromising interviews\u201d. Until the final decision is made, or you have enough reassurance the position is yours, do not hand in your resignation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When attending an interview, bear in mind that you must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One critical consideration to bear in mind when job searching while employed is to not mentally check out. It is tempting to start placing less importance on your job duties as you will not be there much longer. However, this will profoundly damage your credibility and reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Avoid mentally checking out and continue to perform your job with the highest dedication and commitment. Even though your time may be short, very often your last impression becomes a lasting impression. This impression, particularly within a small Caribbean nation can follow you for the rest of your professional life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a professional, you can be highly-skilled, educated and competent, but if your character and reputation are called into question, your professional success can be inhibited. This is inevitably because people will not work with someone they simply cannot trust.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the most challenging positions to face, is job hunting while still employed. Being employed, can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4485,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[89,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips","category-working-world"],"yoast_head":"\n