Do you hate your current job? Are you in a job that you don’t see any room for growth? Maybe you are just burnt out? Whatever the case may be, you know you want to move on. But seeing as how the current state of the economy isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, finding a new job is going to take work. Here is how to balance the line of looking for a new position, while still keeping your current role.

Things to Avoid

First and foremost, there are some things you should never do at your current job when looking for a new one. Working on your resume, scanning, copying or faxing it is a big no-no. You don’t want to work on your resume while on the job because your employer most likely monitors your PC. Anything you do on that machine your employer can access for the most part. If something regarding your resume comes to mind while at work, write it down as a reminder for you to work on later.

Scanning, faxing, and copying your resume at work is just bad etiquette. Don’t use your current employer’s resources for your personal gain. Plus, you run the chance of someone walking in on you, you leaving your resume behind, etc. There are all sorts of things go wrong. I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories of finding so-and-so’s resume on the copier.

Another thing to avoid is browsing the internet job boards while at work. Again, your employer most likely monitors your activity and not actually working while you are on the clock is an ethics issue. It doesn’t matter how much you dislike your current job, just don’t do it.

Things to Keep In Mind

If you like the company you work for, but just don’t like your current role, be sure to look at the internal job postings. There is nothing wrong with this. You could and in many cases should talk with your boss about other opportunities within the company. I would be cautious at first ñ just say you were looking at the internal job postings and saw a few that sounded interesting and let the conversion go from there. I wouldn’t start off by saying you hate your current job.

Next, be mindful of interviews. Most likely you are going to have to take some personal time off to go to an interview. When I was looking for a job, I would schedule interviews either first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. This allowed me to only take half-days or even just say I would be in a little late one day. You could also schedule interviews around lunch as well.

Note that you might give unintended clues to your current employer that you are looking for a job when taking half days, especially for men. In my role, attire was business casual. My boss would have known something was up if I came into work with a suit on. So I just work nice pants and a collared shirt and left my jacket and tie in the car. I would put these on before the interview. In the case when my interview was first thing in the morning, I simply took these off before walking into work. If you are called out for dressing up, just say your other pants were dirty/at the dry cleaners and this is all you had.

Final Thoughts

Looking for a new job while on the job is a touchy subject. When in doubt, use common sense. Don’t look for a position while at work and don’t do things to prepare for another job while at work either. When you are at work, you should be committed to doing your job, regardless how you feel about it. Use your time outside of work and vacation/personal time to work on your resume, search for jobs and go on interviews.

Lastly, if you do land a new position, give your two weeks notice, again, regardless about how you feel about the job and or company. You never know what the future may bring, so there is no point in burning bridges.
Readers, what are your suggestions for looking for a new job while employed?