Informing current job of interviews for new job

Dan133269

Just wondering what other people generally do when they are looking for a new job while still in their current one. I may have to take some time off work, an afternoon or morning here and there to attend interviews.

I have no problem being honest about looking for a new job, but just wondering what other peoples' experiences are.

Also, when do you generally tell your employer you're leaving, after you sign the contract for the new place or before? I know it's dependent on the amount of notice you need to give but I mean in principle. I think my boss may just offer me a pay increase if I find a new job and tell him I'm leaving. It'll be good to have options on the table so just wondering how you would go about keeping options open for both jobs.

Thanks in advance,
Dan.

Delancey

Unwise to tell your employer anything - you may find you will not benefit from any courses or training being offered for example. Were redundancies to be offered you may not get an offer as your employer would expect you to leave anyway.
This is a situation where honesty may cost you dearly - remember these are interviews and there is no guarantee anything will come from them.

Eoin

Don't say a thing until you have an offer. There's very little to be gained by it.

You could resign before signing the contract with the new place (it might be conditional on a reference from your current boss anyway). You wouldn't really be getting that much more protection by signing the new contract. Obviously, you'd want the offer letter and contract signed by them in your hand though.

With regards to the counter offer - most people who accept a counter offer end up leaving within 12 months anyway. I can't remember where I read that, but that does seem to be the case. You might get a better offer, but in a lot of cases the extra money just glosses over underlying issues that aren't resolved.

jpaulb

Hello Dan,
Your boss does not need to know your looking for a new job.
At the moment it may take you a while to get a new job and you don't want your boss to have a reason to make you life hard meanwhile.
See if you can get some one to cover your hours, see if you can have an interview early in the morning, at lunch time or in the evening.
If you find you have a few interviews the same week take some holidays.
Are you looking for a new job as a way of getting your boss to pay you more?
A lot of places are paying less and cutting back hours at the moment.

Dan133269

jpaulb wrote: »

Are you looking for a new job as a way of getting your boss to pay you more?
A lot of places are paying less and cutting back hours at the moment.

No, just looking for more money to be honest. I'm getting pretty good experience and building up a good CV where I am, but at this stage I just want to earn to be brutally honest.

Does anyone have any history of negotiating pay increases where an offer is made by a current employer when the person has an offer to work somewhere else?

Eoin

Dan133269 wrote: »

Does anyone have any history of negotiating pay increases where an offer is made by a current employer when the person has an offer to work somewhere else?

I did that, but ended up leaving within the year anyway.

All I can recommend is that be prepared to leave if it doesn't go the way you want it to. Some companies just don't make counter offers, so you can't go in bluffing.

Remember to take into account non-direct ways of payment - health care, shares, sick leave, extra leave etc. There might be other ways they can sort you out.

bobbipin17

Hi, I just came across this thread and I'm having similar problems...

I have taken considerable amount of time off recently for interviews and now I have been called for another two next week. Can anybody give me advice for what to do? I don't usually give them reasons, just say I need it off and that's it. They also have an idea I'm looking for other work as my boss got a call from somebody looking for a reference already before..

'd appreciate any help you could give me because I think it might start to look bad that I'm taking so much time off

Thanks

Mr. Loverman

Well I think it would look worse if you told them you are going to leave soon and are taking days off for interviews... unless of course you have a terrible relationship with your manager and she wants you to leave.

I would just keep asking for the time off. If they ask anything just say you are sorting out a personal matter (which technically is truthful).

bobbipin17

It just seems so wrong constantly lying about it...but I don't see what else I can do...some of my family members think I am taking too much time off but some places only facilitate you to a certain extent...so it doesn't seem right to take so much time off work...I guess it has to be done if I want to move

BostonB

If somewhere can't accommodate outside working hours interviews if they want to attract staff I can only imagine they won't be that flexible when you are working there. Food for thought.

Mr. Loverman

bobbipin17 wrote: »

It just seems so wrong constantly lying about it...but I don't see what else I can do...some of my family members think I am taking too much time off but some places only facilitate you to a certain extent...so it doesn't seem right to take so much time off work...I guess it has to be done if I want to move

I think it's actually more professional to lie about it.