Getting your player ready...
Dear J.T. & DALE: I am looking for a new job. The good news is that a lot of recruiters are calling me. The bad news is, they are always trying to reach me during the day to schedule interviews, etc. I work in an open office where people can see my computer. I try sending messages on my phone, but then I look like I’m slacking off all day. How do you manage a job search in secret? – Nolan
J.T.: First, don’t EVER use the office computer for your job search – companies can track your usage, and I’ve seen people fired on the spot for doing so. DALE: Even without monitoring your computer, your manager and co-workers inevitably will spot other telltale signs: There’s “job hunter’s hunchback” as you try to shield your laptop or phone from others; there’s your sudden fashion upgrade as you’re dressing up for interviews; and there’s even the guy who invents an intestinal disorder to try explain his extended texting time in the bathroom. My point is that seeking privacy in the office is a suspicious activity. Nevertheless, do NOT give in to the temptation to quit your job in order to look for work. That will only raise doubts in the minds of hiring managers, and it will put you in a weaker negotiating position. (I have no data to support this contention, but I’d bet that being out of work reduces your salary offer by 10 percent to 30 percent.) J.T.: It helps to know that recruiters understand and don’t expect you to get back to them within an hour. Set aside extra time to respond to them before and after work. Also, take your lunch break away from the office so you can use your phone. Most importantly, try to schedule phone screens outside normal office hours or on lunch breaks so as not to appear noticeable. DALE: Yes, it’s a pain. If you decide it’s going to be awful, then it will be. However, if you turn finding time for the job search into a game, that energy will show up in your search, and so willjob offers. J.T.: Speaking of showing up, a quick P.S.: Don’t set up job alerts on your phone and then carry it around with you at the office. I know of one woman who worked in social media. She was showing a VP how the company Twitter feed looked on her phone when a job alert popped up. Needless to say, she had some explaining to do! – Workplace consultant and career coach J.T. O’Donnell has coached, trained and mentored employees and managers on a wide variety of career-related subjects since 1994. Her book, “CAREEREALISM: The Smart Approach to A Satisfying Career” is available at JTODonnell.com. Management guru Dale Dauten has written six books and is an authority on innovation in the workplace. His latest book, “Great Employees Only: How Gifted Bossess Hire & Dehire Their Way to Success” is available at Dauten.com. copyright 2013 King Features.
