How to balance your job search with your current job

There’s nothing more stressful than needing to hold down your current job while also searching for another one. Maybe you’re fed up with being overworked, but don’t know how long it will take to find an alternative position. Alternatively, perhaps the company is going out of business, but you still want the security until you’re able to find a new position. Either way, no employee wants to openly admit to their current employers that they’re looking for a new job. Here are a few tips to help you balance your job search with your current job.

Look when the competition is low

The key to the transition to a new job while holding down your current position is to make the move go as quickly and smoothly as possible. Looking for new work when the competition is at it’s lowest is one of the best ways to ensure you get hired and onboard fast. Try your best to hold off sending out applications until the summer months, when hiring is at it’s lowest. You’ll get the attention of companies quicker and won’t have to take to much time away from your current gig to make the transition possible.

Keep your searches private

There’s no reason why your coworkers or employers should find out about your job search. Not only could this defeat the whole purpose of trying to hold down your current position while looking for new work, but it would also look bad for future employers if the news were to get out. In order to keep your online searches private, be sure to use a private computer instead of a company laptop where all searches are subject to investigation. If you have to conduct searches or read emails related to your new job search while at your current office, be sure to use a VPN to keep your queries private.

Don’t network within your business

Networking is one of the best ways to find a position quickly and efficiently. You can cut out a lot of the time wasted on interviews and getting to know the company when you have somebody on the inside to refer you. However, you have to make a conscious effort to only network with people who are outside of the sphere of your current company. If not, the word could get out about your searches and you might be let go before you find your new position. This is a good time to dust off old business cards and contact people you used to know from previous roles to see what’s available.

Only use private forms of communication

While social media and other online platforms are great for finding new gigs, they’re also public places where anyone associated with you can view your activity. For this reason, you should refrain from using these forms of communication when finding a new job. You can use these platforms for private messaging, but posting about your search for a new position on your Facebook page can easily lead to losing your current job when coworkers to employers see the post.

Don’t let your current work fall by the wayside

A decrease in performance and output is a telltale sign than an employee is no longer invested in his or her position. This could lead employers to become suspicious that you’re currently on the lookout for something better. While you’ll definitely have less time on your hands to dedicate to your current position with the extra job hunting, you can’t let your job fall by the wayside. You have to put in the extra effort to not raise suspicion about your job searching. Think of your productivity at work as a poker face to keep people from suspecting you’re actively looking for work elsewhere.

It might seem impossible, but you can certainly look for a new position while still holding down your current job. All it takes is a little patience, attention to detail, and hard work. As long as you keep your performance up at work, keep all of your searches private, and only network with people outside of your current position, you should have no problem finding a suitable position and getting hired without causing problems at your job.