Whatever you do, don’t duck out on your full-time gig under the random guise of “I’ll be back.” Do that too many times and you’ll be terminated. Why? Because it makes you look suspect! Everyone can tell when people are wearing their interview clothes, especially if you’ve been dressing casual or even crazy (let’s hope not) on the job. Here’s what you can do to interview while in a full-time job.
(1) Dress Better. Start dressing better, starting tomorrow. Not sure if you’re a male or female, but a nice watch, higher end shoes, a great haircut and better (casual) attire can go a long way. If you have an interview, wear a shirt and slacks in the office, but bring the jacket with you. Then you can slip on the jacket and your pumps before leaving for the interview.
(2) Set Appointments Before Work, After Work, or During Lunch. if you’re being watched like a hawk, schedule an interview before you have to go into the office, or schedule it for after hours. If the interview is less than 15 minutes away, try to have a 30-minute conversation (more than enough time to sell your skills), then hustle back to work.
(3) Take a Personal Day or Vacation. Save these days for the really important interviews. If you’re in the second or third round of interviews and you know you have to speak with multiple people, then it’s worth it. Otherwise, see the advice in No. 5…
(4) Shut Your Mouth. Don’t run around the office telling everyone you’re looking for a job or that you’re unhappy. That gives co-workers and bosses cause to start looking at what you are doing. In this instance, discretion is key.
(5) Manage Your Time. Before saying yes to an interview, explain that you don’t have a lot of time during work hours — so can you meet for a coffee or lunch? This is done a lot more often than you think — but despite the “casualness” of the environment, remember it’s still an interview.
Good luck!
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