Going to an interview from work

Snakey

Half the fun of job-hunting is keeping it secret and having to sneak around!

Seriously, once your employer suspects that you might be leaving, you can kiss goodbye to any promotions, pay rises, training courses or decent projects that you might have otherwise had. No matter how good an employer they are, they have a business/department to run and are not going to waste resources on you or put you in a key position if you could hand in your notice at any second. So if you don't get the job, you're in a worse position than you already were (and bearing in mind you already wanted to leave, that's not going to be OK).

The only job I've had where that clearly wouldn't have been an issue was a dead-end factory job. I had three A levels and was going for office jobs with (potential) career prospects, which they just couldn't offer me. I was totally up-front with them from the start, and they were fine.

custardy

Snakey wrote: »

Half the fun of job-hunting is keeping it secret and having to sneak around!

Seriously, once your employer suspects that you might be leaving, you can kiss goodbye to any promotions, pay rises, training courses or decent projects that you might have otherwise had. No matter how good an employer they are, they have a business/department to run and are not going to waste resources on you or put you in a key position if you could hand in your notice at any second. So if you don't get the job, you're in a worse position than you already were (and bearing in mind you already wanted to leave, that's not going to be OK).

The only job I've had where that clearly wouldn't have been an issue was a dead-end factory job. I had three A levels and was going for office jobs with (potential) career prospects, which they just couldn't offer me. I was totally up-front with them from the start, and they were fine.

Agreed. My boss is a particular gem who will take the huff at the slightest glimmer of a life outside work.
Let alone looking for another job!
(though I am currently looking )

mattcanary

Snakey wrote: »

Half the fun of job-hunting is keeping it secret and having to sneak around!

Seriously, once your employer suspects that you might be leaving, you can kiss goodbye to any promotions, pay rises, training courses or decent projects that you might have otherwise had. No matter how good an employer they are, they have a business/department to run and are not going to waste resources on you or put you in a key position if you could hand in your notice at any second. So if you don't get the job, you're in a worse position than you already were (and bearing in mind you already wanted to leave, that's not going to be OK).

The only job I've had where that clearly wouldn't have been an issue was a dead-end factory job. I had three A levels and was going for office jobs with (potential) career prospects, which they just couldn't offer me. I was totally up-front with them from the start, and they were fine.

Or if you are good at your job, you could be in a better bargaining position if they are aware that you are considering leaving. Can work both ways.

Any sensible employer knows that any of their employees could leave at any time. You tell them you have an interview - you are being fair to them.
They should know that if they employ any number of people, it is very likely that another employee will have an interview next month. That employee may tell the employer, maybe they won;t.
If I was an employer, I think I would respect an employee that was straight with them. If they are honest in this respect, then they are likely to be honest and the right type of person to give extra responsibiities to/ promotions to.

It is all pretty pathetic to be going to extreme lengths to hide the fact you are having an interview. I would always hope that I am better than that.

Snakey

I don't think anything about "all employers", but the OP did say (twice!) that we should assume that he can't tell his. If somebody feels that they need to keep things quiet from their employer, you should do them the courtesy of accepting that they have good reason for feeling this way. Your situation may be different - all your previous situations may have been different - but that doesn't mean they've got it wrong.

If I was in the position where the news of my departure would engender a flurry of activity, pleading and counter-offers, I'd have talked to them before starting to look elsewhere. If I'm at the stage of going to interviews, that's because I have decided I want to leave! Aside from anything, why would you waste other people's time interviewing you if all you're going to do with the job offer is use it as a negotiating tool with your current employer.

mattcanary

Snakey wrote: »

I don't think anything about "all employers", but the OP did say (twice!) that we should assume that he can't tell his. If somebody feels that they need to keep things quiet from their employer, you should do them the courtesy of accepting that they have good reason for feeling this way. Your situation may be different - all your previous situations may have been different - but that doesn't mean they've got it wrong.

If I was in the position where the news of my departure would engender a flurry of activity, pleading and counter-offers, I'd have talked to them before starting to look elsewhere. If I'm at the stage of going to interviews, that's because I have decided I want to leave! Aside from anything, why would you waste other people's time interviewing you if all you're going to do with the job offer is use it as a negotiating tool with your current employer.

Because if they know you are having an interview, then they know that you are being serious about possibly leaving - rather than just using the threat of leaving if you don;t get what you are looking for.

Yes, you may want to leave your current job if you have an interview. But it would be pretty foolhardy to just think you will automatically leave your job for the first employer that accepts you How can you know whether you would want to work for the new company without going to an intervew first? Yes, I know that an interview is not always indicative of what the job will be like afterwards. But if the new employer sounds like a nightmare company to work for (or at least a bad fit for you), based upon the interview - then that impression will rarely be wrong if you are employed by them.

And if you want to leave your job, why would you care about the possible repercussions (eg: no future promotions)? (if that is the outcome of not hiding an interview from your employer). You want to leave, after all!

[Deleted User]

Here here, and like what happened to me recently, whereby, the person I sat rather near, had connections in a firm I'd just applied to (it's a small world and all that!) I didn't need to tell them, they already knew they said they would put a word in for me (not sure how that went down in the interests of fairness) in sure ways subtly letting me know, they knew

CCFC_80

Snakey wrote: »

Half the fun of job-hunting is keeping it secret and having to sneak around!

Seriously, once your employer suspects that you might be leaving, you can kiss goodbye to any promotions, pay rises, training courses or decent projects that you might have otherwise had. No matter how good an employer they are, they have a business/department to run and are not going to waste resources on you or put you in a key position if you could hand in your notice at any second. So if you don't get the job, you're in a worse position than you already were (and bearing in mind you already wanted to leave, that's not going to be OK).

The only job I've had where that clearly wouldn't have been an issue was a dead-end factory job. I had three A levels and was going for office jobs with (potential) career prospects, which they just couldn't offer me. I was totally up-front with them from the start, and they were fine.

Says who??. What a load of Carp. In my experience it gave my current employer at the time a kick up the backside with more incentive to keep me on as an employee.

Snakey

Says me, that's why my name's next to the comment. It's my opinion, based on my experience. If I ever decide that what I want to do is base my comments on your experience, then I'll be sure to check in with you before posting.

If your employer is going to shower you with goodies if, but only if, they realise you are actively looking for another job, then either they aren't much of an employer or you have consistently failed to communicate with them about what you wanted. I have never left a job due to lack of promotions/pay rises without first having had several discussions with my boss about why it isn't happening and what can be done about it. Do you habitually keep your career ambitions a secret? That seems far stranger to me than keeping an interview a secret. What line of work are you in?

Mattcanary, you seem to be arguing both ways in your post - you're saying that I might not end up leaving (which was my point), and then in the next paragraph you say that it doesn't matter because I'd be leaving anyway! In my line of work the interview process can take three months from start to finish. If you're unsuccessful (or turn them down) and have to start the process again, that's six months. That's a long time to be sidelined in your current role. I would rather use that time to gain experience on three or four important projects - not see them go to somebody else in the team because the boss isn't sure that I'll be around to see it through to the finish and in any case would rather give the experience to somebody who's going to use that experience to benefit the firm and not one of their competitors.

mattcanary

Snakey wrote: »

Says me, that's why my name's next to the comment. It's my opinion, based on my experience. If I ever decide that what I want to do is base my comments on your experience, then I'll be sure to check in with you before posting.

If your employer is going to shower you with goodies if, but only if, they realise you are actively looking for another job, then either they aren't much of an employer or you have consistently failed to communicate with them about what you wanted. I have never left a job due to lack of promotions/pay rises without first having had several discussions with my boss about why it isn't happening and what can be done about it. Do you habitually keep your career ambitions a secret? That seems far stranger to me than keeping an interview a secret. What line of work are you in?

Mattcanary, you seem to be arguing both ways in your post - you're saying that I might not end up leaving (which was my point), and then in the next paragraph you say that it doesn't matter because I'd be leaving anyway! In my line of work the interview process can take three months from start to finish. If you're unsuccessful (or turn them down) and have to start the process again, that's six months. That's a long time to be sidelined in your current role. I would rather use that time to gain experience on three or four important projects - not see them go to somebody else in the team because the boss isn't sure that I'll be around to see it through to the finish and in any case would rather give the experience to somebody who's going to use that experience to benefit the firm and not one of their competitors.

He actually said that his current employers only take him seriously once he has an interview elsewhere.
It's the same as people not taking their spouse seriously when they tell them they will leave if they don;t change their ways. It is only when their spouse starts packing their bags to leave, that they take the threats seriously.

It seems far stranger to me(as well as demonstrating a lack of scruples) to do everything you can (including often involving fairly bizarre behaviour) to prevent your employers knowing you are having an interview elsewhere.

And why would you want to leave your current employer if you are getting what you wanted anyway (ie: more interesting projects to work on, promotions, etc)? If you don;t want to leave your current employer for that reason, then why would you want to actively take on more long-term project work (for example) only for you to leave them in the lurch when you leave?
That is not strong ethics, at all in my opinion.

Added to which, in a lot of cases an employer will find out that you are thinking about leaving, even if you try to prevent them finding out.
Some of the things described in this thread are pretty poor attempts at subterfuge anyway (changing into your interview clothes in the workplace toilets, for example). Even if your boss doesn;t see you do this, it is extremely likely that another employee does. Word normally gets around in the workplace, somehow.
As keepoutofdebt has already stated, who's to know in many cases that your boss doesn;t know already that you are looking for a new job (even if you think they don;t know).

CCFC_80

Snakey wrote: »

Says me, that's why my name's next to the comment. It's my opinion, based on my experience. If I ever decide that what I want to do is base my comments on your experience, then I'll be sure to check in with you before posting.

If your employer is going to shower you with goodies if, but only if, they realise you are actively looking for another job, then either they aren't much of an employer or you have consistently failed to communicate with them about what you wanted. I have never left a job due to lack of promotions/pay rises without first having had several discussions with my boss about why it isn't happening and what can be done about it. Do you habitually keep your career ambitions a secret? That seems far stranger to me than keeping an interview a secret. What line of work are you in?

Mattcanary, you seem to be arguing both ways in your post - you're saying that I might not end up leaving (which was my point), and then in the next paragraph you say that it doesn't matter because I'd be leaving anyway! In my line of work the interview process can take three months from start to finish. If you're unsuccessful (or turn them down) and have to start the process again, that's six months. That's a long time to be sidelined in your current role. I would rather use that time to gain experience on three or four important projects - not see them go to somebody else in the team because the boss isn't sure that I'll be around to see it through to the finish and in any case would rather give the experience to somebody who's going to use that experience to benefit the firm and not one of their competitors.

It might surprise you to know Snakey that many people are happy in their job but on the whole do not feel appreciated for the work and effort they do.


Going to an interview and getting an offer of another job puts them in a win win situation. If they are offered a better salary and terms & conditions the current employer can either match it or they won't.


Happened to me and many people also when they in the end get offered a better deal with the employer they are currently with.


It's nearly always the case that good employees seem to be appreciated more when they have an offer of another job and hand in their notice