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Are you currently hunting for a new job? How do you go about it without arousing suspicion from your current employer? All those “sick days and doctor’s appointments” will start to sound a little fishy after a while!
And since you can’t get the new job without first doing the interview, you will just have to come up with some convincing explanations as to why you keep ducking out early (or coming in late).
Yes, it can be challenging trying to balance your job and at the same time preparing for a job interview. Sometimes it feels like you just don’t have enough time in the day to get everything done. Things get even trickier if your current boss relies heavily on you or if you have a lot of responsibilities at work.
Studies show that the average person spends about eight hours at work, five days a week. That leaves very little time to do anything else! If you’re working full-time and trying to prepare for a job interview, you need to be very strategic about how you use your time.
In this article, we will try to explore different tips on how you can navigate this.
Why It’s Okay To Practice For Another Interview While You Are At Your Current Job
In most cases, when searching for a new job, you will go on several interviews before finally landing an offer. So, while it may feel like you are betraying your current boss, it’s actually natural to be preparing for another interview while you are still employed.
In fact, a huge percentage of employees look for a new job while still working. It’s nothing to be ashamed of! It only means that you are ambitious and looking to better yourself.
When is it ok to prepare for an interview while still working at your current job?
- It’s Not Interfering with Your Current Work
As long as it isn’t interfering with your current work, it’s not unethical to prepare for another job interview while you are at your current job. You just have to find a way of juggling the two and be strategic about how you use your time.
- You Have Some Extra/Downtime At Work
If there are periods of downtime at your current job, you can use those to your advantage and prepare for your upcoming job interview. For example, if you have a slow day at work and there is nothing else to do, you can use that time to review potential interview questions or practice your elevator pitch.
5 Ways To Prepare For A Job Interview While You Are At Work
Now that we’ve gone over a few reasons why it’s okay to prepare for another job interview while still working, let’s look at how you can actually do it.
1: Practice interview questions during restroom breaks and at lunch,
If you have a few minutes here and there during your workday, use them to practice answering potential interview questions. You can even do this while in the restroom or during your lunch break. Just pull out your phone and start practicing!
This will help you get more comfortable answering tough questions and help you sound more natural during your actual interview. Just make sure you are not using work time to do this. Only use break times or lunchtime to prepare for your upcoming job interview.
And if you do practice during your lunch break, try not to let your boss see you. They may not be too happy about you using company time to interview for another job!
2: Prepare when the office is slow
This is another way to prepare for a job interview while working. If things are slow at work and you have some extra time, use it to your advantage and start preparing for your upcoming job interview. It could really pay off in the end!
The key to any interview is being prepared. The more prepared you are, the better your chances of impressing the interviewer and landing the job. So if you have some extra time at work, do your magic and start preparing!
Studies show that most companies will not mind you handling your personal affairs as long as you have completed all your tasks and there are no pending deadlines.
3: Practice while your boss is on their lunch or occupied in a meeting
Preparing for a job interview while working can be difficult if you have a boss who is always looking over your shoulder. If this is the case, try to practice during your boss’s lunch or when they are in a meeting.
This way, you will have some time to focus on your upcoming interview without your boss breathing down your neck. Studies have shown that most employers will not be too happy if they find out you are looking for another job while working.
So it is best to be discreet about your job search and only do it when things are slow or when nobody is around. That way, you won’t have to worry about getting caught!
4: Get all your work done in the first half of the day so you can prepare in the other half
Sometimes it can be hard to get some free time. The best way to approach such a scenario is to try and get all your work done in the first half of the day. This way, you will have some free time in the afternoon to prepare for your upcoming job interview.
Just make sure you are not using company time to prepare for your interview! Yes, your boss might not be happy about it but he will cut you some slack if you have finished all your work by lunchtime.
5: Practice questions on your commute to and from work
If you have a long commute to and from work, use that period to prepare for your upcoming job interview. This is a great way to make use of your time, and it will also help you relax before or after work.
While this isn’t technically “at” work, it is still time that is dedicated to your job. You never know how much it could help you in the long run! Commute times can be one hour round trip. That is an hour you can be preparing for your dream job!
Go Get That Job!
There you have it, five ways to prepare for a job interview when you are at work. Yes, it can be challenging, but it is definitely doable! Just ensure you don’t prepare during ‘official’ work hours.
Practicing for your upcoming job interview will help you feel more confident and prepared. It could really make a difference in whether or not you get the job. Be sure not to cross your boss while at it.
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