JobSync

Why You Shouldn't Job Hunt at Work

October 3, 2011

Many job seekers are miserable at their current job, and perhaps a little spiteful. With all the pressure to find a new job – including the fear that failure to apply to a position as soon as it’s posted will cost them – it’s easy to understand why they might take advantage of their office computer and phone for their job search. However, there are many reasons why one should never look for a new job at work, including:

1. Your email and Internet activity are being monitored. Are they being actively monitored? It depends on the company. But if you are a disgruntled or underperforming employee who is acting oddly at work, it might compel your superiors to begin watching what you’re emailing and where you’re web surfing. Your phone could also be monitored as well if you are placing outgoing calls to potential employers or if other companies are leaving you voicemails.

2. Your coworkers may be watching you, too. And if your job hunting activities are undermining their position at the company, you could be setting yourself up for a huge fall should they decide to report your conduct. Work friends you “trust implicitly” may not be so trustworthy after all. And even if they are, remember that their email activity is being monitored as well, so if they are discussing your job hunt, it could invite trouble.

3. Job hunting at work will undercut your relationship with your current employer and potential employer if they become aware of it. Okay, maybe you weren’t relying on your current boss for a reference. However, looking for a new job on the company dime may burn a bridge and any opportunity for negotiating a better deal at your current workplace if a competitive situation to retain your services arises between your present and potential employers. Excessive job hunting at work may also make a potential employer wonder if you will do the same should you become tired of working for them in the future. Which brings us to…

4. Looking for a new position will undermine your professionalism and commitment. Aside from getting you fired, it is simply unprofessional to job hunt at your current workplace. Doing so will also reduce your productivity. And worse, it will increase the likelihood that with so many accessible jobs available online, you may feel more likely to bolt from an employer at the slightest dissatisfaction in the future.

When deciding when you should look for a new job, just adopt the “Cell Phone Plan” approach: Nights and weekends are free, so do most of your business then.

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