Unfortunately, the tired old theme of “the rich get richer…” seems to hold true in the job search field, too. Conventional wisdom is borne out by reality. As Alison Green, author of "How To Get A Job: Secrets of A Hiring Manager," confirms:, "Employers tend to prefer to hire people who are already employed." And it’s not because human reources departments are prejudiced against people without jobs (though that might be true sometimes, according to Job-Hunt, but pretty seldom). Especially since the big downturn of 2008, employers (and everyone else) are aware that very good people have been having a very hard time finding a job.

What Joblessness Implies About You

One reason it might be easier to find a job when you’re already employed is that you’re not too eager to get the new job. Eagerness is a dead giveaway when job-hunting, says Job-Hunt. And of course, if you already have a job, normally you’re not over-eager or desperate. You don’t absolutely HAVE to have a new job, like someone who’s wondering about how to pay the rent next month. Alison Green would agree: "Rightly or wrongly, employers tend to assume that people don’t quit jobs without another lined up unless (a) they were about to be fired, (b) they actually were fired and are just saying that they quit, or (c) they’re potentially someone who walks when things are frustrating, which is worrisome because of course every job will be have frustrations at one point or another.”

No one knows if there really was truth to the story posted on Huffington Post, of an employer looking for a new employee but saying, “The unemployed need not apply.” Huffpost deleted the shibboleth shortly after it was posted. But in fact many experts say they believe companies are increasingly interested only in applicants who already have a job.

A Job Means An Automatic Network

In fact, when you already have a job, you really have some special things going for you. One important thing is your professional network. Forbes.com cites Andy Teach, a corporate veteran and author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time, who points out that “when you’re working, you’re constantly interacting with your industry contacts…”. When you’re not the proud possessor of an existing job, you just don’t have that advantage. "It puts you in a defensive position," Teach says. (You also may be interested in How to Use LinkedIn To Get A Job.)

Not having a job while you're looking for one brings up the same problem set as a gaping hole in your work history. "The issue of gaps in employment history is a thorny one," says Bronwen Hann, a Toronto-based recruiter, for they can give "the wrong impression about your abilities and ambitions, imply that you're not capable...or that you were 'dishonorably discharged' from your previous job and didn't know how to get back into a position. Worst of all," Hann says, "it can imply that you're lazy, or that you don't care about your career." (Also, check out How Long Should My Resume Be?)

You Have More Negotiating Power

It helps with leverage, too, when you already have a job. You’re in a better negotiating position, obviously, if you don’t actually need the job you’re offered. And employers know that all too well.

Must Your Job Search Be Confidential?

But of course, like everything in the world, looking for a job when you already have one does carry certain risks. Your current employer might hear about your job search, and he or she might look upon it as disloyal. Or even a firing offense. If you want to avoid that problem (which of course you do) it could be a good idea to talk over your dissatisfaction and your aspirations with your boss first, even before you start looking elsewhere. Often the reason an employed person looks for another job is that they don’t like a person or persons they are working with. There could be options like a transfer, or a change in departments within your company. But if those options don’t exist, then it really is time to look further.

What To Do About References

It's best not to let your boss know you are looking. "Your manager may view your desire to depart as a betrayal," says Marie G. McIntyre of YourOfficeCoach.com. For instance, there’s the prickly problem of references. You need to have some from previous employers, or perhaps you can get a supervisor who has recently left your company. Otherwise, you must choose someone you trust to keep your job-hunting confidential inside the company where you're working.

And of course, searching for a new job when you’re still at a current one takes a lot of time. You must be careful not to slack off on your current job, and also not to tell prospective employers that you’re looking for a new position because you hate your boss, if that's the problem. Candor in this case is not advised.

The Bottom Line

It is easier to get a job offer when you already have a job. But it can take some careful maneuvering and a lot of extra time to pull it off.

Cc: Seun, Ishilove, Lalastica

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/062015/why-it-easier-find-job-while-employed.asp?utm_source=financial-edge&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PF-6/23/2015

adekzy:
Unfortunately, the tired old theme of “the rich get richer…” seems to hold true in the job search field, too. Conventional wisdom is borne out by reality. As Alison Green, author of "How To Get A Job: Secrets of A Hiring Manager," confirms:, "Employers tend to prefer to hire people who are already employed." And it’s not because human reources departments are prejudiced against people without jobs (though that might be true sometimes, according to Job-Hunt, but pretty seldom). Especially since the big downturn of 2008, employers (and everyone else) are aware that very good people have been having a very hard time finding a job.

What Joblessness Implies About You

One reason it might be easier to find a job when you’re already employed is that you’re not too eager to get the new job. Eagerness is a dead giveaway when job-hunting, says Job-Hunt. And of course, if you already have a job, normally you’re not over-eager or desperate. You don’t absolutely HAVE to have a new job, like someone who’s wondering about how to pay the rent next month. Alison Green would agree: "Rightly or wrongly, employers tend to assume that people don’t quit jobs without another lined up unless (a) they were about to be fired, (b) they actually were fired and are just saying that they quit, or (c) they’re potentially someone who walks when things are frustrating, which is worrisome because of course every job will be have frustrations at one point or another.”

No one knows if there really was truth to the story posted on Huffington Post, of an employer looking for a new employee but saying, “The unemployed need not apply.” Huffpost deleted the shibboleth shortly after it was posted. But in fact many experts say they believe companies are increasingly interested only in applicants who already have a job.

A Job Means An Automatic Network

In fact, when you already have a job, you really have some special things going for you. One important thing is your professional network. Forbes.com cites Andy Teach, a corporate veteran and author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time, who points out that “when you’re working, you’re constantly interacting with your industry contacts…”. When you’re not the proud possessor of an existing job, you just don’t have that advantage. "It puts you in a defensive position," Teach says. (You also may be interested in How to Use LinkedIn To Get A Job.)

Not having a job while you're looking for one brings up the same problem set as a gaping hole in your work history. "The issue of gaps in employment history is a thorny one," says Bronwen Hann, a Toronto-based recruiter, for they can give "the wrong impression about your abilities and ambitions, imply that you're not capable...or that you were 'dishonorably discharged' from your previous job and didn't know how to get back into a position. Worst of all," Hann says, "it can imply that you're lazy, or that you don't care about your career." (Also, check out How Long Should My Resume Be?)

You Have More Negotiating Power

It helps with leverage, too, when you already have a job. You’re in a better negotiating position, obviously, if you don’t actually need the job you’re offered. And employers know that all too well.

Must Your Job Search Be Confidential?

But of course, like everything in the world, looking for a job when you already have one does carry certain risks. Your current employer might hear about your job search, and he or she might look upon it as disloyal. Or even a firing offense. If you want to avoid that problem (which of course you do) it could be a good idea to talk over your dissatisfaction and your aspirations with your boss first, even before you start looking elsewhere. Often the reason an employed person looks for another job is that they don’t like a person or persons they are working with. There could be options like a transfer, or a change in departments within your company. But if those options don’t exist, then it really is time to look further.

What To Do About References

It's best not to let your boss know you are looking. "Your manager may view your desire to depart as a betrayal," says Marie G. McIntyre of YourOfficeCoach.com. For instance, there’s the prickly problem of references. You need to have some from previous employers, or perhaps you can get a supervisor who has recently left your company. Otherwise, you must choose someone you trust to keep your job-hunting confidential inside the company where you're working.

And of course, searching for a new job when you’re still at a current one takes a lot of time. You must be careful not to slack off on your current job, and also not to tell prospective employers that you’re looking for a new position because you hate your boss, if that's the problem. Candor in this case is not advised.

The Bottom Line

It is easier to get a job offer when you already have a job. But it can take some careful maneuvering and a lot of extra time to pull it off.

Cc: Seun, Ishilove, Lalastica

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/062015/why-it-easier-find-job-while-employed.asp?utm_source=financial-edge&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PF-6/23/2015

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