Job searching while you're still employed is particularly tiring because it must be done in addition to your normal work responsibilities. Don't overwork yourself to the point where you show up to interviews looking exhausted or start to slip behind at your current job. On the other hand, don't be tempted to quit your present job! The long hours are worth it. Searching for a job while you have one puts you in a position of strength.

Making Contact

If you must be at your office during the business day, you have additional problems to deal with. How can you work interviews into the business day? And if you work in an open office, how can you even call to set up interviews?

Obviously, you should keep up the effort and the appearances on your present job. Maximize your lunch hour, early mornings, and late afternoons for calling. If you keep trying, you'll be surprised how often you can reach the executive you're trying to contact during your out-of-office hours. You can frequently catch people as early as 8 A.M. and as late as 6 P.M.

Scheduling Interviews

Your inability to interview at any time other than lunch might work to your advantage. Set up as many interviews as possible for your lunch hour. This will go a long way toward creating a relaxed atmosphere, but be sure the interviews don't stray too far from the agenda at hand. Lunchtime interviews are easier to obtain, however, if you have substantial career experience, and these are usually not standard practice for filling entry-level positions.

Often, you will find no alternative to taking time off for interviews, especially when your interview is not in close proximity to where you currently work. If you have to do this, try to take the whole day off in order to avoid being blatantly obvious about your job search, and try to schedule two or three interviews for the same day. It's difficult to maintain an optimum energy level at more than three interviews in one day.

Explain to the interviewer why you might have to juggle your interview schedule. He should honor the respect you're showing your current employer by minimizing your days off and will probably appreciate the fact that another prospective employer is interested in you.

References

What do you tell an interviewer who asks for references from your current employer? Just say that while you're happy to have former employers contacted, you're trying to keep your job search confidential and would rather your current employer not be contacted until you have a firm offer.

Then offer to provide a list of previous employers who can provide a reference for you. You must let someone know if you have given her as a reference. You don't want a phone call from your potential employer to catch her off guard. While it may be that your reference simply isn't expecting the call, the employer may interpret it to mean she isn't confident providing a reference for you. Furthermore, once a potential employer has asked for your references, be sure to forewarn or remind those references that they may expect to receive a phone call soon.

Be Discreet

The days when employees dedicated their entire careers to a single employer are long gone. It's expected that people will change jobs several times during their careers, and it could be unwise to leave a position without having something else lined up.

You shouldn't feel obligated to inform your current employer you're job searching until you're ready to give your notice. Revealing this information too soon could cost you your job. Remember, employers would rather lose you at their convenience than at yours.

To ensure that your job search is kept quiet, avoid telling any of your coworkers or colleagues of your plans. This may sound obvious, but it's a mistake that's too often made — at the expense of the job seeker. Gossip flows very freely in most workplaces, and before too long your news will reach your boss.