The Double Life of a Job Seeker

It is hard to be actively looking for a job while still keeping your current position. You have to make sure that nothing slips at work. You still must make sure you do everything that you normally do in a day. And do it cheerfully, happily, quickly, and with the same amount of quality as you normally do. That is what you do by day.

But by night, you are pounding job websites, looking for companies to see if they have anything posted. And if they do you are squeezing your LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social connection to see if they know somebody, who knows somebody, who knows somebody that can put your resume front-and-center to the right person.

By day, you don't answer your cell phone. You let the unknown callers leave you a message. You schedule phone interviews during lunch breaks. You take get to a location with a lot of cars and people, and minimal chance that someone from your company can actually see you. You secretly scavenge for emails looking for any news.

But as soon as someone comes in to your office, you have you quickly re-focus your energy into where you are now. Not where you want to be.

It's a secret you keep only to yourself. It gives you a little bit of power (at least perceived power) over your situation.

NOTE: I've applied to about 50 jobs online in the past 6 months, and have had about 5 phone interviews. So it isn't like this is happening every week.

NOTE #2: I'm not leaving DeltaHouse without a job that is a marked upgrade in the following areas: (1) pay - I've got to do better in this regard, otherwise what's the point? (2) type of work - a phone interview I had said I wouldn't be doing 95% of the stuff that I hate that I do at DeltaHouse (example: I frequently get yelled at by employees about insurance things that are out of my hands and have no control over, the company has a department for those question/getting yelled at!). This sounds like Heaven on a biscuit to me, (3) type of company - I don't care about our widgets, or who buys them, or what they do with them; gimme a company I can get on board with.

NOTE #3: I am well-aware that I should feel lucky to even have a job. I do. But I'm not apologizing for wanting more or wanting a better situation. I shouldn't have to. When employers are asking me what I want to make, I've decided that the answer, "I'm sure you will pay to the responsibility of the position," is total horsesh!t. I'm telling recruiter what I want. I'm not for wasting everyone's time.

NOTE #4: Exactly every unhappy employee is tired of hearing how lucky they are to be working a job that they are unhappy with.