How to Find a Job When You Have a Job

 

Searching for a job while you still have a job can be a very intimidating process. With a busy work schedule, it can also be hard to devote time to finding a new career. Here are some tips I have learned over the years to help you keep a confidential job search:

1. Correspond with potential employers on your own medium. Do not use company phones or emails to search for jobs or connect with hiring managers.
2. There are a number of wonderful websites where employees can post resumes and hiring managers can search for candidates. Be sure to use caution when posting a resume to make sure it does not fall into the hands of a current employer. Some candidates will use a generic name for their current company or some candidates will not include their last name when posting to keep their search secure.
3. Use a lunch hour or time after the work day to respond to potential employers. Let hiring managers know up front of your time restrictions and provide potential employers the best communication mode to correspond. If a matter is urgent, respond from your own personal email.
4. Most employers want candidates to provide references. If there is a previous employee or a co-worker that you feel won’t breach confidentiality, consider that person for a reference.
5. Investigate on your own time. Read local business magazines or search web ads to see what companies are growing or expanding. If you see an opening, contact the hiring manager directly.
6. Keep a refreshed LinkedIn profile that gives specific examples of skill sets, work history and accomplishments. Many recruiters will find candidates through key word searches on social media sites. Ask for previous employers or coworkers to write recommendations as well.
7. Utilize the help of a recruiter. Recruiters understand the importance of a confidential search and have inside information on what companies are hiring.

Are there additional tips you have for searching for a new position while still working?

Written by: Catherine Culler
Catherine Culler has been a recruiter with Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing since 2000. She specializes in recruiting and staffing for accounting, human resources, legal, administrative, financial, sales and customer service positions. Her prior background includes work in medical sales and sales training. She has three children, a son who is in seventh grade and twin daughters in sixth grade.

Lions and tigers and PUBLIC SPEAKING…oh my!

Are you dreading that looming date on your calendar when you have to address a crowd via a presentation, speech or introduction of an esteemed colleague? Public speaking can be daunting, nerve-wracking and downright scary. My first major public speaking experience was trial–by-fire where I had to address a group of 100 Wall Street law firm partners in a ten minute presentation, with my boss sitting right beside me! As time went by and I addressed different groups of colleagues in different formats including training programs and cocktail party welcoming addresses, I slowly grew more comfortable up at the podium. Below are a few tips that helped me along the way:

• Prepare. Write down the major ideas you want to convey in a bullet point format. Don’t write down everything word-for-word, as you will be more tempted to read it verbatim and not make eye contact with your audience.

• Practice makes perfect. Go into an empty conference room and run through it five or six times. Make sure you are standing up! My jitters are always more manageable when I can address a group while sitting down, but if you will be standing, be sure to stand while you are practicing. Doing a run-through with your notes will help you get comfortable presenting the material by ad-libbing, since you don’t have a formal script written out.

• Execute with eye contact. Once you’ve practiced and are comfortable conveying the information off the cuff, you are ready! Bring your notes with you to soothe those jitters. As you are speaking, find a friend or colleague in the audience to be your go-to person for eye contact. Then move about the crowd, focusing on someone for three seconds then moving to someone else. This will help you from locking eyes with the empty wall at the back of the room, or scanning the room so quickly that you aren’t really focusing on anyone.

• Lastly, stand up straight, smile and breathe. You’ve got this!

Written by: Courtney Mebane

Courtney has nearly ten years of recruiting experience, most of which has been in the legal field. Prior to joining Godshall in 2014, she was involved in recruiting attorneys for the Charlotte office of a Wall Street law firm. In addition to recruiting, she also launched and managed the firm’s alumni communications program. Courtney holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing from Southern Methodist University and loves spending time at home with her family and rescued beagle mix.

A Catch 22 – How to Gain Experience, When You Don’t Have Any!

As someone who graduated from Clemson University with a marketing degree during a terrible economy, I didn’t have a real plan or direction for my life after graduation. With classroom related experience, summer jobs and a pseudo “internship” with a start-up retail company, there was an endless list of jobs I was unqualified for. It wasn’t until I got an opportunity to take an unpaid internship in Washington, DC that things really started to fall into place. From that little bit of exposure in a professional environment, the fact that I was constantly networking and meeting new people and was getting heavily involved with the DC Clemson Young Alumni Club, I landed my first job earlier than I anticipated.

To put it all simply, I will quote the common adage of which I am a firm believer, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” I understand this sounds repetitive and cheesy, but it is TRUE! The more you are able to broaden your network, expose yourself to new people and get your name out there, opportunities will come to you. There is no shame in taking an unpaid internship, volunteering to help a friend’s business or lending your time to local non-profits. You never know the connections of the people that you meet and will be surprised by what doors may open to the next steps on your career path.

The connections I made got me to where I am today and I am grateful for every opportunity that has been presented, even if I could not see where those opportunities were taking me at the time. Through my participation in the DC Clemson Young Alumni Club, I was invited to attend a dinner with the Clemson Board of Visitors a few years ago. Little did I know that our very own president and owner, Julie Godshall Brown, would be in attendance! Ultimately, that surprise run-in led me to my job at Godshall and brought me back to Greenville where I am actively involved in the community, both personally and professionally.

To further my point, my dad has always told me, “Anyone can help you get an interview; it is up to YOU to get the job.” I like to add to that “and keep the job,” because in a competitive job market, it is up to you to define your career. Staying engaged in the professional community, keeping your skills relevant and sharp, not being afraid to help others (for free!) when they need it and always performing to the best of your abilities will continue to set you apart from the noise!

Written by:

Rebecca Reed Faulk Rebecca is a native of Greenville, SC and graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. After graduation, Rebecca moved to Washington, DC for an internship with the Republican National Committee. From there, Rebecca was hired to support a local fundraising and development firm, The LS Group. She then went to work for a non-profit and think tank, the Charles Koch Institute, in an operational capacity handling their events and programming logistics. Rebecca has been with Godshall since June of 2012 and specializes in recruiting and staffing for their professional sector; including secretarial, administrative, customer service, accounting and human resources.

I’m Not In Sales, Why Network?

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Have you ever heard that phrase before? This phrase can be looked at as both a positive and a negative.

My dad used to tell me this growing up and it was always used as an excuse when things would not turn out our way. Both of us being avid sports fans, my father used to tell me that is was hard to get the tickets to the big games even though we knew everything about our teams: the offenses they ran, the players, the history, etc. Years after hearing this constantly, I found myself sitting court side in Chapel Hill on fold out chairs behind Clemson’s bench watching my Tigers lose yet again to the Tar Heels in the Dean Dome. My guest at this event was my dad. Even though my dad knew a lot about the game, it was the student manager I knew from my days as the Clemson Tiger that got us the seats.

At Clemson, I was able to take my role as the mascot and build a network that has thrived for over 20 years. I have been able to take my boys on the field during Clemson football games and experience more due to the people who I have been able to help out and those that have helped me back. Because of my network, my experience of a Clemson event has vastly improved.

It takes only 5 minutes of your day to have a short conversation with someone, or respond to an e-mail. The next message you get in your inbox, may be a life-changer but you wouldn’t know this if you didn’t take the time to respond to this person.

I think back on the last two jobs that I’ve had and how I got them. I obtained the position of Director of HR through someone I had met six years prior to that. My current role at Godshall goes back to 1999 when the owner, Julie Godshall Brown, and I served on the same GSHRM committee and continued to stay in contact through the years. Eleven years later we connected and I am now in a role that I truly enjoy.  People may think that you have to be in sales to build a network, however I will tell you that your network is the most valuable resource you can have in work and in life.

I sat there on the 50 yard line in the board of trustee’s box watching Clemson play BC as Matt Ryan killed our hopes to go the ACC Championship game. We “tailgated” with people at Clemson who have buildings named after them. My dad sat there with me and I pointed to the upper deck where we sat for our first game. I reminded him of the phrase that he shared with me his whole life as we were living the ultimate Clemson experience… “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know…”

Written by: Michael Bays

Michael Bays has been with Godshall for 5 years as a Technical Recruiter and brings over 12 years of recruiting experience through prior employment.  Michael holds a Master of Human Resources Development Degree from Clemson along with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management.  One interesting fact about Michael is that he holds the career push-up record when he was the Tiger mascot at Clemson.