Why You Must Apply For a New Job While You Are Still Employed

In 99 per cent of the cases, it is bad if you are not employed when you are looking for a new job. Applying for a new position while you are still gainfully employed allows you to deal from a position of strength. Applying for the same position, without already having one, forces you to deal from a position of weakness. Some employers will not even consider a candidate unless he is working ... as ludicrous as this may be! The erroneous logic behind this thought is "how good can he be? He does not even have a job!" It is sometimes quite difficult to convince an employer that maybe there are some extenuating circumstances as to why a particular candidate is without a job.

We all must have seen many outstanding executives who were unemployed at one time or another over the years, go on to achieve tremendous success with companies which were willing to take a chance on them. Many have also recruited so-called "superstars" for clients, only to have them fall flat on their face in their new assignments.

If your job situation has become untenable-you must hang on, at almost all costs, until you obtain a new one! Even if you have to "eat crow", you do it! We all have at one time or another. Many executives make the mistake of letting their egos rule their brain. A little satisfaction received by telling the boss off and storming out of the office is not worth the consequences of being unemployed while looking for a job.



If you ever feel really "steamed," then tell the boss you are not feeling well, and take a couple of days off. It is much better to do that, than to be out on the street with no job.

Not only is it worse to approach a new employer without already having one, but there are two consequences which will usually occur:

1. Your reference checks tend to be much more thorough. Not already having a job is an obvious "red flag"-and all "red flags" are closely scrutinized. You also must agree that reference checks have to come through a little stronger and more positive to offset the fact that you are unemployed.
   
   
2. Salary offers tend to be lower. When the potential employer knows you do not presently have a job, the economic theory of supply and demand operates. Your demand is just not as great when you do not already have a job.

A suggestion when you are unemployed and feel you are receiving a "low-ball" offer because of this fact, counter with, "I really am interested in your offer, but unfortunately it is not competitive with other offers I have recently received within the industry." You may be bluffing, but it is a calculated risk to create a higher demand for your services by potentially creating competition for the supply.

Do not get carried away in this ploy by making up any specific names of other employers who have supposedly made you better job offers. The employer might check with them, and you would end up with no offers! Also, if you really have no other offers and the prospects are not particularly bright, then accept the offer. A low paying job is substantially better than no job!

We all must have seen many executives who were unemployed for extended periods of time, continually pass by job offers because they either did not pay what they felt they were worth, or the job itself was not quite what they thought they were looking for. Meanwhile, they were rapidly eating up their savings. Since we cannot buy groceries with pride, we sometimes should swallow a little of the abundance we all seem to have.