I graduated in December and I recently was offered and accepted my first “real” job out of school. I start next week. Although I expect this new job to be something I will be happy with, it also isn’t necessarily my “dream job”. Two main reasons why this isn’t my dream job are that it is outside of the field I went to school for, and it pays on the low end of what I’d hoped to get after I graduated. Basically, like I said this is a perfictly fine job for me, but I can imagine a lot better entry level position too.
I did send out a lot of resumes, and I’m still getting responses back. I expect to keep getting responses for a little bit too.
So, I’d still like to continue my job search, or at least “keep my eyes open” for a better job. Is it unusual for someone to get hired for a permanent full-time position and not at least pause their job search? Would this be unfair to my new employer? Do I have any obligation to give this job a chance before I consider another job?
And, if I do continue my search, how do I handle it towards potential different employers? Would it look bad to them that I’d just accepted a different position but am still looking for different jobs? Would this lead them to think I wouldn’t want to stick around at their job either? How could I best present this situation in a potential interview?
So to recap, I have been hired for a good but not great job. My main question is weather I should keep looking for a great job, even before I start my new one. I’d also like to know how to handle or explain this situation to a potential different employer.
Sure, look if you think that there may be something better out there. Lots of people do just that. If you get a better job, your current company may try to keep you with more more or better work. “Free will” employment works both ways. They may decide to have layoffs next week. You never know.
However, do not tell ANYONE at your current company that you are looking if that is what you do. You can get burned really fast doing that. You could easily get passed up for raises and promotions if you end up staying.
I have completed 2 of the 3 weeks of training for this job. It really seems like something I won’t like doing. At this point I definitely want to pursue other employment options and keep sending out my resume. I do want to stay at the job for the immediate future because it pays twice what my PT job before it was paying. There is also the slim chance that this job could turn out being something decent, but I kind of doubt it.
So, my first question is weather I should even mention this position on my resume. I just started this month, so it would be from April 2003 - Present. Would this look strange? How would it affect my chances of getting a interview somewhere else? I could see it being a positive because it would show I got hired at a legit “real” job. I could see it being a negative because I am looking for a different job immediately after getting hired at a new one.
Like Shagnasty said, my main goal is to not have my current employer find out I am looking for other work. I defintiley want to keep it quiet unless I actually get offered something else. I am not planning on any references from this job, and I will be telling prospective new employers not to call this job.
How should I spin this situation towards a potential new employer? If I simply said that the job wasn’t a good fit for me would that be a reasonable answer? What kind of reasons for leaving wouldn’t make me look bad?
Anyone with some additional input towards this situation? Anyone been in similar situations before? How did you handle it?
I absolutely agree about not telling your current employers of your plans. It all boils down to it’s YOUR happiness and future that is at stake.
One thing I’ve read is that even if you do dislike a job, you want to stay at least 6 months (unless of course you move right into a different position at another company) before you consider leaving.
I have had quite a bit of experience in reviewing resumes, and interviewing prospective employees (I’m one of those dreaded “first line of defense” type interviewers, you know, the ones you have to go through before you get passed on to the “big boss”?).
What I look for in a new employee (and of course the usual disclaimer applies here, different folks will find different things “non-negotiable” when looking for employees) is a willingness to work and learn/do the work.
Also I absolutely demand a reasonable modicum of intelligence. To me? It’s more important to have a fairly intelligent “think for him/herself” person, (even if that person may have other downfalls), than to have the most perfectly educated 4.0 GPA recruit, (and trust me, I’ve met the BIGGEST idiots with the most impressive college scores, it doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t even figure out how to hang your coat in your “cubbie” in the morning!!!).
One thing to keep in mind is that, even if you don’t like your present job, it CAN give you skills and points to put on your resume that might help with your search for your ulitimate dream job.