Finding the time to look for a new job

[Anonymous]

I am thinking of changing jobs as I am ready to do something different (my current job is ok but I've been here awhile and things in management are changing is a not so good way). I'm not really in a rush to change but would like to look towards leaving in the next 6-12 months. The problem is, with working FT and having two young kids (I have two under 3), I don't know when I would find time to job search. I know that job searching takes a lot of time and I want my next position to be a good fit so I don't want to half ass the search. But by the time I get the kids down and clean up a little, it's already 9:30/10pm and I am exhausted. Weekends are not much easier as I am trying to keep up with housework, activities, etc.

I am looking for advice for those who have BTDT--as a FT WOH parent, how did you find the time to job search? What tips do you have? Should I work with a recruiter? Financially, I could afford to stop working for awhile (a few months to a year) and take my time to job search while spending more time with the kids. I have plenty of family in the area who could help watch the kids while I spent a few hours a week applying/interviewing. But I am scared to do that as I always hear it is "easier to find a job while you have a job".

Thoughts or advice? TIA!

[Anonymous]

Looking for work, is a job in itself.

You just have to make the time. Even at 9:30/10pm -- take a 30mins or an hour each night.
Spend a few days to update your resume.

Then spend time to search / post online a few days each week. The auto search functions of the job search sites (indeed/monster, etc) can email you matching keywords every day, so it minimizes how much stuff you have to search through. After the first few days, it will seem less overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Best way to find opportunities is through networking. Start letting some of your friends in the field know that you are thinking about a new job and ask them to point you towards any leads. I'd also set up an auto-search for new jobs. Maybe ask your nearby family to help with dinner or clean up duties once a week and look in earnest during that time.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I agree with using my network and I have been doing that in the past few weeks. I am slowly setting up lunches/coffee with people in my industry to get their input and keep their eyes open for opportunities.

In terms of finding the time, what I am struggling with is whether or not I should just quit my current job so that I can really focus on my job search (and spend some more time with the kids) or if quitting without a new job is going to work against me? I know that being a SAHM for the long-term is not the right thing for me but I do feel like while we are in a financial position to afford it, I should take advantage of the opportunity to spend more time with the kids while finding a job that would be a really good fit. Otherwise, I am afraid I will get frustrated with the search and just give up due to lack of time/too much stress.

[Anonymous]

No, don't quit. I am unemployed and it is so hard to have to explain that in interviews.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same boat OP. Two years ago we had major layoffs and though my job was safe, it motivated me to work with a professional to update my resume and apply for a couple of jobs just in case. Things calmed down at work but I'm in the same boat as you as in I need to find a new job...writing is on the wall and senior management is getting less and less flexible. Luckily, the leg work I did two years ago helped some in that updating the resume didn't seem like that big of a deal this time around.

For now, I'm doing what I can at work and at home. Like a PP said, even just 30 minutes here or there can help. I am blatantly doing it at work some. I'm so desperate that I don't care if I get caught. I need a new job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best way to find opportunities is through networking. Start letting some of your friends in the field know that you are thinking about a new job and ask them to point you towards any leads. I'd also set up an auto-search for new jobs. Maybe ask your nearby family to help with dinner or clean up duties once a week and look in earnest during that time.

Also update linked in and start your search there. Do you have any connections (or 2nd degree connections) who work in places that might suit you?

[Anonymous]

Can you go down to part time at your current job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you go down to part time at your current job?

OP here. I doubt it. And I would hate to have my boss go through the red tape of getting me approved and then leave. I really like my direct supervisor and I think she knows that I would like to leave so I don't want to put her reputation on the line with all of the upper management issues going on right now.

[Anonymous]

Just put it as a priority, work on it some every day. When I was really ready to leave, I have to admit, I did quite a bit of job hunting during working hours. You have to get it done if it is important to you.

[Anonymous]

I've got a similar situation and here's what I've done:

- gave myself an hour each day, usually early AM at home or work to research, studying job postings and profiles on LinkedIn. I was just seeing what's out there and collecting language that matched my skills
- Took off one full day of work and, using that language, revamped my resume, wrote a generic cover letter, update my LinkedIn profile, and set up job searches
- rededicated that hour every day to researching organizations where I'd like to work and building my network. That means not just adding connections to my LinkedIn profile (I'll send a request to anyone with whom I've got three or more shared connections), it also means reconnecting with anyone who might provide a lead: former colleagues and managers, classmates, playdate parents, that mom I met at a kids party last weekend. Sometimes I get interested in an organization after reading a news item or Facebook post, and I'll look to see if they have any openings
- When finding a lead, hired a babysitter or asked husband to take the kid for the first half of Saturday and use that time to research the company/org and tailor my resume and cover letter to the position

That might mean one or two applications per month, but it's the ironic advantage of searching while employed. I've sent out four good applications since I started in earnest in May; nothing yet, but these things take time. The best thing has been building my network because it's definitely the way most jobs get filled. Just a phone call or email from the right person to the right person-- they don't even have to know you well (or at all) if the qualifications are a match. There's just a need for some kind of pre-vetting.

So, you can do it while still working, you just have to a few large chunks of time to get started and then commit a portion of your day to it to maintain and build your search

[Anonymous]

Don't quit your job. It might give you more time to look for a new job, but would make landing a new job harder, especially since it sounds like you'd be quitting basically because you don't want to work there anymore, not for a more strategic purpose.

[Anonymous]

I doing that right now. I took about a month and updated my resume on the weekends. I did a lot of networking lunches. Many nights after I put my kid to bed, I spend an hour or so working on 'job hunting' stuff, like e-mails and network calls. I also have some job searching books I read here and there. good luck!