Ask Asa: What Applicants For A Different Department Job Should Tell The Boss
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If you are unemployed, you know it's a jobless jungle out there. To help you navigate the unemployment terrain, NY1's Employment reporter Asa Aarons has answers to some viewers' questions.
Nadine of New York says a friend had a bad experience applying for a job in a different department at the same company.
She writes: The manager of the department she was applying to said she was the preferred candidate and that she would need a reference from my friend's current manager.
The potential new boss wanted a reference from current boss got it. But then, after the employee revealed she was looking for a new job and getting the reference, things turned for the worse.
Nadine continues: They told my friend that they are still interviewing candidates and haven't made a decision. Now that her job hunting is known, she's nervous. What would be the proper protocol in a situation like this?
Sincerely, Nadine
Nadine, if it was a department switch in the same organization, I'll bet the farm that her present boss knew about her looking before she was asked for the reference.
It is common courtesy within companies for a department head to tell another department head when a member of their team applies. Within an organization, you are often better off developing a good relationship with your department head, so when opportunities come up he or she will help you take advantage of them.
If you are applying outside an organization, it's a different story. You certainly don't have to announce your intentions, but there are some things though that are a real turn off to potential employers:
• Job hunting using e-mail addresses from your present company. That tells them you might be looking for a job when you should be working.
• Calling off sick to go to a job interview.
If the potential new boss picks up on these things, the logical conclusion is, “If the employee cheats a present employer, the employee will cheat me.”
So set up your own e-mail address, schedule interviews and take a legitimate day off or vacation day. Remember, what you say and how you treat your present employers speaks volumes about how you'll treat a future one.
If you have an employment story, a job, a new interview technique, or something you want to share with those looking for work or those doing the hiring, contact Asa Aarons at askasa@ny1.com.