is it rude/wrong to submit resume and job apps for positions "just in case"?

[vash]

my name is on some very good list. i get letters asking me to apply all the time. i just got one lately that is a decent position. i love my current job, and it would take a killer deal to make my quit and move. is it cool to send my resume just for the sport of it? i would hate to waste someone's time, but you never know.

[fintstone]

I know I do all the time...at least if they are big promotions. As little as employers post about positions they are trying to fill...it is the only way you can ever really tell if your are interested. Obviously if you would never consider taking the position...you should not waste their time.

[vash]

thanks fint. havent chatted with you for a long time. i think i may send my latest resume. great position, close to home.

[aigel]

If you have a few years under your belt with the current employer, if there is even a slight chance you may take the job and if it is safe (word will not get back to your employer) you should send the resume. I always got my biggest raises / advances in my career from changing jobs. The new employer needs to get you to join. The old one only needs you to stay. You do the math.

George

[Rick Lee]

Sometimes I wonder if it's such a bad thing for my employer to see my resume on Careerbuilder or Monster. They need to know that they are just as expendable as they view us. When you've survived a few rounds of layoffs or seemingly random firings, I don't think there's anything wrong with putting your resume out there. Your only job security is your ability to find your next one. There's nothing disloyal about looking out for #1.

The last time I was laid off, I had been offered a better paying job the very day before and only because I was getting kinda nervous and had started floating my resume. Sure was nice to roll into work, get laid off, not worry about it at all, call the new place and accept their offer. I took two weeks off before my start date and really enjoyed myself.

[Rick Lee]

I should add that I get plenty of calls for interviews and usually take them just to see what's out there. I have a pretty good deal going right now, as much as I hate it. I really can't complain about working from home and being left alone by the bosses. But if a better situation presents itself, I'll jump on it. If I get canned, then I'll just take that next interview a lot more seriously.

[svandamme]

well, if an employer sees your profile
and has to do a rif

and he has to choose between you, or another dude who is equally valuable to the team, but does not have his profile up for a job hunt... i think it would make it easy on him


When in a job that isn't making you puke each morning before going to work,
then you don't put your profile up for public viewing
You can occasionally hit on a vacancy if you see one that might be worth it

but you don't put a huge sign on your head that says
"show me the money and i'm quitting the current gig in 2 secs flat"

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Nope. I do it all the time. I'm also up front on the interviews about it being a "fact finding" exercise but indicate that I'm a free agent and if their opportunity/offer is good enough, there's absolutely no reason I wouldn't take it.

It's funny though - some employers actually get put off by it and it seems to yield a much lower percentage of offers than when I've looked in the past for real. Almost like if they know they don't have you over a barrel (and therefore can exploit you once you're there) they're not interested in bringing you on. Very eye-opening.

But no, there's nothing wrong with it, IMHO. Keeping one's interview skills sharp and connections open to what's going on out there is a good idea.

[fireant911]

Although this is not directly related to vash's question, it is an interesting story nevertheless.

There was a particularly poor accountant that used to work at my place of employment. I was in charge of engineering and was constantly down in his office trying to get an explanation for departmental costs that seemed to defy financial logic. He was always known to 'jingle' when he walked... transiting from office to office, coffee cup in one hand while the other hand was in his pocket racking through coins and keys. Anyway, as far as I was concerned, this guy was really incompetent and clearly did not understand his job. Apparently, he too, was frustrated with his position and began searching for other positions that could better utilize his talents (visiting other offices and jingling coins). Imagine his surprise when he saw his current job listed on Monster!!! Of course, the corporate office used a recruiter and did not directly list the company's name but the industry that the organization was affiliated is quite small coupled with the geographical area listed in the description made it rather clear to this fellow. The next day he resigned.

In regards to the question... just like it is wise to always keep an up-to-date resume on hand, it cannot hurt to look and further investigate these opportunities.

[Icemaster]

It's not necessarily bad form if you do it in the right sequence. Meet someone face to face, either network, social, professional functions, talk to them about the place and get their opinion of what the environment is like, then follow up with a resume. It's about building the relationship. Cant' have one with a piece of paper.

[Tobra]

not at all, the more options you have the better, but you don't want to leave an employer in a lurch

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by fireant911

Imagine his surprise when he saw his current job listed on Monster!!! Of course, the corporate office used a recruiter and did not directly list the company's name but the industry that the organization was affiliated is quite small coupled with the geographical area listed in the description made it rather clear to this fellow.

Same thing happened to me at my current job. I didn't get nervous though, as I just figured my company was hiring another sales person. But I knew the pay info was way, way inflated, based on my own high ranking in the sales numbers and still making way less than what they had advertised. I ended up training the girl they eventually hired. My boss had told her she had had a lot of competition for that job, but he had told me she was the only person the recruiter recommended and the only one he even called for an interview. He had also told her she'd be able to double her base salary with commissions. I didn't have the heart to tell her that was never going to happen. I was in the top 15% at the time and wasn't even close to doubling my base salary, so there was no chance of a complete noob doing it. Poor girl had taken a big pay cut to come to our company too, based on what my boss had told her. To make it worse, her husband is finishing up his degree and is not yet legal to work in the U.S. So she's the sole bread winner and left a higher paying job for one that's far more frustrating and lower paying.

[ChrisBennet]

I never post my resume on Monster and I'm pretty careful about the recruiters I do give it to. Do you know what happens when recruiter "A" who's has never met you, submits your resume' without your permission (got it from Monster) to an employer at or near the same time as recruiter "B" who you did talk to an authorize to speak on your behalf? The potential employer chucks the resume' in the trash.

As long as you are up front with the person who's time you may be wasting, I think it is OK. I have no guile so I just tell them the truth - that I like my job but if something really neat came along, I'd be interesting in discussing it. Even then, the recruiter might not mind wasting the client's time and your's...

If you're only interested in jumping ship to make money, this is going to be a turn off to most employers. They want someone who wants to work for them vs someone who's only in it for the money.

-Chris

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Same thing happened to me at my current job. I didn't get nervous though, as I just figured my company was hiring another sales person. But I knew the pay info was way, way inflated, based on my own high ranking in the sales numbers and still making way less than what they had advertised. I ended up training the girl they eventually hired. My boss had told her she had had a lot of competition for that job, but he had told me she was the only person the recruiter recommended and the only one he even called for an interview. He had also told her she'd be able to double her base salary with commissions. I didn't have the heart to tell her that was never going to happen. I was in the top 15% at the time and wasn't even close to doubling my base salary, so there was no chance of a complete noob doing it. Poor girl had taken a big pay cut to come to our company too, based on what my boss had told her. To make it worse, her husband is finishing up his degree and is not yet legal to work in the U.S. So she's the sole bread winner and left a higher paying job for one that's far more frustrating and lower paying.

I got caught in that kind of situation once, I think I was there about 6 months and the only topic of conversation amongst the reps was how their latest interview just went. There was a genuine celebration when anyone got another job.

I think its fine to send out a resume or two once in a while, the "company" will send you to the door if the stock price drops too much so I dont see why an employee should be so loyal.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by svandamme

well, if an employer sees your profile
and has to do a rif

and he has to choose between you, or another dude who is equally valuable to the team, but does not have his profile up for a job hunt... i think it would make it easy on him


When in a job that isn't making you puke each morning before going to work,
then you don't put your profile up for public viewing
You can occasionally hit on a vacancy if you see one that might be worth it

but you don't put a huge sign on your head that says
"show me the money and i'm quitting the current gig in 2 secs flat"

+1 - never post your resume on Monster if currently employed.

Most companies have a Monster account. All HR or hiring managers have to do is search their company name in the resume database. This will bring up all former and current employees resumes on Monster. It can be an eyeopener to them.

It is one thing to go send a resume and interview when approached by a company. It is another to openly post your resume on Monster - actively looking for a job. Every company knows you may get poached by another company. But it's a whole different ballgame if you are actively looking.

George

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by aigel

It is one thing to go send a resume and interview when approached by a company. It is another to openly post your resume on Monster - actively looking for a job. Every company knows you may get poached by another company. But it's a whole different ballgame if you are actively looking.

George

I don't consider having a resume on Monster or Careerbuilder to be actively looking. I think most of my co-workers, even the top producers, have resumes up there. Nothing wrong with letting HR know they don't have you by the balls. Now, interviewing with direct competitors of your current employer is what I'd call actively looking. That's the kind of stuff that will get you canned the second your boss or HR gets wind of it.

Most of us will get no warning at all if/when the axe falls. Why shouldn't we be prepared to start a serious job search as soon as that happens? I still have a few interview requests in my email, to which I have not yet responded. They just don't sound promising enough. But if I get laid off tomorrow, of course, I'd call those other places right away to get interviews.

[aigel]

You have a point Rick. Probably depends on the industry. In mine there is a long training period generally, and employers do not appreciate putting that into a person and then seeing them shopping around.

G

[Tishabet]

I like my job and my company, and have been there for over five years. That being said, my advice to others is to always have an oar in the water.

[Superman]

In my view, it is imperative that you do this. Markets work more efficiently with greater participation. Workers often get their best deal with they change jobs. Wages might keep up with inflation, but they often fall short of compensating your fairly for your increased experience and value. Job-change often means a 20% bump.

Employers are not building a reputation of being loyal to you. Generally speaking. They are better plugged in to the labor market than you are. In other words, workers' complacency allows employers to pay under-market. The more you 'shop' your skills, the more honest you keep the employers. I'm just borrowing a page from the "free market" idolaters. Employment markets work most efficiently if the sellers of labor (you and I) make themselves available, and pay attention to what the marketplace values.

[Rick Lee]

I kind of agree with Superman here. I got a 40% raise once for threatening to leave for a better offer. I wasn't bluffing either. Had I just gone along with the current deal, it would have taken years to get to that level of income, even though I was told in the interview that it was very likely the first year. Boss gave me an instant 40% raise and made it retroactive to the beginning of that month.

Your employer will never miss a chance to tell you they've been good to you. But how often do people get fired or laid off with two weeks notice? Never. There is nothing at all wrong with keeping an eye out for a better deal. A job is not a marriage.