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<\/p>\nHave you flirted with the idea of a potential job or career change?<\/p>\n
It can be tricky looking for a new job while you’re still employed, especially while trying to keep your plans private or if you’re wanting to leave your employer on good terms.<\/p>\n
Experts say there are a few things to consider before you start the process and how and when to handle conversations with employers, should the right position come up.<\/p>\n
‘Be mindful’ when you start job hunting<\/p>\n
If you’ve already downloaded a job-seeking app or have started trawling websites of certain employers that appeal to you, “you’re not doing the wrong thing”, says Dr Ryan Gould, from Griffith University’s Business School on the Gold Coast\/Kombumerri lands.<\/p>\n
“That is not illegal, it’s not a breach of confidence and it is a good thing to be doing,” says the senior lecturer from the department of management.<\/p>\n
“There have been a number of court decisions that say it’s OK to look for other work, that looking itself is not harming the company.<\/p>\n
“But the way you go about it can be construed as harm, so just be mindful of how you do it.”<\/p>\n
For starters, Dr Gould recommends you always job hunt in your personal time and use a personal device and email address for communication rather than a company one.<\/p>\n
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Roxanne Hart recommends keeping job hunting confidential. (Supplied: Roxanne Hart)<\/p>\n
Roxanne Hart, a lawyer and specialist in workplace relations law in Naarm\/Melbourne, says there is no legal reason you can’t job hunt while still employed.<\/p>\n
“The number one thing that I would suggest is tell nobody,” Ms Hart says.<\/p>\n
“Because obviously somebody who’s remaining in the business has a duty to their employer and may well feel obliged to spill the beans.<\/p>\n
“Then you may well find that you’re not being treated quite as well as what you were before.”<\/p>\n
Know your responsibilities<\/p>\n
Our experts recommend people check their employment contract or agreements before starting the job-hunting process.<\/p>\n
Dr Gould says it is important to understand how much notice you would be required to give if you were to resign.<\/p>\n
“Those notice periods are typically linked to the length of service,” he says.<\/p>\n
“So, in most industry awards, for instance, if you’ve only been there for a couple of months, one week’s notice is fine.<\/p>\n
“But the longer you’ve been there, the more notice you tend to need to give, typically between two and four weeks.”<\/p>\n
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Experts recommend that people review their employment contract or agreement before they start job hunting. (Pexels: Edmond Dant\u00e8s)<\/p>\n
Ms Hart says it is also important to know about any contractual obligations<\/a>, such as:<\/p>\n Non-compete clauses (prevent or restrict workers from moving to a competitor)Client non-solicitation clauses (restrict workers asking clients to become a customer of another business)Co-worker non-solicitation clauses (stop or restrict workers from asking co-workers to work for another business)<\/p>\n She says there are some proposed changes to non-compete clauses set to be introduced next year that will make it easier for employees to move around between businesses.<\/p>\n “The federal government’s proposing laws outlawing non-competes that stop you from working for a competing business if you earn under the high-income threshold, which is currently $190,100.”<\/p>\n She says the Corporations Act<\/a> also prohibits employees from improperly using information they obtained through their role to benefit themselves or someone else, such as a new employer, or to harm the company.<\/p>\n How to handle referees and job interviews<\/p>\n Keeping a lid on things can become more difficult when it’s time to nominate referees on a resume or schedule interviews.<\/p>\n When it comes to referees, experts say best practice is to ask that person if they are happy to vouch for you before you apply for a job.<\/p>\n