Are you always job seeking, even when you’re happily employed?

There’s something a little bit addictive about job hunting, because it is a hunt after all. There’s a part of our brain that switches on when we look for Easter eggs in the undergrowth, or sift through position descriptions to find a match. And then there’s the giddy hope that comes with sending off an application.

Some of us even love job interviews. After all, it’s a meeting all about oneself, with a ‘sense of occasion’ where you can dress up and put your best foot forward.

I mean, sure. There are also the crushing moments of rejection, heart-in-your-mouth nerves and gnawing insecurity that comes with putting your future in someone else’s hands. For many, there’s nothing more stressful than a job interview.

The term ‘always interviewing’ describes those who continue to job seek even when they’re happily employed, going as far as attending interviews. Why? They say it’s a good way to test their skills against the market and solidify what it is about them that makes them special.

Hiring managers and those in recruitment, on the other hand, describe this behavior, as “unethical, disingenuous and a total waste of everyone's time. Being duplicitous compromises personal brand reputations and trust,” as Sue Parker puts it.

I asked LinkedIn members what they think. Check it out and vote in the poll, below.

Here are some of the comments that sum up the perspectives on whether it’s a good idea to be ‘always interviewing’.

YES, go for it, but be honest

Rich Lewis-Jones: “If brands can and are attracting passive talent in to their talent pool then I think there is no harm in Talent passively interviewing, as long as your intentions are clear. On a couple of occasions, I’ve had companies reach out to me saying they’d like to speak with me. I’ve obliged but made my intentions clear.”?

NO, hiring managers already have it tough right now

Sarah Felice: “You should not go for an interview you have absolutely no interest in, it wastes everyone's time. That's especially true in the current market which is tight and where talent acquisition managers and recruiters are working hard already.”

YES, it’s worth it to see if you ‘spark’ with a hiring manager

Charles Young: “The ‘X factor’, which can never be captured in a job advert, is the chemistry that may or may not occur when a candidate meets a hiring manager — the personal fit one may ‘feel’ when they experience the values of the new company in person.?

"The chance of this special reaction occurring is not always super high but it is certainly worth the exercise of putting yourself in the position to get lucky, so to speak.”

NO, it can be harmful to your confidence

Pam Macdonald: “As a coach and developer of leaders, I often focus clients on their mindset and activity that has the highest impact. Applying for roles that you have no interest in can have a range of negative implications on your mindset as it spreads your energy thin and can dilute your confidence if you are unsuccessful.”

YES, you could find your dream job

Zoe Davies:

“I believe it is a great way to make connections, and in many instances you may actually find the job much more appealing when you learn more about the role. It is also great interview practice, and helps you see what other opportunities are available.”

NO, you may push out a genuine candidate from the shortlist

Ganga Sudhan: “Throwing an application in 'just to see what happens' is especially cruel because they might only have time to shortlist a couple of candidates and end up spending a lot of precious energy considering the person who has absolutely no intention of taking up the role.”

YES, and don’t feel bad about wasting an employer’s time

Athena Ali: “It's interesting to see that most see it as a waste of time for the employer, but then employers are known to waste candidate time (especially in the public sector) by asking them to make presentations or deliberately knowing there's an 'internal' for the job and still making them jump through hoops.

“The latter is what happens 90% of the time. I say if it's good enough for the employer it's good enough for the candidate.”

So there you have it. There are pros and cons to ‘always interviewing’. What do you think? Have you ever applied for a job you had no intention of taking? Does attending an interview sound like fun or torture to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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