Telling employer I have a interview - advice

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Hi,

Just looking for other professionals opinions on this. I have worked at my job for six plus years and have good relationship with my boss. I feel I have more or less reached my plateau in my current position (have no upward mobility potential doing what I am doing). Last October I told my boss how I felt and advised I was planning on looking for a new job in the next year (2006).

Because of where I live and the type of work I am looking to get into, it has been difficult to find opportunities. In 2006 to date I have had only four interviews. The first two earlier in the year were disasters. The last two were in the last week and went quite well, and for both I have a second interview lined up next week. These interviews are taking place in another city (four hours away), therefore I keep requesting days off to attend them. This is starting to weigh on me.

I feel pretty good that I may likely get offered both jobs and then end up choosing between them. But on the other hand I may be offered neither. I need to take another day off next Friday and I was contemplating telling my boss what I need it off for and why I have been taking the days off the last few weeks (for interviews).

Given the fact that I do not yet have an offer, does anyone think this is wise to tell my boss I am shortlisted for a new job?

Or do you think it is best to just request another day off and only advise them of the job change if I actually get a job offer?

Basically I feel like I am doing something wrong and being sneaky doing this interviewing and I don't want my resignation to come as a total surprise.

Any comments or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
 
There are certain obligations that employees have to employers, adn certain thigns they are not obliged to do.

Does a boss ever tell an employee that they may close down a divison and lay him off in the next year before its oficially announced? Does he ever say that he's interviewing other people for the open spot that you are expecting to get promoted into? That he's interviewing someone for your job and when he finds the right person he plans to fire you?

It's just business. Don't let a good working relationship with your boss interfere with that. What you do when you are not at work, and why you take days off is no ones business but your own. As long as you do your job when you are there, take vacation or personal days for the days you are away from work (ie don't lie and take sick days), and should you resign give the appropriate amount of notice, you will have fulfilled your obligations to your employer and will have done nothing wrong or sneaky.
 
I say Round 1 interviews don't require a heads up, but if you get to a 2nd round, or have a good vibe that you might get an offer, then you should share it with your boss, at very least to get some advice if he's someone you trust and have a good professional relationship with.
 
Employees and employers don't owe each other anything beyond what is required by law.

In the U.S. your employment is "at will", meaning you're employed at the discretion of the employer (unless there are additional contractual agreements between the parties). Like "Super I" stated, they don't give you a heads up when layoffs are coming (they'll deny it right up until the day they walk people out).

If you're sure the new position is the direction you want to go, I would not say anything (I wouldn't even let them know I'm looking) until the other job is signed and a start date agreed to. Then give your current employer the standard two weeks. No need to give more time than two weeks. State that you are moving on for better pastures and are thankful for the opportunity they presented you. Don't let them talk you out of leaving.

Once a person quits, they're essentially damaged goods and it's best to quietly ride out your two weeks in good faith and move on. But you always want to leave on good terms with most people as you will run into them again.

Bottom line is employees are not owed anything other than being paid appropriate compensation for the value they bring to the organization. Employers are not owed anything beyond what what is stated in your employment contract.
 
Really? Tell your boss? Why? That's sucking ftupid. But L2, I think you are such a nice person for feeling that way.
 
Ok, thanks all for your comments. I was on the fence and I think you all provided good reasons for going either route. I totally know I have no obligation to say anything, it was strictly out of professional respect as I am both an employee and a friend of my current boss. I think it would be in my best interests at this point to not say anything and if I do in fact get an offer that I choose to accept, I will negotiate a starting date that enables me to give whatever notice my current employer asks for (being reasonable of course).
 
L2

just don't
bosses are human beings
they feel betrayed when one of their reliable assets are leaving or trying to leave
I have gone thruh that numerous times
a boss feels suddenly unsecure about the resource u are or u used to be
he cant count on u anymore
he wont assign u the big interesting project anymore
he wont trust u anymore
once he knows ur life will be not exactly hell but u will feel like an outcast
tell him when ur resigning
good luck
 
Not no, but hell no. For many reasons. Here's one of many: you take the 2nd interview, you get the job. You decide to stay where you are. But you've told your boss. The odds are better that you're fvcked than not.

On an unrelated note: if you take the job, and your current employer tries to offer you a new package to stay, then you DEFINITELY should leave. Because offering you a new package (more money! more bonus! better title! more vacation!) essentially says, "We've been fvcking you all along, and now that we're in danger of losing you, will start to compensate you based on your actual market value."

I miss AFOT.
 
L2: It's good to see you're not going to say anything until you have a bird in the hand.


To all:

One last thing. No matter how much we personally like the people we work for and with. Remember, business is business and friends are friends. All humans have emotions and all of us are programmed to do what's in our own self interests when push comes to shove, even if we know it's going to screw someone else that we like. I've seen too many overly loyal people(workers) get screwed and feel betrayed when a boss or the company puts their interests ahead of a good employees.

I know it's cold, but there are no friends when it comes to work and money. All you can do is be make sure you do good work and be as professional as possible so no one can ever say you were dishonest or that your work performance was not acceptable. When asked about performance and integrity, people will usually state the truth whether they personally liked the person or not(especially if performance is constantly measured).

Take care.
 
yeah. don't do it, unless it is for an internal posting. If you get an offer it does makes sense to tell them you are considering it, but only if you likley intend to accept it.
 
"I know it's cold, but there are no friends when it comes to work and money."

Allow me to be the foil on this one.

Loyalty, friendship, and hard work will be rewarded. That is the long-view approach. If you take a me-first short view, it is not necessarily to your advantage, in the long run.

When I started in the industry (in M&A) the economy was bad. The group I was in had about 20 analysts. One day, we had 15. A few months later, we had 10. The axe was falling everywhere. Some of us had the faith that if we hung in there, did our jobs well, and did what we could to help the firm, it would all work out in the end. We all knew that at the end of the day, a few of the analyst pool would survive, the economy would turn around and the survivors would be fast-tracked up the ladder. How people reacted to that was interesting. Some of us figured we would do the best job we could, work together, and prove our value to the firm. Others figured that as long as they were in the top one or two, they didn't have to worry about anybody else.

The guys who were self-interested lasted for the first couple of cuts. But they were pricks. They'd throw you under the bus at any opportunity to make themselves look good. Once we got down to five, they were gone. The five of us who were left were all dedicated to the firm and to making it all work. Then the axe fell on four of us. But it fell softly; our MD made calls on our behalf, and we weren't so much fired as transferred to new firms. It worked out pretty well for us.

Then we would get calls from the self-interested guys. Is your new firm hiring more analysts? (We were). Will you put in a good word? (Well, you were smart, and you could do the job, but, um, when the pressure was on, you threw me under the bus, so, no, I won't).

The point being that short-view self-interest can really end up screwing you in the long run.
 
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