Welcome to “Dear Dana”, my occasional column to give you career and workplace advice/coaching. Please write in and tell me about a career challenge or frustration you’re facing at the office! Today we’re answering a question about interviewing for a job you don’t want. – Dana Theus, Executive & Career Coach
Dear Dana, I’ve been thinking of looking for a job since I’ve been at my current employer for a while now and I don’t think my career is going anywhere here. But I haven’t updated my resume or really gotten serious about it. We’re pretty busy and it’s distracting. Anyway, a few people outside work know I’m not happy and one texted me about a possible job in her firm. I don’t think I want to work for the company, and the job isn’t exactly what I’m interested in, but maybe I should do it anyway? I keep thinking maybe it would help me get myself more serious about a job search so I’m tempted for that reason but my partner keeps telling me interviewing for a job you don’t want is a bad idea. What do you think? – Ambivalent in Denver
Dear Ambivalent,
You’re right to ask yourself if it’s a good idea to waste anyone’s time interviewing for a job don’t want. Preparing for a job interview takes some focus. Scheduling and participating in an interview also take time for everyone involved. As with many options to spend your time and energy, there can be pros and cons:
Possible PROS of Interviewing for a Job You Don’t Want
- You might find out you’re more interested in the job than you think
- It can be a healthy boost to your ego to accept an invitation to interview
- You can get good practice at interviewing and translating your experience to new situations
- (As you say) it can put you in the job search mindset if you’re not there already
Possible CONS of Interviewing for a Job You Don’t Want
- You can feel ethically disingenuous, implying you’re interested in a job when you’re not
- It can be a distraction to you and sap time and energy you want to put towards other things
- It can be a time waste for them, risking a burned bridge with your friend and her colleagues
- You might find yourself tempted by an opportunity that down deep doesn’t really resonate, but which distracts you from digging down there to figure what you really DO want
Get Clear on the Job You DO Want
It’s this last point I think is most important. You have a sense that your friends’ opportunity is not what you want, so follow that thread more deeply to hone in as closely as you can on what you want. Why? As soon as you start talking about what you’re looking for with enthusiasm your friends and colleagues will start pointing you towards opportunities you find more exciting. Maybe the friend who opened this door, has other doors to open but isn’t thinking about them because she’s clueless about what you want.
How your network can help you sniff out your perfect job: tell people specifically what you’re looking for so they can smell it, too. @DanaTheus – Click to Tweet
So my advice is to follow your instinct and pay attention to the cons first, turning down the opportunity while explaining as clearly as possible what you’re looking for. But stay open to possibilities once you’ve explained your job search goals.
Talking about what kind of opportunity you’re looking for, with specificity, can have magical effects. Doing so activates your network to hunt down that needle in the haystack, your perfect job. In some circumstances, you may decline the opportunity, explaining what you are looking for, and the company might still encourage you to come in, just to learn more. If you’ve been honest with them and they still want to talk to you, then you don’t need to feel guilty about taking their time. In that case, you can get the interview practice and learn more. This should also help you your feeling about what you are looking for. Does talking to them about another possibility confirm your original desires? Or maybe opens your eyes to some new things you’d like? Why not go find out?
You Opened A Door – Now is the Time to Walk Through It
Here’s what I find most interesting about your dilemma. You acknowledged that you’re restless and feel you should start a job search. You’ve mentioned this feeling to others. Having this thought and sharing it was enough to produce a not-quite-bullseye opportunity, and now you have to decide if interviewing for a job you don’t want is a good idea.
Just imagine what might happen if you got serious about your job search, figured out what you really wanted, and started talking about that? If you have the experience many of my clients have, once you start being so intentional about your career planning approach, your perfect job will find you!
Dana Theus
Executive & Career Coach
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