Free Career and Job Search Advice

[sfg06]

A company has requested a phone interview and a face-to-face interview with me in the next week or so. i get the sense they are very interested. However, my Dr. has said I need to have surgery in the next couple of months that will require at least 2 weeks off. How should I handle this if they make an offer? And how should I handle this with my current employer. i have a very good relationship with them now and I wouldn't want to leave on bad terms or have them feel I used them.

[ChadTheFrog]

I would be honest with them about your surgery. This will show that you're open and will not try to hide things from them right from the start. In my experience, when you land a new job and after getting the job immediately ask for time off due to personal reasons, it tends to go badly.

Does the surgery have to be planned for an exact date? You could even offer to work with the company for a convienient time to schedule your recovery period.

With the situation with your current employer, that's a tough one. On one hand, you want to be honest with them about looking for a new job and possibly leaving them soon; on the other you don't want to let them know for fear of being pushed out the door - especially if you don't get the new job. The best thing to do, in my opinion, is to try and schedule the start date for the new job far enough in advance that you could give your current employer plenty of advance notice. This may not be an option for you though.

You should sit and write down a list of pros and cons for the different actions. That may help you make a decision.

[safri]

Well, be honest about your surgery to your prospective employer. If he really needs you, he'll wait for you to get back and have you inteviewed then. With the present employer, honesty again, but careful carefull because you're right...he might feel he has been used. I say you want to develop yourself professionally and to extend your area of expertise by working on another position. You might invoke the reason of location, eventually, and other reasons like a motivational salary, the health of your family.
The situation is quite dufficult from the p.o.v. of the present employer, meaning you're getting a surgery (for real) and after wo weeks you're going to the other employer interview....the first might get angry and mght understand you in a wrong way. I say be honest to both of them.

[Ciprian13]

I believe that you should talk with your actual employer before you go to the next job,especially if you have a good relantionship with him.This way you'll leave on good terms.Maybe he will offer you a better job or maybe he will agree that you are going for a better job.Reagrding to the surgery you should announce your future employer about this matter.

[ank06]

You should not talk to the present employer about the new job until you get the new job, no matter the relationship you two share. When you get the confirmation of the second job, announce them you'll be there, and then talk to your boss and explain everything. What if you don't get the second job for sure? what will you do then? Your present employer will understand if you explain your reasons in a proper way.