Can you apply for jobs while you are employed?
Yes. In England, Wales and Scotland nothing stops you applying for jobs while you are employed, and we found no rule that you must tell your current employer. What binds you is the notice period in your contract, which is at least one week by law once you have worked a month. Check your contract before you accept an offer, and give a new employer a start date your notice allows.
Looking for a new job while you still have one is legal in the UK. The things to check are your notice period, your contract and what you tell a new employer.
In this article
Applying for jobs while you are employed is normal and legal. This post covers England, Wales and Scotland, where the main questions are your notice period, your contract and what you say to a new employer. Northern Ireland and other countries have their own rules.
Nothing here is legal advice. Your own contract decides most of the details.
Can I apply for a new job while I am still employed?
Yes. We found no rule in the UK that stops an employee from applying, sending a CV or going to interviews. Your obligations to your employer change when you resign, not when you start looking.
GOV.UK's guidance on handing in notice starts from the contract: check it for your employer's policy. It also lists restrictions on working for a competitor as something to check. If you are applying to a competitor, read that clause before you accept an offer, not after.
Do I have to tell my employer?
We found no source that says you must. The step GOV.UK describes comes later: you tell your employer you are leaving and when your last day will be.
Keep the search off work equipment and work email. That is a practical point, not a legal finding, since your employer may have its own rules on how its devices are used.
How much notice do I have to give?
At least one week once you have worked for a month, and often more. Section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 sets the employee's minimum at one week after a month of employment. A contract cannot go below that minimum, but it can set a longer period.
Acas says the contract, your written statement or a staff policy may require more, so read those first. If you leave with less notice than required and nothing is agreed, you are likely in breach of contract. Acas lists a wage deduction where the contract allows it, a claim through the county court or sheriff's court, and a poorer reference as possible results.
What do I tell a new employer?
Tell them your notice period when you get an offer, and give the date you can actually start. If your contract says four weeks, a start date in two weeks needs your current employer to agree to it.
If you are unsure, ask your employer whether a shorter notice is possible and get any agreement in writing. Acas says a written agreement helps avoid confusion.
Can I take time off for interviews?
Not as a general right. Acas describes a right to reasonable time off to look for work for employees who are being made redundant and have two years or more of service. Pay for that time is limited to 40% of a week's pay, and the employer can refuse only with reasonable grounds.
Outside redundancy, the usual routes are annual leave, an interview at the start or end of the day, or an agreed change of hours.
Is it different if I am unemployed?
The application is the same. You tailor your CV to each ad either way, which our guide on how to tailor your CV to a job description covers. The difference is the start date: you can often start sooner, while someone in a job has a notice period.
If you are employed, a short cover letter can say when you could start. Our guide on writing a cover letter covers what to put in it.
What to do next
- Read your contract, written statement and any staff policy for the notice period and for restrictions on competitors.
- Apply from your own device and email address.
- Ask for interviews outside your working hours, or book leave.
- When you get an offer, agree a start date that your notice period allows.
- Resign in writing only after the new offer is confirmed in writing.
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CVTailor reads the job ad and shows which of its keywords your CV is missing. You can edit everything before you download the PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to tell my employer I am looking for another job?
We found no UK rule that requires it. GOV.UK describes the point where you tell your employer you are leaving and when your last day will be, which is when you resign.
Can I attend interviews in work time?
Not as a general right. Employees made redundant with at least two years of service can ask for reasonable time off to look for work. Otherwise, use annual leave or ask your manager.
Does applying while employed look worse than applying while unemployed?
No source we found says so. The applications are the same, and a current job means you may have a notice period to work.
Can I give less notice than my contract says?
Only if your employer agrees. Without an agreement you are likely to be in breach of contract, and Acas lists a possible wage deduction, a court claim and a worse reference as consequences.
Sources
- Acas says an employee with at least one month of service owes a statutory minimum of one week's notice, that the contract, written statement or staff policy may require more, and that leaving without agreement is likely a breach of contract. Acas
- Section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 sets the employee's minimum notice at one week after a month of employment, and says a shorter period in a contract cannot go below the statutory minimum. legislation.gov.uk
- GOV.UK tells employees to check the contract for the employer's policy on notice, to tell the employer they are leaving and when the last day will be, and lists pay during notice and restrictions on working for a competitor as rules to check. GOV.UK
- Acas says employees made redundant with 2 years or more of service can ask for reasonable time off to look for work, with pay limited to 40% of a week's pay, and an employer can refuse only with reasonable grounds. Acas