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I am interviewing and most, if not all, video call interviews are set for business hours. It is not possible for me to take a whole day off for them, and it is difficult to commute home on time to make the video conferences at the requested times.

Given this situation, which is the best way to handle it? I have been interviewing in my job location, using empty conference rooms and whatever locations are available. Most interviews have taken place after my job hours. Some have been during my job hours, so I put into the extra time after the interview to compensate it. Since it is not possible to use skype through the company's proxy, I am using my own internet (mobile phone set as WiFi hotspot).

I am worried about the ethical considerations of this situation?

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If your company allows staff the use of their facilities for taking personal calls and such, as long as you're doing this in your own time and not the company time then all you have to say is that it is a personal call.

On the other hand, those times you have admitted that have been during working hours would definitely not be ethical and I would consider asking to re-arrange these to a more suitable time.

If your boss does find out, you just need to be honest. If you're using your own time and not abusing your employers time then you aren't doing anything wrong.

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Given this situation, which is the best way to handle it?

Schedule interviews for before or after working hours while you are home whenever possible. Most interviewers will understand and work with you to find a more convenient time if you press them.

You may decide to come in to work late or leave early in order to interview during "work hours". That's how most folks handle it.

When they must be done during work hours, do the interviews during your lunch break. Do them offsite whenever possible. Seek out a quiet place like a library conference room, a park, or even your car if you can. Only use company property when you absolutely can't do it anywhere else. This should almost never happen.

That way, you are always doing them on your own personal time and not company time.

How should I react if my boss finds out? How should I answer if I am caught red-handed?

The only way you can handle it is to be honest. You were caught interviewing, so just admit it and be prepared to deal with the fallout.

Expect that you will be treated differently once they know you are planning to leave.

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    Additionally, I would avoid using any company resources to facilitate the call. Also, as it is a video call, the OP needs to ensure no confidential information is visible to the camera.
    – Eric
    Aug 9, 2018 at 22:30
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Using company assets for personal use without permission is unethical regardless of how you rationalise it. If you're worried about being caught, then you already know this.

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It is perfectly ethical to look for another job. It is also perfectly ethical to not inform your boss about it, because there are plenty of bosses who can't get that someone might want a job elsewhere and that they have the right to do so, and these bosses might make your life very difficult if you find out.

So what is the cost of this for your company? The cost seems to be the cost of you sitting in the office. Since they have to pay the rent, the heating, the cost of your desk and chair anyway, that cost is negligible. So I don't see any ethical problem here.

If anyone tells you it's unethical or unprofessional to look for a new job, don't listen to them. If anyone tells you you should tell your boss about interviews, most definitely don't listen to them.

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  • MANY company handbooks have a clause that all company equipment is to be used for company business only. How should the OP act if this is the case?
    – Old_Lamplighter
    Aug 7, 2018 at 12:45
  • @RichardU Since he is using his own phone/connection for the calls, the only equipment in question is the office space/time, which (unless there is a dire lack of conference rooms/availability) seems negligible. I am assuming the total volume of such calls is not too excessive (maybe one or two dozen max, not hundreds over a year).
    – A.S
    Aug 7, 2018 at 13:55
  • @A.S the point is that company assets are being used. That's all they need to say to be able to initiate disciplinary procedures.
    – Old_Lamplighter
    Aug 7, 2018 at 15:36
  • If the company acts like that, then he was absolutely right to look for a new job.
    – gnasher729
    Aug 8, 2018 at 23:14
  • @A.S The OP only states that he or she is using their personal internet. The implication to me was that Skype was still running on the company machine, just that the company machine had been connected to the OP's personal Wi-Fi. In any case, the OP did not unambiguously state that no company property was used.
    – Eric
    Aug 9, 2018 at 22:34

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