At JobTracks, we've seen the consequences of unquestioned loyalty to one employer: unhappy workers and low career earnings. People perceive job loyalty and happiness in different ways. Some keep the same job for 10 or even 20 years; others feel that three years on the job shows plenty of commitment. No matter what you believe, being too loyal may be holding you back, and here's why.

There are more open jobs across all industries than the number of unemployed people: 6.6 million jobs are ripe for the picking, but only 6.3 million people are actively job hunting. If you want more from your career, now is the time to make a move.

As long as the U.S. job market remains this competitive, the real estate and title insurance and escrow industries will need to adjust. We want job holders in the title insurance and escrow industries to capitalize on the perfect moment to look elsewhere for a lucrative, fulfilling career.

Likewise, we want businesses to get better at recruiting job holders who aren't actively searching.

Why you should take the first step

Don't get ahead of yourself. To put it in perspective, we are not talking about accepting another job, at least not yet. Taking a small step doesn't necessarily mean you have to take the plunge. We are talking about taking a meeting to begin getting information about whether you should consider another job.

If you go to an interview, you may decide that the position is not right for you. But if you don't take that interview, how will you ever know? We always encourage our candidates to take a meeting so they can make an informed decision.

And taking a call or scheduling a meeting doesn't demonstrate disloyalty. It shows that you're keeping your options open in a booming job market. Our recommendation is, always stay sharp when an opportunity arises and be ready for an interview, even if you want to be loyal.

The benefits of interviewing while you have a great job

Today, opportunities to find better pay are everywhere if workers realize how much leverage they have to shop around for a better deal. Some companies are intent on completely disrupting the title insurance and escrow industries. If you don't look around, you may miss out on a chance to work for a more successful competitor, but you have to be ready.

1. Sharpen interview skills

We've seen how much people struggle during interviews. It's a common problem because many have never seen the value in practice. Sharpening interview skills can benefit all workers since there are so many job opportunities available.

If you're a more mature worker, you probably haven't had to interview in decades. If you're a college graduate, you need the rehearsal to compete in a tight labor market. The idea is to maintain an edge.

2. Get industry intelligence on competitors

If nothing else, interviewing while currently employed gives you an inside look at competitors. Ask yourself, "What makes them different?" Is it their technology, or is it their philosophy? The idea is gathering as much intelligence as possible during an interview.

Working for the same company for 10 or even 20 years is a great way to find a rut. Our experience is, once workers remember how good it feels to have a successful interview, the more they will want to keep their options open.

3. Plan a career shift

Typically, we see young college graduates fret the most about career planning. People who've been working for the same employer for so long need to worry just as much, but they don't. Taking an interview while you have a job can be a great way to start planning a career shift before quitting your current job.

4. Improve customer service skills

Our experience at JobTracks is, improving customer service skills benefits everyone. Twenty years ago, the ability to empathize with customers wasn't crucial to a company's bottom line. Today, a 5 percent improvement in customer retention can raise profitability as much as 75 percent.

In the title insurance and escrow industries, retaining customers is one of the most difficult challenges.

5. Find your value

Interviewing while employed can be a great gauge of your value to the title insurance and escrow industries. We tell our clients to ask themselves, "What are you really worth to your company?" Often, the answer is that they are worth much more than their pay grade suggests.

If you interview for an open job and your current employer finds out, you can bargain from a position of strength, rather than a position of blind loyalty.

A word of caution

At JobTracks, we advise everyone to be careful when testing the waters with potential employers. The title insurance and escrow industries are small, so we don't recommend sending resumes randomly around the business.

A much smarter tactic - our tactic - is to insist on absolute confidentiality with a recruiting service that specializes in the title insurance and escrow industries.

How JobTracks protects confidentiality

At JobTracks, we never release your name without written or verbal approval. The stakes are just too high in a booming economy. Companies ask us to exercise discretion, so we extend the same courtesy to job searchers.

Everyone enters into a nondisclosure agreement, and everyone benefits at the end of the day. Prospective employers won't hold it against you for being disloyal. In fact, it's the opposite; they will appreciate your honesty and see you as a winner for being bold enough to interview while employed.

At JobTracks, everything we do tests the status quo in the title insurance and escrow industries. As a leading provider of recruiting solutions, we realize that everyone's expectations are unique. Our goal is finding great people to fill great jobs.

Contact us and let one of our recruiters customize a solution that fits your needs best.