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2 Promising opportunities and maybe offers


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So as some of you may know, I have decided to seek a full time, higher paying opportunity. It so happens that my first 2 interviews sound very promising and interested in me. Each had a phone screen. I have been very choosy about which jobs to apply and interview for as I really want my next position to be long term and the right fit.

 

I had the formal interview with my would be boss today at job A. It sounded so promising that she asked if I was available the following Tuesday to meet and interview with someone I would be working closely with in the position. She will be giving me a call sometime tomorrow to set the time for that. She will make the final decision at the end of next week.

 

Job B actually emailed me short notice after a phone screen and wanted me to come in for an interview with the hiring managers at the same time as job A. Well, that wouldn't work obviously, so we decided on Friday. Now I'm hoping after Friday they will have more interview steps as I am more enthused about Job A, even though I would accept either one.

 

Now, what to do if Job B made an offer only shortly before A?

 

I would definitely take A over B as it's a little closer to home, would look much better on the resume since it's a very well known firm, more income potential and better working hours than B.

 

So if B were to make an offer and I just need a little more time to see about A, how would I go about this? Would I ask for a little more time to consider their offer or ask their deadline to accept the offer? I had a job offer once in a similar situation that allowed about 4 days.

 

TIA!

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you said that Job A hiring manager will be making a decision by the end of next week. So odds are you'll know beforehand. But in the event job B offers you the position first, it is completely reasonable and professional for you to ask for 24-48 hours to make your decision. I had the exact same thing go on with me 2 years ago. My 2nd option job made me an offer. I politely thanked the manager for the offer and that I was thrilled he was able to see the value I can bring to the company. With that being said I asked if it was alright if I discussed it with my family and fiancée (I wasn't engaged, just made it up to make it sound like I had family responsibilities to look after and their opinion/approval matters) and gave him an answer the following morning. He said "of course, talk it over with your family and call me in the morning". About 4 hours later my 1st option called and offered me the job. I accepted on the spot and the following morning I called and thanked the manager from job B but told him that another opportunity presented itself and made me an offer/salary that I could not refuse at this point in my life.

 

Judging by the fact your interviews are on Friday the manager might tell you that it's ok to take the weekend to think about it and get back to them Monday.

 

If I were you it would also be a smart idea to tell the mana her from Job A that you have already been offered a position with another opportunity. You don't need to tell them where exactly but what you do need to do is express that Job A is your number 1 priority and you want to work for them. However you also need some kind of assurance from them that they are A. Either going to offer you the position the following week B. That you are the only person left interviewing at this point. They'll understand as that's what a good businessman would ask for. If they're unable to assure you that you are the one they want then you need to decide whether you trust them enough to turn down job b and just have faith that you'll get Job A.... Or you need to assure yourself a job and accept job B rather than be left without a job if you turn it down and then job A Goes with another candidate.

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Banker Chick

First of all, Congrats on the possible job offers! I know you've been anxious to get out of your current situation and earn more money.

 

 

That being said, I've been in your exact situation and I did what Qboro said and asked Option B if I could have a little time to review the offer. They agreed, I went to Option A, told them I had an offer but my preference was to work for them and they called me the next day with their offer. I accepted that and told Option B I was respectfully declining.

 

 

I would caution you though to consider all the pros/cons of each job. For me I was sure Option A was the best and I enthusiastically accepted. As it turned out, I think Option B would have been the better choice but it was too late.

 

 

I wouldn't stress out too much about the timing of the offers as so many things can happen at this point. Don't ever feel pressured to accept an offer on the spot. I had a boss that would get mad when candidates didn't jump up and down and cheer when he made an offer but he ended up being a really crappy boss anyway.

 

 

Good luck -- keep us posted!!!

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I decided last night to not move forward with the interview for B, but not because of the things I mentioned. I was doing a quick glassdoor review last night and the reviews of the company were definitely not favorable. Almost every review was about how horrible the CEO was to employees...and I used to work for a small company where the CEO treated all of us like crap and I would rather dodge that bullet if I can. Plus, I applied for an identical position with them over a year ago and being a smaller company, I am also a bit concerned about the turnover. I have my 2nd interview with A next week and hoping all goes well after that final stage. :D

Edited by pink_sugar
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Hey P_S, nice job hunting skills!

 

I have been looking for a decent job for so long, your post is alien to me, but I can imagine it. What comes to mind is when we (my first wife and I) were apartment hunting back in 1995. There were two apartment buildings near each other and we applied to both. I got a call of acceptance and misunderstood which one it was, so was so happy. The one I wanted never called and the one that called turned out to be awesome! Much better than the other was considering later reviews, even though they looked better from the outside.

 

That goes for dates as well. BTW. Don't be too quick to judge.

 

My point is it's so hard to tell. They may look great now and turn out to be total crap as Banker Chick said. That said, you have no time. They will move on as well as look at you! That happened to me too.

 

It may have been rash to let one of the offers go. Your research said something, but job offers are rare. I hope job A works out!

 

Best of luck!!

 

Ken

Edited by kenmore
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Hey P_S, nice job hunting skills!

 

I have been looking for a decent job for so long, your post is alien to me, but I can imagine it. What comes to mind is when we (my first wife and I) were apartment hunting back in 1995. There were two apartment buildings near each other and we applied to both. I got a call of acceptance and misunderstood which one it was, so was so happy. The one I wanted never called and the one that called turned out to be awesome! Much better than the other was considering later reviews, even though they looked better from the outside.

 

That goes for dates as well. BTW. Don't be too quick to judge.

 

My point is it's so hard to tell. They may look great now and turn out to be total crap as Banker Chick said. That said, you have no time. They will move on as well as look at you! That happened to me too.

 

It may have been rash to let one of the offers go. Your research said something, but job offers are rare. I hope job A works out!

 

Best of luck!!

 

Ken

 

Job B hadn't made an offer. I had a phone screen and then was invited to interview. All things considered, but mostly because of the poor ratings of the work environment, I decided not to bother with that interview as it wasn't likely I would take the job anyways. It was far from home and my husbamd and I share transportation. Getting home that day would have been miserable and I wasn't too excited about the company as there seemed to be turnover and lack of growth opportunities. (It was a lighting and fixures company). I'm really adamant my next position be within an organization large enough for promotions, decent pay and full time with benefits. I have a lot of jobs on my resume, so it's really important I be in my next role for a good 3-5 years minimum...so I need to be confident it's the right role and company. I couldn't be picky before, so I had to take whatever offer came when I was unemployed (hence multiple part time and temp jobs that paid far less than I'd like) well now that I'm currently employed, I can take my time scouting out the right role instead of rushing in for a paycheck. ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Hey PS, I keep checking to see if there's been any update. Anything new?

 

I had my 2nd interview last week with A. The hiring manager said during my first interview that she hoped to make a decision by the end of last week. From what she's said and what I've heard, she is a very busy woman, so I'm not surprised they're taking their time. If I don't hear back by the end of tomorrow, I will send a follow up email to her directly inquiring on the status of the position. Let me know if you think I should wait a little longer before following up. I sent her a thank you letter shortly after my 2nd interview, thanking her for the opportunity to get to know more about the position and expressed my interest as well as reiterated that I feel the position would be a great fit for me and hoped they thought so as well.

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I had my 2nd interview last week with A. The hiring manager said during my first interview that she hoped to make a decision by the end of last week. From what she's said and what I've heard, she is a very busy woman, so I'm not surprised they're taking their time. If I don't hear back by the end of tomorrow, I will send a follow up email to her directly inquiring on the status of the position. Let me know if you think I should wait a little longer before following up. I sent her a thank you letter shortly after my 2nd interview, thanking her for the opportunity to get to know more about the position and expressed my interest as well as reiterated that I feel the position would be a great fit for me and hoped they thought so as well.

 

I definitelyt think you should wait a week or so before following up. They know you're interested, they know you think you would be a good fit, and you've thanked them. Remember, if they want to extend an offer they WILL be in touch. Good luck!

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I definitelyt think you should wait a week or so before following up. They know you're interested, they know you think you would be a good fit, and you've thanked them. Remember, if they want to extend an offer they WILL be in touch. Good luck!

 

Thanks, I was thinking of following up at the end of this week. I remember another job I had followed up with a few years ago was still deciding and gave me a timeframe of when they hoped they would decide. I got that job. I think this company is busy as well. Also, is it the norm for them to do a background check and reference check before extending an offer or afterwards? My last job did reference check, verification and background afterwards after offering the job, which was unusual.

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Thanks, I was thinking of following up at the end of this week. I remember another job I had followed up with a few years ago was still deciding and gave me a timeframe of when they hoped they would decide. I got that job. I think this company is busy as well. Also, is it the norm for them to do a background check and reference check before extending an offer or afterwards? My last job did reference check, verification and background afterwards after offering the job, which was unusual.

 

It goes without saying that they are busy, otherwise they wouldn’t be in business. :) In situations like this I like to ask what you’re trying to accomplish with the follow-up? They KNOW you are interested, you were interviewed (it hasn't been that lonbg), and you've thanked them. As far as your question, it’s been my experience that an offer is often contingent on a background check, drug test, etc. Some companies doe bkg checks, etc. on their top 3 candidates, some do it differently. I think you need to try to put it out of your mind for awhile and maybe apply for a couple other things while waiting to hear something. Telling a candidate thet they hope to make a decision next week or at the end of the week is standard – it’s not meant to be taken literally. The decision will be made when it is made; there’s nothing you can do to hurry them.

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For the follow up, I'm not really trying to accomplish anything other than just to find out the status. Are they still interviewing? Have they moved forward? In the meantime, I will apply to other jobs, but after a phone screen and two interviews, I don't think it's unreasonable to want to know the status. All of the jobs I had followed up with I ended up getting those jobs, so I do think it makes a difference.

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For the follow up, I'm not really trying to accomplish anything other than just to find out the status. Are they still interviewing? Have they moved forward? In the meantime, I will apply to other jobs, but after a phone screen and two interviews, I don't think it's unreasonable to want to know the status. All of the jobs I had followed up with I ended up getting those jobs, so I do think it makes a difference.

 

In my experience it is always a good thing to follow up with a potential employer. Even though you know they're busy or have a lot going on it shows them that 1. You go after what you want and are excited about possibly getting this position. 2. You're diligent with your follow up which is always a must in the business world.

 

My rule of thumb is that I always send a follow up the day of the interview, thanking them for taking the time to meet with me, going over a few things we discussed during the interview, and using personal examples of things you've done/gone through that correlate to what you and the manager discussed which show why you'd be a good fit for the job.

 

Then if I haven't heard back in a week I'll send another email with a "Hope all is well, I just wanted to touch base with you and see if a decision has been made regarding the position" type email. There's nothing that can do but help you. It's not going to hurt you or make them turn you down so don't worry about that. However once you send this email then leave it in their hands to reach out. Something you can do in this 2nd follow up is relate the fact that you have other opportunities available and you are fine with turning them down if you know that Job A is serious about hiring you.

 

Also are you using a recruiter? Or did you find the job in your own? If someone hooked you up with the interview or told you about it then I'd reach out to them and ask if they could inquire as to where you stand. Best of luck

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In my experience it is always a good thing to follow up with a potential employer. Even though you know they're busy or have a lot going on it shows them that 1. You go after what you want and are excited about possibly getting this position. 2. You're diligent with your follow up which is always a must in the business world.

 

My rule of thumb is that I always send a follow up the day of the interview, thanking them for taking the time to meet with me, going over a few things we discussed during the interview, and using personal examples of things you've done/gone through that correlate to what you and the manager discussed which show why you'd be a good fit for the job.

 

Then if I haven't heard back in a week I'll send another email with a "Hope all is well, I just wanted to touch base with you and see if a decision has been made regarding the position" type email. There's nothing that can do but help you. It's not going to hurt you or make them turn you down so don't worry about that. However once you send this email then leave it in their hands to reach out. Something you can do in this 2nd follow up is relate the fact that you have other opportunities available and you are fine with turning them down if you know that Job A is serious about hiring you.

 

Also are you using a recruiter? Or did you find the job in your own? If someone hooked you up with the interview or told you about it then I'd reach out to them and ask if they could inquire as to where you stand. Best of luck

 

I found this position on my own, or I would follow up through the recruiter. I will definitely be following up with them on Friday if I haven't heard anything by then just to see where I stand. :)

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So I sent a follow up Friday evening inquiring whether or not a decision has been made and no response. It's been 2 weeks since my 2nd interview and I'm feeling like I didn't get the job. It makes me feel even worse not getting any sort of rejection email or even a response with "thanks, but no thanks". I mean, after a phone screen and two interviews, it feels a bit unprofessional not to thank your final round of applicants for their time even if they didn't get the job. I am used to not hearing back after phone screens and such, but it irks me when employers ignore a follow up call or email after having been through several interviews with their company. I've been so picky in regards to my job hunt...I really need this next position to be the right one and it was very hard arranging those interviews around my work schedule. To not even get a response feels like a slap in the face. :(

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So I sent a follow up Friday evening inquiring whether or not a decision has been made and no response. It's been 2 weeks since my 2nd interview and I'm feeling like I didn't get the job. It makes me feel even worse not getting any sort of rejection email or even a response with "thanks, but no thanks". I mean, after a phone screen and two interviews, it feels a bit unprofessional not to thank your final round of applicants for their time even if they didn't get the job. I am used to not hearing back after phone screens and such, but it irks me when employers ignore a follow up call or email after having been through several interviews with their company. I've been so picky in regards to my job hunt...I really need this next position to be the right one and it was very hard arranging those interviews around my work schedule. To not even get a response feels like a slap in the face. :(

 

I feel like for a manager to ignore an applicant they must really have WAY too much interest in the position.

 

 

I always think about it this way...every touch point to my company, whether applicant, client, or employee, affects the public perception of your business.

 

 

Smart managers realize that even the smallest voice matters, so treating everyone with dignity and respect is in your best interest. You never know when you will run into those people again.

 

 

Best of luck, sorry to hear about the snuff.

 

 

It may have been mentioned...but what industry segment are you looking into?

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Today I FINALLY got a rejection email from A...my name was mispelled and it was very impersonal...a typical email you'd get after sending off your resume, rather than a position you were in the final stages of interviewing for. Oh well...I figured that after 3-4 weeks of not hearing back. Thankfully I had a promising interview yesterday that I am submitting some writing samples to before I come in for my 2nd interview.

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