How to navigate multiple job offers?

[Pharmacy Kid]

There's a verbal job offer for a part time 32hr with benefits. It's in a suburb area.

There's a second place I interviewed at. This one is 40 hr with benefits in a metro area. They said they should have a decision in one or two weeks.

I obviously want the second job, but I don't want to decline the first offer if I know I won't get the second job. So what is the best thing to do here? Should I email the second place and tell them I have another offer but I really want to work with them? Should I ask the second place if they plan on hiring me or not?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[stuntdragon]

Hi Company/Recruiter 1,

I am very excited for the position offer and grateful to have the opportunity to be part of the amazing team. I really felt that this was a great fit for me.

I’d like to discuss the timeline of formally accepting the position at your company. I would like some time to look over the contract and to compare with another offer.

Is 2 weeks from now on _ / _ / _ a reasonable time frame for me to agree on a final decision? I’d like to ask more questions about the offer in the meantime as well.

Thank you for your time and consideration


Then you email the the second Company:

Hello Recruiter 2,

I’d like to update you that I have just received an offer from Company 1. I wanted to reach out to let you know and they have given me one week to respond. I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit and interview with your company and your opportunity is my first choice of the two I am considering. I understand that you are earlier in the interview process, but I wanted to let you know of my situation and get a sense of your interest level in my candidacy - and whether it might be possible to accommodate my timing.

Thank you,


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hels2007]

Yep, that's the way to handle it. First you thank the first company for the offer and ask for time to give it your full consideration, then you contact the second company and tell them that you have to give a yay or nay to someone else, but you would really prefer to work for them. I have been in that situation once before, when a company I had interviewed with and loved was taking their sweet time deciding, and I had to give an answer to another company by a certain day. I told my preferred one about it, and they send me an offer within a day or two...

It is harder when you don't know which one is your preferred one and want to see full details of the offer first...

It's also OK to use a competing offer to try and negotiate a better deal for yourself at the company. As in, if you get the offer from company 2, you can go back to company 1 and ask if they would consider giving you more hours or higher rate. If you actually would take it if they did, of course, otherwise it's not worth it.

Congrats on being in a good place with at least one offer!

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

Yep, that's the way to handle it. First you thank the first company for the offer and ask for time to give it your full consideration, then you contact the second company and tell them that you have to give a yay or nay to someone else, but you would really prefer to work for them. I have been in that situation once before, when a company I had interviewed with and loved was taking their sweet time deciding, and I had to give an answer to another company by a certain day. I told my preferred one about it, and they send me an offer within a day or two...

It is harder when you don't know which one is your preferred one and want to see full details of the offer first...

It's also OK to use a competing offer to try and negotiate a better deal for yourself at the company. As in, if you get the offer from company 2, you can go back to company 1 and ask if they would consider giving you more hours or higher rate. If you actually would take it if they did, of course, otherwise it's not worth it.

Congrats on being in a good place with at least one offer!

Do you think one or two weeks is way too long for the first place to allow me time to reply? I was thinking they would be willing to give me up to three days.

 

[Hels2007]

Do you think one or two weeks is way too long for the first place to allow me time to reply? I was thinking they would be willing to give me up to three days.

I have no idea about retail market nowadays, which is definitely an employers' market now, but based on my conversations with recruiters in pharma, I would say a week to decide is pretty standard. Two weeks may be a stretch, but with the holidays coming up, you may be able to swing it. Also, you can play for more time by asking to look at the actual details of the offer in writing. A verbal is all fine and dandy, and verbal contracts are technically enforceable, but it's not like you would go to court over it... so having a paper (e-mailed at first, but real contracts in my personal experience come via snail mail with real signatures) is a must.

 

[JustFillIt]

This happened to me this year.. I had 3 job offers all within 6 weeks. I accepted the first job offer I received and started working and collecting a paycheck.

When I got a job offer for a far more desirable job, this is what I told myself:

I live in a capitalist economy where I can loose my job at any moment - and my employer will use this as leverage against me to push the company agenda. I am a worker in this economy and I have the right to make decisions that are in my best interest. So, I decided to use this as leverage to put me in a much better position in this economy. I left that job after 4 weeks and moved on to a better opportuity.

I do not owe anyone anything, and my employer only owes me the wages that I am owed. I made the best decision for myself and my family and I felt great about it.

You do t owe them anything and I would recommend to take what you want.

 

[confettiflyer]

Don’t be afraid to be honest up front. Close friend of mine was being courted by two major hospitals out here and she was honest with the one taking its time and said she had an offer in hand and, while she wanted to go with hospital #2, she couldn’t turn down the in-hand opportunity while waiting.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[Hels2007]

Many different factors can affect decision-making and negotiating strategy - whether you already have a job, whether relocation is involved, how small the niche you are pursuing, even things like the holidays if one company shuts down for them vs. not... It's always "it depends" and the right answer for anyone is the answer that lets you sleep at night and be completely at peace with yourself. For different people it may be different.

 

[Hels2007]

I am in kind of the same boat now, got one offer, but I completed on-sites with three more positions. So I told the other three that hey guys, if you are still interested, please let me know sooner rather than later... one of them already got back to me with "thanks but no thanks". Waiting for the other two...

Literally the only downside to the offer I have is that it's in Boston. I have always enjoyed visiting Boston as a tourist and on business, but in terms of living there, it's something different. Though I can see upsides to being in the heart of Cambridge...

 

[stuntdragon]

Officially accepted my offer from Company 2! I navigated it by using the email I showed you guys above

 

[LivingMyBestLife]

There's a verbal job offer for a part time 32hr with benefits. It's in a suburb area.

There's a second place I interviewed at. This one is 40 hr with benefits in a metro area. They said they should have a decision in one or two weeks.

I obviously want the second job, but I don't want to decline the first offer if I know I won't get the second job. So what is the best thing to do here? Should I email the second place and tell them I have another offer but I really want to work with them? Should I ask the second place if they plan on hiring me or not?

Congrats on the multiple offers. I am very jealous!