Accepting a job.. and then getting a better offer

[marillion]

So I've been talking with a friend of mine who is in a bad position with "Company A"...

She has an interview with "Company B" this week and has a REALLY good shot at the job, for various reasons...

She has also applied with "Company C" and has a good shot at that job as well, but since the job just closed this past Friday, they have not scheduled interviews as of yet..

The job at "C" would have much better pay and closer to her (rather high) level of expertise. The quandry is this..

If she gets the job with "B", she plans to accept and put in her two weeks notice with "A". If she's subsequently called for an interview with "C" during that two week period, she's not sure if she'll accept, because she would feel badly if she got the job and then have to tell "B" that she's turning down their offer.. She's in Human Resources, and knows what a pain it is to have to re-fly the job and do another round of interviews.

I've told her that she needs to go after the better job and accept it (if offered), even if "B" gives her an offer and she accepts...

What do you think?

 

[Adm_Hawthorne]

I think I freaking hate it when people do this to us. If you know that you're probably going to have another offer. You should wait. If you get an offer from your runner up company first, you should tell that company that until x time to give your other, more preferred company, a chance to offer you an interview.

This does two things. First, it allows you time to keep up the hope as an employee. Second, it gives the prospective employer time if you do get the interview and job offer.

But, leaving us in limbo or accepting without a delay is both inconsiderate and horribly unprofessional.

 

[Amaris]

I think, in this economy, she should accept job B. If job B is a guarantee at this point, and it's better than job A, then B is the best choice. Otherwise, she's gambling with her financial future. Some gambles pay off, but like the real deal, get too greedy and she could lose everything.

 

[RoJoHen]

If she does in fact get offered Job B, here's what I would do:

Tell Job B she needs 3-4 weeks before she can start.

Give Job A notice (2-4 weeks depending on what she wants to do).

If, during that 3-4 weeks period, she is offered a job with Company C, inform B that she is going to go in another direction and cannot accept the job at this time. Unless your friend was the only person they interviewed (which I doubt), they will likely have some candidates they can fall back on.

Your friend has to do what's best for her. If a better offer comes along, she should take it, even if it's annoying for the other company. It is not her responsibility to keep them staffed.

 

[sojourner]

Take B, if C comes along later, go for it. Otherwise she'll spend years at B wishing she had taken C. She can also play C off B and try to get a better deal for not jumping ship.

 

[Brent]

This is an employers market right now, take whatever job you can get, if B is better than A, take B. If C comes along, and you will for sure get the job, then tell B that your situation has changed, and you can't take the job anymore, and go with C.

 

[Amaris]

This is an employers market right now, take whatever job you can get, if B is better than A, take B. If C comes along, and you will for sure get the job, then tell B that your situation has changed, and you can't take the job anymore, and go with C.

Buddy is it ever an employer's market. That's why pushing for C in this situation may be too risky. Employers don't have to wait on anyone, and if someone wants extra time, an employer can drop them and pick up the hundreds of thousands of unemployed professionals who have the same experience and degree and who are willing to work for far less money to have that position.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

As much as it sucks, take B, ignore A until you need to address it with B. Tell B about A when A has the offer. NEVER tell B about A until you have to. The last thing you want is to tell B about A, lose A and try to get B. If I were B, i'd no longer hire you as your "rotten" and think twice about how qualified I thought you were.

 

[Mr Awe]

Take B. If she interviews for C and gets an offer, she should take it.

She shouldn't feel bad. That's the way it goes.

Mr Awe

 

[vampgrrl]

^ What he said...

Look out for your/and your family's well-being first.

 

[McCoy]

If she thinks "C" would recognize her value and she has a better than average chance at getting that job, she could call them and let them know she is expecting another offer but would prefer to work for them, so she would like to interview ASAP to give them the opportunity to hire her.

 

[JoeZhang]

Take b, if she's offered C, walk to C. You should never care how much trouble it is for B unless you live in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Pingfah]

Yep, accept the job and then change your mind if need be, who cares what Company B think.

 

[sojourner]

As much as it sucks, take B, ignore A until you need to address it with B. Tell B about A when A has the offer. NEVER tell B about A until you have to. The last thing you want is to tell B about A, lose A and try to get B. If I were B, i'd no longer hire you as your "rotten" and think twice about how qualified I thought you were.

Think ya got your letters mixed up there.

 

[RonSexton]

Just remember how employers have NO loyalty to "you" the worker. Id say they take whatever job is the best and highest paying. Its too bad if their situation changes and they want job C. They owe NOTHING to any of these employers. As the employers wouldn't hesitate a second to cut you loose. And also follow the other advise that you NEVER tell any employer that you are looking for another job or taking interviews or that you have been made an offer. The employer never gives the worker the heads up that they are looking to replace you.

 

[cultcross]

At one point it looked like I was going to have this exact situation - the job I really wanted was dragging its heels, and I got an offer letter from another job I'd applied to - same pay, actually, but a job I wanted to do a lot less. I agonised over it, because I hate messing people around, and felt really bad accepting one job while really just stalling to see if I got another. In the end, funding cuts put the job I'd been 'offered' on hold and the job I really wanted came through so I took that. Out of interest, I left the first one 'on hold' to see how long they were going to mess me about. Turns out, nearly a year - and then came back and offered me a lower position in a tone that made out I should be on my knees in gratitude. I suddenly felt much less bad about messing them about.

 

[Rett Mikhal]

Just take the job with B. If C offers her a job, go on the interview. If she gets the job at C, just tell B you've got a better job. One of two things will happen. They'll either match your offer, or say goodbye. Either way she gets the best pay and it works out for her.

Company B is really no worse for wear considering there's about a billion people who need jobs.

You may say it's dishonorable to do that to people, but honor doesn't put food in your mouth. I know because I've always tried to do everything with honor in mind and I'm living on food stamps while some people I went to college with that lie constantly have excellent jobs.

You may also say "You should keep being honorable, at least then you're not part of the problem." Doesn't work that way. Humanity is an infinitely regressing organism that will continue down a path once it has been established, barring a major catastrophe or major change, like threat of total annihilation from space aliens or the invention of the holodeck. Nothing that anyone does besides those massive changes will change anything about humanity.

The game is set and you have no choice but to play the game.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Company A, B, and C will all fire you the second they don't want you anymore, so who cares what they think? Take whichever job you want, and if the better one comes up after you have accepted the lesser one, walk away from it and take the better one.

 

[propita]

I think I freaking hate it when people do this to us. If you know that you're probably going to have another offer. You should wait. If you get an offer from your runner up company first, you should tell that company that until x time to give your other, more preferred company, a chance to offer you an interview.

This does two things. First, it allows you time to keep up the hope as an employee. Second, it gives the prospective employer time if you do get the interview and job offer.

But, leaving us in limbo or accepting without a delay is both inconsiderate and horribly unprofessional.

The two times I've heard of people doing this, it has worked out for them. One time, the second job didn't materialize but the first employer didn't mind. The other time, the second employer rushed it a couple of days to get the person hired.

 

[Marie1]

Take B, if C comes along later, go for it. Otherwise she'll spend years at B wishing she had taken C. She can also play C off B and try to get a better deal for not jumping ship.

This. Jobs are too scarce... in this climate, Job B should feel fortunate she'll feel bad and try to give them notice at all.

The intro to the job I had said they like 2 weeks notice, but understand if it can't be give at all. It's in the official papers!