Need job interview advice....interesting situation?

Question

Here's my delicate situation. I have a job interview next week with one company....I'm fairly confident they may offer me a job that day or soon after the interview. There should be no reason I wouldn't get the job. Well, yesterday I get a call from another company and they want to bring me in for an interview a couple of weeks after my interview with this first company......Now I personally would rather work for the people I'm doing the later interview with.....I don't want to screw myself out of getting the job at the first place by holding out for the second job....but I want the second job more...and that interview is two weeks after I could possibly be offered a job at the first place. Still with me? Ok, so how do I not throw away the first opportunity, while at the same time I want the second opportunity more. I am fairly confident I can get both jobs. Thanks.

Answer 1

It's unlikely (tho possible) they'll offer you a position on the spot, usually the offer will follow the next day or so later. Assuning this is the case , there is absolutely nothing wrong w replying that you are pleased to be offered the opportunity, & that you are fortunate enough to be considering several other offers as well.

Then state, I don't want to leave you hanging, & realize you are working w deadlines, but may I have a couple of days to review the opportunities i have been presented w?

Assuming their response is postive, ask "When do you need to have a decision from me? Would next (Friday, for example) morning be acceptable to you?

Good Luck!!

Answer 2

You may think this is an interesting situation but really, it happens to everyone most of the time. You're in job search mode and you get multiple job interviews and potentially multiple job offers. But they the offers don't come all at the same time or in the order you want them to. So what do you do in the situation you get an offer for the less desirable job? The answer is if you get the better offer, you quit the current job and take it.

This happens all the time. It's not unusual to see someone start at a job but quit the next week or the next month. THey simply got a better offer. I've seen two occasions when someone was expected to start on a date but don't arrive and instead we got a letter from them saying they decline the offer as they got another offer (meaning a better one.)

You are legally entitled to quit a job anytime. You can quit on the spot without notice if you want and the employer has zero legal recourse (I checked with a lawyer about giving notice and there is no law that says you must, it's just considered a "courtesy".) Although the first employer doesn't like it, and probably won't hire or even interview you again, there's nothing illegal in quitting so there's squat they can do! So go ahead and take the first offer if you have to and be prepared to quit if you get a better one. In fact, anytime you get a better offer, never feel guilty about quitting on an employer. Even if it means work is left undone or you simply feel you're letting them down. People quit all the time and you should always do what is in yoru best interests. That means taking a better offer whenever it presents itself to you!

Best,
-- Liam

Answer 3

Honesty is the best policy. If the first interview by chance does offer you a job, tell them you will have to think about it. Say that you are having another interview with another company and you want to make sure you are making the best choice for you. Tell them it could be a couple of weeks before you can give them an answer. If they say they can't wait. Then it's a judgement call for you. Second choice would be to take the first job...still go to the second interview, then if they do offer you a job, quit the first already and take the second.

Answer 4

Go to both interviews. If the first company offers you the job, accept it, but tell them you cannot begin until a certain date, OR you could do what half a million other people do, and just take the job, start working, go to the other interview, and if the pot is sweeter, just switch it out. Trust me on this one, it's kind of like customer service, you know how EVERY customer is THE MOST IMPORTANT customer........well, your job interviews will be the same way. Make an impression on the first company, and leave them feeling like they'd be silly if they didn't wait for you, and you'll have enough time to contemplate the second job.

Answer 5

I've been a hiring manager for many years and just recently had this same situation come up with an applicant for one of my job openings.

This person was an outstanding prospect whom I very much wanted to hire and in fact made a job offer. Unfortunately, he said he also had an interview scheduled at another company and wanted to complete that before deciding to accept my offer. Since he was the best candidate out of many I had interviewed, I was willing to wait. It turned out that he accepted my job eventually, so everything turned out okay. I greatly appreciated this person's honesty in telling me he had another interview and wanted to consider both companies before making a decision. That showed good judgement and increased his standing with me. Of course, if he wasn't a strong enough candidate to wait for, or my opening was too urgent to wait, then he ran the risk of not getting my job and then not getting the second job either. This is a judgment call you must make.

I disagree with other answers that advised to accept the first job and then retract it or quit shortly after starting if you get the second job. This displays a lack of character and you just never know when someone at the first company may be in a position to impact your career at some time in the future. I guarantee you it will not be a positive impact!

Good luck with your decision. It's a problem, but a great problem to have.

Answer 6

I say just be honest. You don't have to outright tell the interviewers from the first job that you would rather have the second job. But, if you ever decide you would rather work for the first company in the future, they will be less likely to hire you if you lie. I would probable just say that, if hired, I would not be able to start for three weeks or so. If they ask you later on, why you turned down their job. Tell them the other company's gave you an offer you couldn't refuse.

Answer 7

Contact the person who offered you the second interview and explain that you have the first interview but that you are very interested in their company. Ask if it is possible for them to move the interview up so that you may have the opportunity to evaluate the two positions available. Knowing that they may be competing to get you can't hurt.

Answer 8

I agree with Corny. Another possibility is to call back the second company if the first one does offer you a job and just see if the schedule can be moved up. Tell them you've just received an offer but are more interested in working for them (second company).

Good luck!

Answer 9

lol, we are with the same dilemma, I have accepted a job for a university as a secretary and I get really well paid, but I was offered last week a job at a 5 star hotel, with a lower salary but much more interesting and it's help full for my career and I don't know what to do!

so if I don't know what to do, I can't tell you that either, but if you don't mind, if I were you I would go for the second job and apologized to the first one, tell them that another job offer has come up and they offer you a higher salary or a more convenient working time.