My old boss I interned for last fall called me up Monday and told me that they are in need of an analyst/consultant. The current position that I am in now has always been "just a job until I can find something better." I did not want to sit around after graduation with no income. He has been trying to find me a position with his company since my internship ended but they just didnt have the need. So I meet with him & his boss this morning and low and behold they gives me the job after a 30 minute chat. I am blown away and accept before thinking (felt obligated and pressured). As I left the office I remembered that I have a pending position as a marketing director with another local company. They told me they where going to make a decision very soon, as recently as yesterday afternoon. I expect them to do so in 2wks time. Both positions are very lucrative and have great ops for advancement. I would probably end up getting paid more as an analyst/consultant. But I don't want to close the door on the marketing director position because I think I would enjoy it more. So what can I do? I can't tell him I need more time because I know they will retract the job offer. And I also dont want to miss out on the marketing position either. I've contacted the marketing postition company and told them of my situation and am awaiting a reply. I just don't want to end up with no job offers and stuck in my current position.
I got a job offer today...but I have a dilema
- Thread starter MF-DIF
- Start date
You did the right thing by contacting the other company. Find out if they plan on extending an offer.
If they don't come up with an offer, then your decision is easy. If they do, then start a pros and cons list for each opportunity and figure out which is the best match to your goals.
The most important thing in the short term is to find out where you stand with the Marketing Director opportunity. There is no use retracting a verbal commit if you don't have another option.
good luck.
If they don't come up with an offer, then your decision is easy. If they do, then start a pros and cons list for each opportunity and figure out which is the best match to your goals.
The most important thing in the short term is to find out where you stand with the Marketing Director opportunity. There is no use retracting a verbal commit if you don't have another option.
good luck.
Normally, I would say that you should wait for the other company to reply
..........BUT since your boss seems to have put his neck out for you, to think about you for any job openings, to meet with his boss, to have discussed your potential, and to offer you a job ON THE SPOT, you might be burning a bridge there!! Sounds like your boss pulled alot of strings for you. Although you did accept the position without thinking, you still accepted. Your word should be your bond.
Also, think about any retaliation you may encounter if you turn your boss down, after accepting the position. Its really up to you how you think he would take it if you did take back the acceptance.
My .02
..........BUT since your boss seems to have put his neck out for you, to think about you for any job openings, to meet with his boss, to have discussed your potential, and to offer you a job ON THE SPOT, you might be burning a bridge there!! Sounds like your boss pulled alot of strings for you. Although you did accept the position without thinking, you still accepted. Your word should be your bond.
Also, think about any retaliation you may encounter if you turn your boss down, after accepting the position. Its really up to you how you think he would take it if you did take back the acceptance.
My .02
Just my 2 cents, but make sure you choose the job where you're going to be happy working. 
Even though you verbally accepted, that doesn't mean anything.
Just tell them you would like a written offer/contract to sign before you give your notice. It's a standard thing for any reputable company to do, and you are not out of line asking for one.
It will buy you time and allows you to back out as you now have a written offer that you can sign or not sign.
Just tell them you would like a written offer/contract to sign before you give your notice. It's a standard thing for any reputable company to do, and you are not out of line asking for one.
It will buy you time and allows you to back out as you now have a written offer that you can sign or not sign.
Update from the company offering the marketing position.
By Friday they are going to be offering me 1 of 2 options for them to decide on.
1. Arrange a flight for me to meet with VP of marketing
2. Come to me and interview me along with a couple other canidates.
We'll this tells me that they have not made any decisions yet and still want one round of interviews before they decide. The only reason I feel strongly about this one is because it fits my background better and I will probably enjoy it more. My old boss wants me to start on the 18th. That gives me a 2 week window that is very tight. Depending on there answer Friday I will make my decision. If they move it along quickly, and make a decision by the 11th then I will retract my acceptence. If they require anymore time I will go to my old boss. Im stressed enough even thinking about the idea of retracting my acceptence, certainly not going to bail out on him in the last hour.
By Friday they are going to be offering me 1 of 2 options for them to decide on.
1. Arrange a flight for me to meet with VP of marketing
2. Come to me and interview me along with a couple other canidates.
We'll this tells me that they have not made any decisions yet and still want one round of interviews before they decide. The only reason I feel strongly about this one is because it fits my background better and I will probably enjoy it more. My old boss wants me to start on the 18th. That gives me a 2 week window that is very tight. Depending on there answer Friday I will make my decision. If they move it along quickly, and make a decision by the 11th then I will retract my acceptence. If they require anymore time I will go to my old boss. Im stressed enough even thinking about the idea of retracting my acceptence, certainly not going to bail out on him in the last hour.
THey want you to start on the 18th? Don't you have to give 2 weeks notice at your workplace?
MF-DIF said:
well I hate to say it man but you kinda roped yourself a little. I don't think you really have a choice here.
You have one sure thing, and it goes away if you decide to hold out for the Marketing job, where it's not evident if you will get it.
Personally I'd take the sure thing. The only other thing I can think of is to wait till the written offer arrives, then contact them and say that you would actually like to start on the 1st and get them to send you a new offer. that could buy some time.
you can negotiate the start date AFTER you receive your written offer in the mail. Tell the company that you need a 1 month, or even 2 weeks vacation before starting, which is reasonable in between jobs. That should buy you sometime to go through the interview process with the marketing company. Reason for "AFTER" is again, buys you more time!
You keep on mentioning that you fit better with marketing because of your background. You should really grill the company during your interview to find out if the position reall fits with what you want to do, and not just think about your background fitting with marketing.
Another word of wisdom that passed on to me, an offer is NOT considered an offer until you have the written copy in your hands! So, don't stress about it until you have BOTH written offers in your hands.
Good luck, I've gone through this multiple times, just think through the pros/cons of the positions, career path, oppotunity, compensation that each offers.
You keep on mentioning that you fit better with marketing because of your background. You should really grill the company during your interview to find out if the position reall fits with what you want to do, and not just think about your background fitting with marketing.
Another word of wisdom that passed on to me, an offer is NOT considered an offer until you have the written copy in your hands! So, don't stress about it until you have BOTH written offers in your hands.
Good luck, I've gone through this multiple times, just think through the pros/cons of the positions, career path, oppotunity, compensation that each offers.
MF-DIF said:
SilverOne said:
I have too and I hate this part of the new job oppurtunity. Before I got my current job that I just put my 2wks in on, I had 2 other offers made out to me...but again I had to choose to hold out and see if the one I wanted more would come through. In my last case it did. I guess I wont know about this one until Friday. Thanks for the opinions guys, I would have never even thought of using the written offer as a barginning chip.
I would definitely NOT stay with the current employer since he knows you are looking for a better opportunity and are willing to leave as soon as a better opportunity comes along. Why didn't the current employer offer you a promotion or a raise before you put in the 2-week notice? So, my advice would be to leave the current employer regardless.
Good luck.
-Awais
Good luck.
-Awais
O-Ace said:
Looks like they only offered a raise to make him stay.
Now if he can negotiate some sort of promotion then it may be worth listenging to.
Yes, but only when he gave his 2-week notice. Since the current employer knows MF-DIF is looking for a better opportunity, maybe they will only keep him around until they can find a suitable replacement. I know I would definitely not stay with the current employer after giving a 2-week notice.satan_srv said:
-Awais
I gave the 4 weeks period (it is 4 here) in 2000 since I found a similar position in another company that offered me a lot more money/benefits.
My boss asked me why I was leaving and I said the truth. He and his boss sat together and they decided to offer me the same money/benefits I was offered elsewhere.
Four years later I am still there... O-Ace makes a good point but it is not always negative to remain after you give your 2 weks period.
PS: Had I changed to the other company... they closed down during the IT slaughter of 2001...
My boss asked me why I was leaving and I said the truth. He and his boss sat together and they decided to offer me the same money/benefits I was offered elsewhere.
Four years later I am still there... O-Ace makes a good point but it is not always negative to remain after you give your 2 weks period.
PS: Had I changed to the other company... they closed down during the IT slaughter of 2001...
gheba_nsx, I'm glad that worked out for you, but I think we have less employer/employee loyalty here in the U.S.
IMO never take a counter offer.
When you met with your old boss, as someone else says, you should always get a offer letter before accepting anything. It is also always fine (IMO) to get the letter then say you'll give them an answer in 24 hours.
Good luck with whatever happens and congratulations.
NSX-Stalker
When you met with your old boss, as someone else says, you should always get a offer letter before accepting anything. It is also always fine (IMO) to get the letter then say you'll give them an answer in 24 hours.
Good luck with whatever happens and congratulations.
NSX-Stalker
O-Ace said:
Maybe it is true... but in my case it was not only loyalty. The reason was simply that looking for someone to do my job would have costed the same as raising my salary (I was promoted, but my salary was not increased in the same measure). Futhermore some "break in" time is always required for a new employee.
They did this because after some math, I was the best option for them... company are always after incomes, here and there.
MF-DIF said:And the plot thickens!My current employer that I gave the two weeks on made me a counter offer for more money then my new job if I stay! Now I have even more to think about.
I don't think stay with current company is necessarily bad. Look at it and compare it like any other offer, it's just another option, which is great for you. And again, until you have the written offer in hand, don't let it stress you because it is NOT official yet.
UPDATE: Well the marketing position company is flying me to there HQ up north! They are going to let me know that day if I am the right canidate for the position. The entire process should take about 3.5 hours of different meet and greets throughout the organization. I have never been on an interview gauntlet like this in the past. From the interviews thus far, this is the best position I could hope for at this stage in my career out of my other oppurtunities. Does anyone have any tips on how to wow them in this type of interviewing gauntlet? Thus far all the interviews in my life have been with just 1 or 2 people. Never this many people back to back. I plan on just being honest, myself, and doing alot of focused listening.
Add Enthusiasm to that list, and you should be set! Good luckMF-DIF said:
-Awais
interview marathon usually consists of 1 technical, 1 bahavioral, and 1 with HR. Technical asks you questions about your specific fields and skills set. Behavioral gauges how you act/react in given scenario, and the last one with HR is where they gauge your compensation.
Do some research on the Internet, there should be quite a few info on how to prep for all types.
that's the right attitude, and dont' forget to ask questions, this is time to really see if you want to work for them. Also, confidence shows!
Do some research on the Internet, there should be quite a few info on how to prep for all types.
MF-DIF said:
that's the right attitude, and dont' forget to ask questions, this is time to really see if you want to work for them. Also, confidence shows!
