If one job offer is good, are two offers twice as good? If you enjoy negotiating, the answer can be yes; if not, my guess is you’ll lose as much sleep over the two offers as you did when there were none.
Part of the problem with multiple offers is choosing between two very important things that you know very little about. Unless you’ve been temping at the companies, you can only take someone’s word about how it feels to work there, how the manager really behaves, whether workers get timely raises, and all the other factors that make a job a good fit.
When there is only one offer, of course, you probably still don’t have that kind of information, but now it doesn’t matter -- because now you’re not choosing between two unknowns, but between something you know and dislike (unemployment) and something you’re certain will be better (getting a paycheck). All the other variables fade in the light of this logic.
And if you have one offer and anticipate a second one very shortly? This might be the most difficult situation of all, judging from the conversations I have with job seekers.
As one of my clients asked a few weeks ago, “How do I politely and enthusiastically continue to show interest in Company A while also wanting to explore an opportunity with Company B? Is a bird in the hand worth two in the bush in such a tough economy?”
Here is the advice I gave her, modified slightly to encompass a scenario in which an offer is very close at hand with Company A, while the interviewing process is not yet complete with Company B.
1. Stay in touch with Company A, but don’t do anything to push the situation along. Simultaneously continue scheduling interviews with Company B.
2. When the first company makes an offer, respond enthusiastically but don’t immediately accept. Instead, say “I’m very interested, and I’ll need to look everything over. Will you please send me the details on the package?” Remember, even if you’ve discussed numbers and benefits already, they’re not “real” until they’re in writing.
3. Upon receipt of the information from Company A, respond by email: “Thank you. It will take me a day or two to go over everything. Can I call you on [two to three days later] to confirm what I see and ask questions?” Normally, with only one offer to consider, this would be your preliminary step before negotiating for a higher wage or more vacation. In this situation, it’s also a delaying tactic.
4. With luck, interviews with the second company will take place within your “waiting period” for the first company. If so, you’ll have a chance to make comparisons with the first company. Assuming you like what you see, you could tell them at the end of the interview, “This is a bit awkward, but I should tell you that I have received an offer from another firm and I asked them to wait. I wanted to meet you and learn more about your firm; now that I have, I am very interested. I understand if you can’t move this quickly, but I need to give my answer to the first firm by [pick a day]. If you don’t mind, perhaps I’ll give you a call tomorrow just to see where things are at and if you think you’d like to move me forward.”
5. If, however, the Company B interview hasn’t happened yet, you should get back to Company A and tell them either, “Yes, I’ll take the job, with these changes to the offer [which introduces the regular negotiating process],” or else, “This is a bit awkward, but I’m in process with a second firm, which I thought would be finished by now. Are you able to wait a few more days for my answer to you?”
Nerve-racking? For most of us, yes, although there are some high-fliers who thrive on this kind of situation. Whatever your personal profile, remember that respect and open discourse are going to take you farther than subterfuge, and will result in better long-term relationships with both parties.
My other guideline is to evaluate each offer on its own merits, and not just in comparison with other/potential offers. In particular, if the first job is one you would take if you didn’t know about the second opportunity, I’d be inclined to do just that. In job search, there will always be something better, but nothing will ever be perfect -- so taking the sure thing will very often be the best choice.
Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
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