The good news is you have a job offer. The bad news is you are not sure if you should accept. What should you do? Take the bird in the hand? Wait to see what else comes your way? Or something else entirely?
Managing job offers can be a minefield. Some potential employers will understand the difficulties involved. They appreciate that job-hunters are looking job-hunters are looking around and need time to make up their mind. But others are less flexible. The moment they give you a job offer, they can expect you to leap up, shake their hand and take it there and then. If you do not, they may threaten to withdraw the offer and leave you with nothing.
If you find yourself in this situation, what is the best way to proceed? If you are being pushed into making a decision, trust your gut reaction. But this advice comes with a caveat. Remember what it is you want to do with your career. In the rust to say yes or no, and perhaps in the urgency just to get started, it is easy to lose sight of your objective. Fortunately, you do not have to immediately accept or reject most job offers. Most large companies are prepared to wait several weeks for an answer. This is because large companies are often slow moving, so there is usually no need for a rapid-fire response.
In this case, you should simply send a letter acknowledging receipt of the job offer and informing them that you will be in touch in the near future. In the meantime you can haul in any other offers before finally making a decision.
Smaller or medium sized companies may not be able to give you this luxury. By their very nature, they can be more dynamic. Their business must keep going, with or without you. So, out of fairness to them, you should make your decision within a couple of days. Sought-after candidates may be able to gain extra thinking time.
None of this alters the fact that choosing between one job offer and another is difficult. You are dealing with nothing less than that all-important first break.
Whatever you do, make sure you get the basic right:
- Find out exactly how long you have to make your mind up.
- Gather as much information as possible about the job or jobs on offer.
- If you have another interview approaching, ask if it can be brought forward.
Finally, always be courteous when rejecting a job offer. You do not want to burn your bridges. You never know when you may come across a particular person or their company in the future. — The Guardian
