How to Combine Multiple Job Offers (and Get What You Want)
While it may seem unlikely if you inflate your LinkedIn profile and read the job listings on Indeed sideways, it is actually possible that you will receive multiple offers – or have multiple real job opportunities – in the same time frame.
It’s an exciting prospect, no doubt, but it can also be unnerving. So what to do? How can you use this reward to your advantage without missing out on any opportunity? Here are some tips.
Express your excitement without saying yes
First, make sure you express your gratitude and enthusiasm for the job offers, while resisting the urge to accept any of them right away. You might say something like, “Thank you so much. I think this is great for my skills and I am very excited about this opportunity. ” Then you can buy time by asking, “When do you need the final decision?”
Make sure you have a written proposal before starting negotiations.
If the sentence is verbal, it is not formal and not convincing enough to be used as leverage. Make sure you receive a written proposal before taking any steps. If you don’t already have one, you can either use the extra time it gives you or go back to HR and show enthusiasm (again – they want to know that they like you) and then politely ask to go through all the details in writing. … (Details on salary, paid vacation, benefits, work-life balance, etc.) Here’s what you should look for in an offer letter besides money .
Be honest and tactfully ask for more time to make a decision.
Recruiters and managers know that any good candidate is likely to be courted by more than one company. If you have a suggestion and expect another one to come up soon, it’s perfectly reasonable to tactfully ask for more time.
You could say for example:
“I am very excited about this position and I think it suits me. I have a final interview with another company this week, and while your company is my first choice, I would like to give myself the opportunity to fully consider both options before making my final decision. Can I return to you no later than next Monday? “
While there is little risk, most companies understand that good candidates are in high demand and will not blame you. (In fact, they can value you, knowing that you are needed somewhere else.) The worst thing that can happen is they say no, we need your solution sooner. In this case, see below.
Mention the first sentence and try to get the second.
Suppose you have an offer from a company that is your second choice (Company B), but you still have another round of interviews of your choice (Company A). It’s time to contact Company A to assess your situation.
For example, you might say, “I am very interested in this role; I think this works great for my background and experience. I wanted to see if I could get an idea of the team’s level of interest in me as a candidate and when the hiring decision will be made? I have one more suggestion, and although I prefer Company A, I don’t want to miss another opportunity if the potential for moving forward is small. ”
Chances are, Company A will value your honesty, give you a straight forward answer, and if interested, will do whatever it takes to expedite the hiring process.
Avoid Weed Into Your Backroom Process
If Company A responds to your request indicating that they would like to move you to the last stage, but there is some higher level bureaucracy that could slow the process down, resist the temptation to detail how you handle it.
Don’t say something like, “Okay, the other company doesn’t need to know before X, so asking Y works for me because yadda yadda yadda .”
You should say something like, “Great! Thanks for the additional information. I understand that the process takes time. I will manage things from my side. “
Politely decline another offer
Once you’ve made your final decision, it’s time to reject the other offer like a pro. It’s up to you how much detail you want to be in this communication – you can mention that while you are a huge fan of the company, certain aspects of the work are not best suited to your long-term goals.
But being short and clear is also perfectly acceptable: “Thank you so much for offering me the XYZ position at Company B. Although it was a difficult decision, I accepted the offer from another company. I really appreciate your time and attention during the interview. ” Now celebrate before you start your first job, Protector.