What to do if offered a job while waiting for a response on a better one?

CamillaRhodes

I realise I'm probably completely jinxing myself by doing this and will end up with nothing and facing another eternity on the dole, but on the other hand I really want to have thought about this before hand and not be caught on the hop and make a bad decision.

I had an interview this morning for an internship with a crowd I'd love to work for. It's only part time and is unpaid, but as I'm unemployed at the moment that would be fine for me in the short term. The only thing is, I have another interview on Friday for a paid job with someone else.

At the interview this morning, they told me they'd let me know by the end of this week or early next week, with a view to starting the position some time next week. But I know this second crowd can be very slow in their decision making processes.

I'm wondering what I should do, if by the grace of god I was offered the internship, but still hadn't heard back about the permanent job (which will doubtless take considerably longer)? I really don't want to muck around with the crowd offering the internship, they're great. I would hate to accept their position and then leave a few weeks later. But I really need a paid job too, and this interview on Friday is the first interview for a paid job I've had in a long time, so I really want to go for it wholeheartedly, not tell them that I couldn't start with them for a while due to the internship.

If I thought there would only be a couple of days difference between when the first and second positions would let me know, I would think I could probably stall a bit. But as I mentioned, I suspect the latter organisation will take longer to make their decision and get back to me.

God, I really am jinxing myself here, amn't I? But any opinions or advice would be gratefully appreciate, ta.

TalkingHorse

I think going with your gut reaction is usually the best advice. Reading your post (and I could be wrong) i think you really need / want a paid job. If so, i would focus ALL my attention on that. If it does not work out then the other crowd, if they are decent people, should be happy to offer you the unpaid role at anytime. If not then just keep looking

hope this helps

RichieO

My reaction is to say, take the certainty, I have found that a person who is at work, (unpaid or not) has a better chance of getting another job than someone on welfare and doing nothing, this is mainly due to the state of mind you are in for the interview, also it's Murphy's law, (feast or famine)... Also, remember: One pair of hands working, achieves more than a thousand clasped in prayer...

CamillaRhodes

Thanks for the feedback so far, guys. My gut instinct is actually what RichieO says, that if I were offered the internship I should take it. I'll do so, I certainly wouldn't want to turn them down if I wasn't *certain* I was gonna get the permanent paid job (which I'm not, far from it!)

I guess the issue at hand is, if by Murphy's Law I was fortunate enough to then be offered the permanent paid job, if I should then quit the internship immediately, or tell them I would have to work it out first? (It's part time for 3 months)

TalkingHorse - the internship is quite competitive and would not remain vacant if I didn't take it: I know they had a lot of applicants for it. This is why I wouldn't want to accept an offer and then change my mind a week later, I think it's sh*tty form, particularly as they'll have told the other applicants they were unsuccessful by that stage.

I know I'm worrying unnecessarily, chances are I'll be offered neither, but as I say I would hate to be caught on the hop having not thought about this and end up in a bad situation, for myself or for either of my would-be employers.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Take the internship, then explain to your boss that you were offered paid work, which you have to take due to your financial situation. You never know your internship company may offer you some pay. Either way, I can't see your internship boss not understanding unless he isn't human...