How to make the best choice re: job

ButtercupTheCow

Hi everyone,

My current company are closing down so I have been looking for a new job before it happens.
I had an interview for Job A on Friday. Interview went well, job is very similar to what I am doing now, pay isn't great but in line with what everyone else is offering for these jobs these days. I should know sometime next week if I got it or not.

Thing is, I am meeting with a recruitment agent on Wednesday about a role she has. Let's call it Job B. It's similar to Job A, the finer details are not available yet but it will most likely be better paid than Job A, although farther away. I have had a couple of jobs through this agency and they were both higher than average pay in their sectors.
I'm anticipating it could be a week or two before I am interviewed by the client for this one. The agent asked me if I was interviewing for anyone else and I lied and said no.

If I get offered Job A, should I keep them waiting for an answer until I find out more about Job B? I'm kind of thinking that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, like what if I am offered Job A and don't take it and then I end up not even getting an interview for Job B? At the same time I want to get the best deal for myself. Should I tell the agent I interviewed for Job A (without naming the company) and inflate the wage in the hope she pushes for me to get more for the role she's discussing with me?


One last thing, I have a week's holidays booked for July. Should I keep quiet about this until I have started in a new job? I would be afraid I wouldn't get hired because of it.

(I know all this sounds stupid but I've never been in this situation before).

mrgardener

If you're offered a job - take it.
If something else comes up, re-evaluate your position then.
From my understanding of your post, you haven't been offered ANY job yet?
Might be a bit premature to presume you have options.
Best of luck!

Berty

ButtercupTheCow wrote: »

One last thing, I have a week's holidays booked for July. Should I keep quiet about this until I have started in a new job? I would be afraid I wouldn't get hired because of it.

(I know all this sounds stupid but I've never been in this situation before).

I am starting a new job tomorrow and the day I was offered the job I told my employer I was going on holidays in mid june. Im actually going on holidays in 22 days and I haven't even started yet.

Its all down to the employer but do not hide it.

ButtercupTheCow

mrgardener wrote: »

If you're offered a job - take it.
If something else comes up, re-evaluate your position then.
From my understanding of your post, you haven't been offered ANY job yet?
Might be a bit premature to presume you have options.
Best of luck!

Yeah, you are probably right. If I get the first job I should take it.
I'm not at all presuming that I will be offered either of them
It's just most of the jobs I am applying for are immediate start so I am trying to think ahead a bit just in case

Berty wrote: »

I am starting a new job tomorrow and the day I was offered the job I told my employer I was going on holidays in mid june. Im actually going on holidays in 22 days and I haven't even started yet.

Its all down to the employer but do not hide it.

I reckon if I am asked if I'm going anywhere, I'll tell them, otherwise I'll tell them on the first day. I'm probably worrying too much about it, I'd only need 5 or 6 working days off and there's only so much a company needs you when you've only just started

ButtercupTheCow

Time for an update...

ButtercupTheCow wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I had an interview for Job A on Friday. Interview went well, job is very similar to what I am doing now, pay isn't great but in line with what everyone else is offering for these jobs these days. I should know sometime next week if I got it or not.

I have now been offered this job. I don't really want it because it is the lowest paid of what I am going for, but I am wondering if I should accept it anyway in case I don't get offered anything else. At the same time I don't want to burn any bridges with the company or the agency by saying I will take it, and then changing my mind if I get offered something else.

ButtercupTheCow wrote: »

Thing is, I am meeting with a recruitment agent on Wednesday about a role she has. Let's call it Job B. It's similar to Job A, the finer details are not available yet but it will most likely be better paid than Job A, although farther away. I have had a couple of jobs through this agency and they were both higher than average pay in their sectors.
I'm anticipating it could be a week or two before I am interviewed by the client for this one. The agent asked me if I was interviewing for anyone else and I lied and said no.

This is the job I really want- agent says I should know by this afternoon if I am being called for interview. I'm tempted to take the first job though, in case I don't get called for this one.

I also had an interview for another company this week, pay is good but not sure how good the conditions will be- from what I can gather, very stressful with no overtime pay (but I will be earning more from 40 hours in this job than from 40 hours + overtime in my current job- and the first job (Job A) above, too).

I have now been been offered Job A- should I take it because I was offered it, and then just wait to hear back about the others? It's win/win in one way, because no matter what happens, I have a job. Plus, the start date isn't for a couple of weeks, so if I get called for an interview about the job I really want- Job B- I will have time to go to it.
On the other hand it may mean messing the agent and company around if it turns out that I get offered something better.

Hi OP
i was offered a job once which I accepted, then interviewed for another one a week before the due-to-start date. I told the 2nd one I'd had an offer. I ended up accepting the 2nd one and telling the other guys sorry, I won't be coming in. I may have burnt my bridges but on the other hand I'd say it's long forgotten now.
Just be polite to the Job A people and say sorry, you got a better offer elsewhere and that's fine. Assuming you do get the better offer
As long as your interview and callback for job B are before start date for A you'll be grand

ButtercupTheCow

bluewolf wrote: »

Hi OP
i was offered a job once which I accepted, then interviewed for another one a week before the due-to-start date. I told the 2nd one I'd had an offer. I ended up accepting the 2nd one and telling the other guys sorry, I won't be coming in. I may have burnt my bridges but on the other hand I'd say it's long forgotten now.
Just be polite to the Job A people and say sorry, you got a better offer elsewhere and that's fine. Assuming you do get the better offer
As long as your interview and callback for job B are before start date for A you'll be grand

Hey bluewolf,
Job A and Job be will most likely have almost the same start date, week after next. However Job B could end up starting a week later either- the interviews are on next week.

Tmeos

My advise to you would be accept Job A verbally but delay signing the contract if possible, then carry on with your other interviews and if you are sucessful with one of them then simply tell Job A you have been offered a position you previously interviewed for on a higher salary. Then be very polite and apologetic but explain that you will be taking it as it is a better option financially for you.

That way you don't burn any bridges with company A (if you handle it right) and you never know they could counter offer you with a higher salary to keep you. I wouldn't try and get into a situation where you are encouraging a bidding war.

On the other hand if you don't get any more offers then you havent lost out on Job A.

Good luck with it- its a good position to be in.