how long can i wait before accepting a job offer

jimmy_t

Ok so Im with a company for two years but i'm not permanent, just getting contract after contract so i decided to look around. I got 3 interviews and two of them have taken place this week. Company A has called me back for 2nd interview monday and company B has called me for psychometric test today and after that hopefully second interview...
My preference is company B but company A have indicated that they want to fill the position quickly.
If company A make an offer how long could i wait for company B before I'll have to accept or reject the offer from company A, I really want to work for company B but if they don't make an offer and I miss out on an opportunity with company A while waiting for it I'll be kicking myself.
Also should I tell my boss I'm interviewing?

Any thoughts? HR people how long would you wait for a response from an offer?

Thanks Guys.

the_syco

jimmy_t wrote: »

Any thoughts? HR people how long would you wait for a response from an offer?

It depends on how rare your skills are. If they're common; not long. If they're rare, they'll wait a little bit longer, but don't push your luck too much.

Mrs OBumble

jimmy_t wrote: »

Also should I tell my boss I'm interviewing?

Only if the boss has made it clear that s/he wants you out but doesn't have the balls to fire you.

In that case, it would make him/her happy.

In all other circumstances, not a word until you have a signed contract.

jimmy_t

the_syco wrote: »

jimmy_t wrote: »

Any thoughts? HR people how long would you wait for a response from an offer?

It depends on how rare your skills are. If they're common; not long. If they're rare, they'll wait a little bit longer, but don't push your luck too much.

Thanks syco, now next question, can I accept an offer and then reject it?
Sorry for the newbie questions, never moved job before. (where there was contracts involved obviously)

MagicRon

JustMary wrote: »

In all other circumstances, not a word until you have a signed contract.

Unless you definitely want to leave the place you're in, and really think there is no chance of a permanent offer when you tell them you're going, I would definitely mention it before signing the contract.

You might find that the company you are in will offer you more money, or a permanent position or both to stay with them.


edit; obviously have the job offer though

the_syco

MagicRon wrote: »

You might find that the company you are in will offer you more money, or a permanent position or both to stay with them.

The OP should write a list of reasons why they're leaving. People often don't stay long term if given more money, as they often leave the company for the same reasons why they were going to leave in the first place.

jimmy_t

MagicRon wrote: »

Unless you definitely want to leave the place you're in, and really think there is no chance of a permanent offer when you tell them you're going, I would definitely mention it before signing the contract.

You might find that the company you are in will offer you more money, or a permanent position or both to stay with them.


edit; obviously have the job offer though

Ok so, say nothing til i get a job offer.

The OP should write a list of reasons why they're leaving. People often don't stay long term if given more money, as they often leave the company for the same reasons why they were going to leave in the first place.

I'm leaving because of continuous contracts on minimum wage and no light at the end of the tunnel. I also commute for just over 2hrs each day.
On the other hand, I really enjoy the work and get on very well with my colleagues and its a good career path, I am however getting paid less than half what my colleagues are and we're doing the same job.
I would like to stay but since i decided to look around I have gotten job offers from companies 20mins from home so I'm now torn between wanting the company I enjoy working for to offer me a permanent job for good money or getting a 12month contract close to home for good money with a better chance of a permanent job and of course getting the best part of 2hrs back out of every day! Even though i wouldn't have looked around if my current company hadn't taken advantage of me wage and contract wise, now that I have i'll probably take a job closer to home.

tl:dr, I'll probably leave regardless because new job offer is close to home.

So if i accept new job offer from Company A can I reject it again a week later to accept job offer from Company B?

Thanks for the replies guys

tatli_lokma

Just something to bear in mind when dealing with fixed-term contracts:

from Citizens Information



Employees may not be employed on a series of fixed-term contracts indefinitely. There are 2 possible situations where this arises as follows:

• If an employee whose employment started before 14 July 2003 has completed 3 years’ continuous service as a fixed-term employee, the employer may renew their fixed-term contract only once for a period of no more than 1 year.
• If an employee whose employment started after 14 July 2003 has been employed on 2 or more continuous fixed-term contracts, the total duration of those contracts may not exceed 4 years.

After this, if the employer wishes to renew the employee’s contract, it must be an open-ended contract unless there are objective grounds justifying the renewal of the contract for a fixed term only.

The Unfair Dismissal Acts 1977–2007 contain a provision aimed at ensuring that successive temporary contracts are not used in order to avoid that legislation. Where a fixed-term or specified-purpose contract expires and the individual is re-employed within 3 months, the individual is deemed to have continuous service.

bridgepeople

Jimmy. I'd like to wish you luck with the job hunt but I think it might be wise for you to reign in your expectations a bit.

You have asked a question about how long you can hold off answering an offer from firm A (my opinion - a few days) until you see if you also get an offer from firm B. You seem to be almost expecting an offer from both.

At present you have no offer and are no further than the second interview stage with firm A. They could easily have 5 or more candidates asked back for a second interview. Even if you are the preferred candidate, sometimes job openings can close as the company has second thoughts about filling a position externally.

I suggest you wait until you have an actual job offer in hand before asking these questions or else you could find yourself very disappointed!

Also, do not tell your current boss you are interviewing. If you wouldn't mind staying in your current job if you were offered more money and/or permanency, the time to negotiate is when you already have another job offer on the table.

Best of luck by the way!

jimmy_t

Little Ted wrote: »

Just something to bear in mind when dealing with fixed-term contracts:

Thanks for this ted; I've only been on contracts now for just over 2 years and this is my fourth contract so it doesnt apply just yet.

Jimmy. I'd like to wish you luck with the job hunt but I think it might be wise for you to reign in your expectations a bit.

You have asked a question about how long you can hold off answering an offer from firm A (my opinion - a few days) until you see if you also get an offer from firm B. You seem to be almost expecting an offer from both.

At present you have no offer and are no further than the second interview stage with firm A. They could easily have 5 or more candidates asked back for a second interview. Even if you are the preferred candidate, sometimes job openings can close as the company has second thoughts about filling a position externally.

I suggest you wait until you have an actual job offer in hand before asking these questions or else you could find yourself very disappointed!

Also, do not tell your current boss you are interviewing. If you wouldn't mind staying in your current job if you were offered more money and/or permanency, the time to negotiate is when you already have another job offer on the table.

Best of luck by the way!

Thanks bridgepeople some great advice there.
Im sorry if i sounded presumptuous when asking about the two job offers, i was just running through all the possibilities in my head when i was thinking about it and this possibility was one that i didn't know anything about or how to approach. The only reason I'm worried about it is because I don't want to mess up any opportunities with either company or piss anyone off. I did the 2nd interview with Company A today and they have informed me that they want to have a decision by next week but i only did the psychometric test with Company B last friday and I've a feeling they will drag it out before making a decision. And as i said i really want to work for Company B.
I've an interview with Company C tomorrow so i think its fair to say my boss has a good idea whats going on regardless but i won't tell him unless I get an offer. fingers crossed...

jimmy_t

So for an update,

Company C have offered me a job as of yesterday (Wednesday 30th) and told me I have til friday the 1st to accept it.
So I rang Company B today and told him about the other offer and deadline and he said he wanted to make an offer but would need me to come in for a medical and second interview as it's protocol.
He wanted me to come in tomorrow but I'm flying out to scotland so cant and he said tuesday 5th so I agreed tuesday morning.

So how am I going to delay Company C before seeing what Company B have to offer?

Thanks all

Update:

I rang Company C and told her the truth about the medical tuesday etc and she accepted that and told me to get back to her at the latest by wednesday and let her know whats happening or if there would be a further delay, she was quite nice about it, honesty might actually be the best policy...

tatli_lokma

Well done Jimmy for securing two offers in the current jobs market! that is fantastic.

As you say, sometimes honesty is the best policy, and if you are a solid candidate and the company wants you, then you have room to negotiate. I know if I wanted someone for a position, I would prepared to wait another 48hrs for them to make a decision. This is obviously what is the case here.

Having said that, I wouldn't play hardball or mess either one around too much. BUT, its no bad thing for either company to know you are in demand and deemed employable by other companies.

I would now get back to company B and let him know you have extended the deadline however, following interview and medical you would need a decision by Wednesday. No good you getting medicals erc only to be left waiting another week....by that stage you will be rightly annoying company C if you haven't decided what you are doing, or worse yet could miss your chance with them. If company B can't give you their decision by Wednesday I would cut my losses and go with company C. Bird in the hand and all that.

Well done, and best of luck

jimmy_t

Little Ted wrote: »

Well done Jimmy for securing two offers in the current jobs market! that is fantastic.

As you say, sometimes honesty is the best policy, and if you are a solid candidate and the company wants you, then you have room to negotiate. I know if I wanted someone for a position, I would prepared to wait another 48hrs for them to make a decision. This is obviously what is the case here.

Having said that, I wouldn't play hardball or mess either one around too much. BUT, its no bad thing for either company to know you are in demand and deemed employable by other companies.

I would now get back to company B and let him know you have extended the deadline however, following interview and medical you would need a decision by Wednesday. No good you getting medicals erc only to be left waiting another week....by that stage you will be rightly annoying company C if you haven't decided what you are doing, or worse yet could miss your chance with them. If company B can't give you their decision by Wednesday I would cut my losses and go with company C. Bird in the hand and all that.

Well done, and best of luck

Thanks Ted, thats good advice, i'll ring company B again tomorrow and let them know that company C have extended the deadline. all I have to do now hopefully is make the right decision....