Job offer decision, help?

DeeAvery

Okay so I've been looking for work for a year and a half. Today I just got offered my first paid job ever! My dream is to be an arts outreach worker making projects with at risk groups. The job is an administrative roll for a NGO. Which is great. And it's an NGO for an issue that I'm interested in and have exprience with and would love to continue to do work with.

However the other day I got a call for an interview for a really well known arts organisation to interview for an education assistant. Which is basically what I want to do and a step closer to my dream job.

Odvisiouly there is no garentee that I get that job, I could do the worst interview of my life or there could be a better candidate, whatever. Still I feel like I'm suck in this situation and I don't know what to do.

I'm going to go to the interview or at least that's the plan. As even if I accept the NGO job I won't start for a 3 weeks or so anyway. And it'll be good experience and the arts organisation will know I exist if a position comes up in the future.

The NGO want an answer as soon a possible to start the paper work. Luckily its Friday so I can hold off replying straight away.

If I never got the all for this interview I would have been so stoked for the NGO job but now I really don't know what to do. Any ideas?

o1s1n

I'd take the NGO job, interview for the other - If I got that I'd then quit the NGO one.

Fairly straight forward! Its Actually a great position to be in - you're guaranteed a job!

DeeAvery

o1s1n wrote: »

I'd take the NGO job, interview for the other - If I got that I'd then quit the NGO one.

Fairly straight forward! Its Actually a great position to be in - you're guaranteed a job!

I don't think I'd feel comfortable doing that.

Wabbit Ears

It happens all the time, people who have accepted a job turning it down at the last minuite or just after they start. Its pretty much understood that interviewes arent exclusive and theyve been to other interviews. Also, Unless you have a niche skill that they REALLY wanted they will simply offer it to the next in line, no harm no foul.

so basically, you're just not that important (jk).

Edit to add, Do not, no matter even if you get asked directly, say youve been offered a position with the first company. Been there, done that. BIG regret.

o1s1n

DeeAvery wrote: »

I don't think I'd feel comfortable doing that.

Business is business. It's nothing personal.

When it comes to your work life and career, there's only one person you have to look out for and that's you.

If a friend had gotten you a placement somewhere and you did this then fare enough, that's not really on. But seriously, if not, then then you don't owe any company anything.

ALWAYS take a better offer when it presents itself in life. Without wanting to sound too corny, it's too short not to.

But if you have a backup (like you've been offered with the NGO) you'd be very silly to reject it.

As per the above, if you do leaves the NGO job after a couple of weeks they'll literally replace you overnight. Happens where I work quite a bit. None of us take it personally

smurfjed

people who have accepted a job turning it down at the last minuite or just after they start

I remember when i got told that i was #1 on the standby list for a job, no one dropped out so i didn't get the offer, on the first morning of training, 2 guys didn't show up. So please remember that your actions affect others

o1s1n

smurfjed wrote: »

I remember when i got told that i was #1 on the standby list for a job, no one dropped out so i didn't get the offer, on the first morning of training, 2 guys didn't show up. So please remember that your actions affect others

Did you then get called for the job when the 2 guys didn't show up?

As I said, that's life really. You can't hold back from making the right choice for yourself out of fear that it will inconvenience other people for a day or two.