Made an offer but unsure

chrisfroome · 10-06-2021 10:40am #1

I would like to hear any opinions on the following. I received an offer yesterday from an agency regarding a job that I applied for. Naturally the agency is putting me under pressure to take the offer. i have pushed back saying I need time to think.

Advantages :
Job itself will be (hopefully) interesting and a challenge
Interview. Had 2 good interviews particularly with 2nd one with the person that I will be working with
It is working full-time in the language I want to work in and have been working in over last few years.
Company is in the pharmaceutical branch so there is definite progression
Bonus scheme

Disadvantages :
As a supervisor has not been appointed for the department, I could not speak to him/her. I spoke to the hiring manager in Moscow. The last manager left in April
The salary is a few thousand less than what I earned previously before I was made redundant in April from my last company
The company is based on the other side of Dublin. They could not give me confirmation about remote working but if I was required to work full-time in the office I would have to quit.

Various thoughts are going through my brain at the moment. I have other options with other companies and I would not start to July. A friend of mine said that I could agree and then if something better comes along in the meantime, take that up!

Any thoughts from anyone would be appreciated. Cheers!

TheW1zard · 10-06-2021 10:42am

Listen to your gut

(Dont take the job)

1hnr79jr65 · 10-06-2021 12:24pm

For me, if the advantages do not significantly outweigh the disadvantages then it would be a hard pass for me, in this case i would not accept.

I have been down the road of joining a company where senior members were leaving a lot or not in place before i joined, regretted joining as the company was in disarray.

jimmycrackcorm · 10-06-2021 12:36pm

I wouldn't let the lower salary bother me, I've taken jobs before with a lower salary and then other later with a higher salary. The biggest issue is the location and requirement to be in the office full-time. That should be the point you need the agency to sort out.

If you have a good redundancy payout then you can afford to wait for something else.

Mrs OBumble · 10-06-2021 12:53pm

Agency should be told to stop wasting your time with 100% unsuitable locations.

seamus · 10-06-2021 12:59pm

The last point seems like the sticking one.

Lack of a supervisor is no big deal; you spoke to someone you'd be working with, so a team exists.
Lower salary, again no big deal

"I'd have to quit if I can't work remotely", that's a big one. Put it to the Moscow-based recruiter that you absolutely cannot take the job if it is not 100% remote. Unless they come back with an email confirming that it is fully remote, then walk away.

You can say that to the agent too, but they'll often say anything to get you in the door in the hopes that you stay for six months (i.e. until they get the second half of their fee).

DJ_Eoghan · 10-06-2021 1:25pm

No judgement, but did this not come up in the interview, and if so how did you respond. If I were the hiring employer, I would be really annoyed if someone declined the job because the place of work didn’t suit them, I would have covered that in the interview. Indeed, I’ve had this issue before pre-covid, and complained vociferously to the agency about sending me candidates that did not want to work on the office location e.g. I asked them to ensure said applicants were blacklisted for future roles, as well as threatening to pull their business (got a reduced fee for that job). Suggest that if you are going to turn it down, to keep location issue to yourself. In answer to the core question, it really depends on whether you’re prepared to make the commute (I have a long commute to my work, but I don’t mind as I get time to wind down on the journey). As regards the lack of leadership, that can also be an opportunity as well as a risk e.g. if you’re confident, ambitious and adept enough, you could fill the role yourself. You’re not hindered by any legacy relationships or baggage in the company. I’ve seen people come into organisations before and fill the leadership gap above them.

Padre_Pio · 10-06-2021 1:32pm

chrisfroome wrote: »

Advantages :
Job itself will be (hopefully) interesting and a challenge
Interview. Had 2 good interviews particularly with 2nd one with the person that I will be working with
It is working full-time in the language I want to work in and have been working in over last few years.
Company is in the pharmaceutical branch so there is definite progression
Bonus scheme

Disadvantages :
As a supervisor has not been appointed for the department, I could not speak to him/her. I spoke to the hiring manager in Moscow. The last manager left in April
The salary is a few thousand less than what I earned previously before I was made redundant in April from my last company
The company is based on the other side of Dublin. They could not give me confirmation about remote working but if I was required to work full-time in the office I would have to quit.

Various thoughts are going through my brain at the moment. I have other options with other companies and I would not start to July. A friend of mine said that I could agree and then if something better comes along in the meantime, take that up!

Any thoughts from anyone would be appreciated. Cheers!

Good working environment,
good interviews,
chance for progressions
bonuses
VS
It pays slightly less than the job you lost.
Couldn't speak to the direct manager (is that a deal breaker at all?)
You don't want to commute through Dublin.

You say you have other options, but they're not firm offers, so can you even rely on them?
Seems like the commute is the only sticking point, but even that's not clear.
Seems like a weak reason to turn down a job, if you're not working right now.

chrisfroome · 15-06-2021 5:25pm

DJ_Eoghan wrote: »

If I were the hiring employer, I would be really annoyed if someone declined the job because the place of work didn’t suit them, .

I think that if employers have that attitude then it is best not to work for them. The employee needs to make the best decision for themselves and not the employer.

Padre_Pio wrote: »

You say you have other options, but they're not firm offers, so can you even rely on them?
Seems like the commute is the only sticking point, but even that's not clear.
Seems like a weak reason to turn down a job, if you're not working right now.

How is this a weak reason? I would be prepared to wait a little while more if need be to find a position in a better location. I certainly don't want a 60km round trip if this can be avoided. I think that asking the question clarified my thinking on the topic. The location is most important and in such circumstances, I am prepared to wait rather then travel such a distance. Employers need to understand that they need to be flexible and the hybrid/remote model has been successful.

The employer in question is looking to sort this issue out. If the job can be a hybrid model and start in July I will certainly join but if it is full-time going to Liffey Valley each day then then the answer is no. I have 2 final round interviews with other companies and I am confident one of them will work out.

1hnr79jr65 · 15-06-2021 5:40pm

Good luck with other interviews.

I would still be weary of this company and if there is to be a hybrid approach to working, don't just get it in writing, but make sure that the words cant be amended to make you full time on site when ever they want with such wordings as "we reserve the right to alter your place of work and or time in line of company needs" or any other variation of this.

If they have this kind of thing and cant give you ironclad guarantee then just walk away, not worth the headaches.

chrisfroome · 15-06-2021 6:29pm

Sour Lemonz wrote: »

Good luck with other interviews.

I would still be weary of this company and if there is to be a hybrid approach to working, don't just get it in writing, but make sure that the words cant be amended to make you full time on site when ever they want with such wordings as "we reserve the right to alter your place of work and or time in line of company needs" or any other variation of this.

If they have this kind of thing and cant give you ironclad guarantee then just walk away, not worth the headaches.

Thanks. Appreciate the kind words

chrisfroome · 24-06-2021 4:46pm

I just want to say that I rejected the offer in question. The company was only prepared to offer me a working model that I could work up to a maximum of 2 days a week from home. This would be determined by the company and the manager in question and I would have no say in what day this was. It sounds very much like school and I can foresee problems down the line with this. I tried to negotiate on pay or flexibility but they were not interested.

I have subsequently being made an offer from another company yesterday with better annual pay of €5,000 compared to the offer of the previous company. Also the benefits and stock options and working from home will be helpful. It is a company who are expanding so it will be a good challenge.

For anybody out there, stick please to your values and principles. It can be hard sometimes but it is important. Previously, I would have joined the former company and allowed myself to be micromanaged and dictated to. I guess that I have learned to stand up for myself!

1hnr79jr65 · 24-06-2021 6:34pm

Gratz on job offer from other company, great outcome as it seems that first company decided to continue down the road of messing around.

TheW1zard · 24-06-2021 9:40pm

Always listen to your gut! Nice one OP

Made an offer but unsure

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