Navigating Job Offers
It can be complicated to navigate job offers and decide what to commit to when you have been interviewing at multiple companies, especially if they have different hiring timelines. The tips below will help you!
If you get a job offer and you are waiting to hear from other companies, or if you expect to get more job offers soon:
When you are offered the job, you do not have to commit immediately but you do have to respond within 1 business day regardless of your interest level. Use a positive tone in your response, and know that it is completely normal to take time to think about the offer:
- “Thank you for the offer. I am really excited! May I have some time to think about all of the factors? Can I get back to you by [date of your choice]?”
- You may get up to a week, or the employer may need to hear from you soon — they may offer a different deadline. Why? Things change very quickly in recruiting. They don’t want to lose all of their candidates!
- It is extremely important to keep your word and meet the deadline that you agree to.
In the extra time you have secured, follow up with every other company where you have something in progress.
- “I just got a job offer from a different company and I need to give them an answer by [X date]. I don’t want to interfere with your process, but if you will have any updates about the status of the job by then, it will help me to make a good decision. I would really appreciate it.”
- A company that is really interested in you will most likely work hard to answer you as soon as possible!
- It is also possible that other companies’ timelines will be completely different than the first, in which case you will have to decide about that first offer all on its own.
It is extremely important to keep your word and meet the deadline with the first company that made an offer – your personal reputation is at stake.
Once you have accepted a job, it is a firm commitment. Tell all other employers that you have been in contact with that you accepted another job. You could fail co-op if you change your mind or renegotiate – you agreed not to renege when you signed the Co-op Terms & Conditions on WITworks.
- Tell the other employers that you will be available again for another co-op or a job after graduation, and ask if you can keep in touch. Connect on LinkedIn. This will make your next search easier.