I need some advice about the job hunt.

[jaylea]

There are 3 jobs I am interested in, which I have applied for:

job 1: have had 2 interviews. At a company which currently employs a number of old coworkers. Good benefits. Good environment. Higher pay range than what I make now. Would represent a shift in duties. It's a project manager job vs. research analyst, which is what I do now.

job 2: Phone interview tomorrow. Very similar to what I do now - senior analyst. BUT it is in-house, so better hours. Bigger company, better (well, any benefits are better than none!) benefits. No idea about pay range or environment/hours.

job 3: This was my "reach" job. Director level. The hiring manager requested my resume, and forwarded it on to HR herself. Last week, she nudged them. HR just contacted me to set up a telephone interview over the next few days. This would be heading up the research group - in-house. Big company, good benefits, but I don't have anyone on the inside to give me the rundown on environment. I have friends there in other groups, and they are happy there.

So. If I have an offer come in from #1, how long could I push off making a decision? I am most interested in job#3, but who knows if it would pan out. I just don't really know how to proceed here. I am expecting to hear from job 1 this week, since the hiring manager was out last week.

[Deleted]

This isn't the best thing in the world to do, BUT I'd honestly take whatever job was offered first, and keep going for #3 at the same time. It's shitty, I know, but considering your situation with your current job, I think you have to get out first, no matter what.

[leeann]

You might be in a tight time frame, since you have had 2 interviews for job #1 and are just going into a phone screen for #3. The most time I've seen given to consider an offer is 4-5 days. I would probably try to think about your priorities- do you want a guaranteed job (if you are offered #1) or would you rather wait out one of the other two and risk losing the first one? I have had candidates turn down our offer to wait out another one and they didn't get offered the other job- and they were SOL. Good luck, at least it is a good problem to have, three to consider!

[jaylea]

Oh yeah. And I'll also tell them they can hire me for focus groups as an independent contractor at $XXX per hour (since that was why he hired me). lol!

[Deleted]

if i got an offer from #1, i'd as for, say 4 or 5 days to decide (maybe longer? you'll know best if it'll piss them off). then i'd call jobs 2 and 3, let them know you have an exploding offer and that you'd like the opportunity to assess all of your options, and do they think they'll have a decision in time.

this is of course if you think you'd like job 1 and have no qualms about that conversation with jobs 2 and 3 maybe making those oppotunities disappear.

[greylady]

Tell number three they are your first choice but you are expecting an offer from your second choice any minute. See if they can move up the interview for you.

[kellbell191]

I would not try to push number three until you have an offer in hand from #1. It makes me batty when people say "well you're my first choice but I MIGHT get an offer from so and so today" no matter how firm that offer is. When you get an offer from #1 I would ask them for a few days to decide (4 to 5 is reasonable) and immediately call your contact at #3 to let her know it is your first choice but you have to jump on this other thing before then.

[Nicole]

Jul 9, 2012 9:23:20 GMT -5 cville said:

if i got an offer from #1, i'd as for, say 4 or 5 days to decide (maybe longer? you'll know best if it'll piss them off). then i'd call jobs 2 and 3, let them know you have an exploding offer and that you'd like the opportunity to assess all of your options, and do they think they'll have a decision in time.

this is of course if you think you'd like job 1 and have no qualms about that conversation with jobs 2 and 3 maybe making those oppotunities disappear.

This is an excellent answer.

[jaylea]

Jul 9, 2012 10:46:13 GMT -5 Nicole said:

Jul 9, 2012 9:23:20 GMT -5 cville said:

if i got an offer from #1, i'd as for, say 4 or 5 days to decide (maybe longer? you'll know best if it'll piss them off). then i'd call jobs 2 and 3, let them know you have an exploding offer and that you'd like the opportunity to assess all of your options, and do they think they'll have a decision in time.

this is of course if you think you'd like job 1 and have no qualms about that conversation with jobs 2 and 3 maybe making those oppotunities disappear.

This is an excellent answer.

This is what I did last summer, and it went okay. This is my plan for how to proceed if I get an offer. Otherwise, just move forward.

[eightangryreindeer]

Is job # 3 the right thing now in terms of work/life balance? That level might present difficulties with some of the things you're currently unhappy with?

I mean I think it's great (yay, you!) but it may mean longer hours and not much flexibility wrt time out of the office.

If you get an offer from 1, I don't think it's bad to take a couple/few days but I would definitely not push them for longer than a week.

[jaylea]

Jul 9, 2012 11:34:07 GMT -5 eightangryreindeer said:

Is job # 3 the right thing now in terms of work/life balance? That level might present difficulties with some of the things you're currently unhappy with?

I mean I think it's great (yay, you!) but it may mean longer hours and not much flexibility wrt time out of the office.

This is a concern of mine, and would definitely be something I'd be very frank about in terms of an interview. I am not interested in 50-60 hour weeks.

[jenn1298]

I would counter-offer Job #1. Ask for more money or time off - it will probably take them a few days to get back to you and then when they do you can ask for an additional 5 days to think it over.