What happens if your are offered a job and...

[MGRJob]

I've been applying to work, and all the interviews are lined up. I'm more interested to get one job more over the other but they are all great. The problem is I am still waiting to hear the outcome of the interview.

So what happens. If you say no you will have turned down an offer before you even know whether you got the other job.

What happens if you say yes, and later you found out you got the other job as well? Can you quit the job you just started a week ago and go to the other job?

 

[Moneyman]

Newman's game theory will probably cover this. but degree level maths is probably necessary. Best idea is just call.
If you were to work for me for month and then quit. i would really be incredibly peed off. You have high costs finding an employee and the second and third choices will probably have gone off somewhere else.

 

[Newchodge]

Yes. If you accept a job and then give notice to leave, as long as you give a week's notice, you are effectively OK.

Similarly if an employer offers you a job and then changes their mind after a week, you have no comeback.

 

[BusinessDeli]

I'm sympathetic with MoneyMan here - I would be incredibly annoyed if you worked a day or two only to jump ship.
That said this is your lifestyle etc we're thinking about and you need to do what's best for your situation. Say yes and hope the offer you really want is quick, you may not have to start the other job

 

[superdooper500]

To be honest I would just be proactive, if you have a job offer in hand but you would prefer the other job, I would ring up the preferred job and say you have another job offer but are very interested in their job etc, what is the state of play. At least you'll know where you stand.

 

[10032012]

I've been applying to work, and all the interviews are lined up. I'm more interested to get one job more over the other but they are all great. The problem is I am still waiting to hear the outcome of the interview.

So what happens. If you say no you will have turned down an offer before you even know whether you got the other job.

What happens if you say yes, and later you found out you got the other job as well? Can you quit the job you just started a week ago and go to the other job?

If they haven't got back to you (I assume its been a few days), its normally two things:-
1) Its a No... if you were really great they would have contacted you by now
or
2) Fall-back Yes... their preferred candidate fell through and you are second best. If the recruiters not in the workplace you will be ok, if they are, you will probably be a disappointment (in regards to character rather than a worker) and job security will be risky.

No harm in chasing it up. I would personally chose the other job.

 

[PrestonLad]

Someone did this to me once. Accepted the only graduate trainee position in our company... and quit 2 days before starting. By which time all the best graduates had gone.

Nothing I could do.

 

[sarahjohs]

To be honest I would just be proactive, if you have a job offer in hand but you would prefer the other job, I would ring up the preferred job and say you have another job offer but are very interested in their job etc, what is the state of play. At least you'll know where you stand.

I agree with superdooper 500. This is ideal.

 

[deniser]

I agree with superdooper 500. This is ideal.

Me too. Our current employee did this - rang and said she had another job offer and they were pressing for an answer but she preferred our job and could we please give her a decision. This swung it for us and we immediately offered her the job.

So you have nothing to lose really - at least it shows you are keen!

 

[thelegalstop]

Everything depends on the company you work/will work for. You see, if you were your employer and hire someone, who wants to work for a few days and then leave, you will not be pleased. Of course, as an employee, you can leave (however read carefully your contract), but it is better if you can organise everything, so no one feels deceived.

 

[Talay]

There is no dilemma on the part of the employee.

If they cannot obtain an answer regarding the second position before they have to commit to the first position, then they must do commit and potentially later withdraw.

It is the only sane and logical thing to do.

As an employer, you need to be aware whether your candidate has other offers or is attending other interviews and also to be aware of how your job offer compares to the market and more specifically to prospective offers which could be made to your candidate, now and in the near future.

Offering £25k might be better than nothing but if they want and can obtain £30k, you are going to run into a brick wall unless you overcome that imbalance.

 

[Talay]

There is no dilemma on the part of the employee.

If they cannot obtain an answer regarding the second position before they have to commit to the first position, then they must do commit and potentially later withdraw.

It is the only sane and logical thing to do.

As an employer, you need to be aware whether your candidate has other offers or is attending other interviews and also to be aware of how your job offer compares to the market and more specifically to prospective offers which could be made to your candidate, now and in the near future.

Offering £25k might be better than nothing but if they want and can obtain £30k, you are going to run into a brick wall unless you overcome that imbalance.