Company A vs. Company B
1. Earn a higher salary (Currently at $62,500)
2. Continue career development
2 companies have expressed job opportunites.
Company A
This is a company I previously worked for from 11/04-2/06. They found out I was back in the job search and were quick to contact me about a job opening. Unfortunately, I don't know alot about the job at this point other than it's a financial manager job. However, many important people in the company know my skill set and abilities to feel confident recommending me for this job. Do I trust there is a fit between me and the proposed job? A job req. hasn't been proposed since they won't find out if they win the contract till tomorrow. How can I have an offer for a job that might not be there if they don't win the contract? In any case, I already have an offer letter in my hands for $72,000 per year. I like this company and they like me. The only real reason for leaving before was that I made so little $$$ that working a 2nd job was necessary. However, it would be nice to know what I am getting myself into before accepting the job. Would it be fair to ask for a more detailed explanation of job responsibilities before accepting?
Company B
This company is in the process of checking references and has said they are interested in moving forward. I consider this a way of saying "We like you and want to hire you, let us just check your references and then good to go". My references are all very good so it would be safe to consider an offer should come in the next few days. With this job, I know exactly what I would be doing as we had a lengthy interview to discuss the job requirements. I was VERY comfortible after the interview as the job was an exact match with my skill sets.
I can probably make Company A wait a few days for an answer. However, do I contact Company B and be honest with them that another offer is on the table? In all honesty, Company B is probably my first choice as they are known for great training programs, ability to transfer to different jobs within the company, and overall benefits. If both companies offered the same salary, I would choose company B. However, Company A is a definately right now while Company B is not.
How should I handle this situation? Thanks!
Don't tell either company about the other's interest in you until you get to decision time. If you stall Company A to wait for Company B and it looks like Company A may run out of time, THEN is the time to approach company B and explain that you have another offer and need to make a decision.
BTW - my advice is that returning to Company A, while flattering that they felt good enough about you to call you, does not help your resume. I am in that situation having returned to a company for which I previously worked and it creates some confusion when I go on interviews.
So, all other things equal, B would be my choice.
I pretty much agree with Chet. First, you really need to treat each of these opportunities as totally stand-alone situations. In other words, don't discuss either opportunity with the other employer. The thing to do with A is tell them you'd like a few days to consider their offer and also ask them when they need an answer from you. In the meantime, I think you can be politely persistent with B by saying you hope you can get a better sense of what their time line might be with regard to filling the position for which you're being considered. But I don't think you should try to push them to a decision more quickly than they're inclined to move. The worst case scenario is declining A's offer and not receiving an offer from B. The only other option I can see is if A sets a deadline for an answer from you, and assuming you'd take A's offer if B didn't exist, you could, very tactfully, explain to B that they're your first choice and that you hope they feel the same about you, but that have another company pushing you for a "yes or no" on a job offer and ask if there's anything they might be willing to do to expedite their hiring process - making it as clear as possible that you are NOT trying to pressure them, but that you don't want to be left without a job offer at all. You'll be running the risk that B will tell you they can't move that quickly and that you'd better take A's offer, but I don't see any other way to approach this except honestly.
Paul W. Barada
The Negotiation Expert