Posted: 11/2/2015 6:27:47 AM EDT
|
What would the Hive do?
Long story long. I flew out last week and interviewed for a QC job with a major international company. The next day I was offered the job. The money is better than pretty good. I'll have to temporarily relocate to GA for quite a while which isn't a huge deal. I have until Thursday morning to accept the offer. The job wouldn't start until later this month. Two days later, I'm talking to a buddy and he tells me an old friend is working on the same project for another company at the same site. I call the guy to catch up and tell him I just interviewed for a job at the same place. We do some catching up since we haven't talked or seen each other in a few years. The next day, he sends me an email asking a couple of kind of odd work related questions and asks for my resume. Then he calls me and tells me what's going on. He wants to submit my resume to his boss for 1 of 2 open positions in his group (oversight) and I give him the go ahead. The group he is working in is exactly what I want to do and we have another friend that is in the same group, but he travels to different vendors performing oversight. Both of these guys get in touch with their management, on site and at the office, and vouch for me the next day. I get a call from the VP of their company about 2 hours later for a quick interview and to settle on money. These positions are contracted to a much larger company for this project and will be several years long. I'd also have to relocate for a few years. They haven't started interviewing for these positions yet, but I've been told that is an extremely high probability of me getting this job unless someone crazy experienced interviews for it. Basically, my resume gets pushed through the company I'll be getting paid by to the customer and they give a go ahead for the interview, but it is up to the site boss to decide who gets hired. Should I take the QC job I've already been offered or hold out for the oversight job? I don't want to take the QC job and drag up on them either before or after I actually start work, if I get the oversight job. Both positions are unique and would give me a huge resume boost, but the oversight job pays 60% more than the QC job and would be a lot easier work. The oversight job pay is getting into the ludicrous area. TL;DR: I've been offered one job, but should I hold out for a higher paying and easier job at the same site for a different company, that I have the inside track on, even though it isn't in the bag yet? |
|
That's a tough position to be in. Is this in tech or something else? First thing though, you haven't verbally accepted the QC job in any way have you? If you did I would follow through and formally accept, start work, and at least give them a year. I say that because it seems that this is a fairly large project with lots of opportunities and you don't want to burn bridges before you even start working there. A good reputation is easy to loose and very difficult to recover. Even if you formally accepted, there is nothing legally that would prevent you from stiffing them (assuming that this is a typical "at will" employment gig and not a contract) but there may be a day when the outfit with the QA job has an even better opportunity.
Other than that I'd be upfront with both sides. For the QC position tell them that you are interviewing for other positions and need an additional week to decide. Be very explicit that this is in no way a negotiating tactic, but that you are simply looking for the position with the best fit. The job they are offering you is very compelling and you are definitely interested. For the oversight position tell them they have an extra week to make it happen. It depends upon how competitive the employment situation is there whether this will work or not. |
| Both jobs are better than your current job. One is guaranteed, the other isn't. Is there any reason you can't accept the first job, and then take the second job if you're offered? Since the job doesn't start until later this month, it's not like people there would know you from the other company. |
|
Had a buddy with an offer but wanted a different job with my company. Had the inside track, lots of people supporting him and had a great interview. He got the verbal offer and paperwork submitted to HR. A week later, no written offer. All reqs for that position nationally were put on hold.
Not the norm but it happens. Question to ask yourself is if the job your holding out for falls through, would you be kicking yourself if you didn't take the offer you have in your hands. You can also apply some pressure. If they really want you, make sure they know you have to give an answer for an offer you have in place by a certain time. If they can come up with an offer, you'd be happy to take it. If you have a VP involved, they should be able to make things happen. |
|
Quoted:
What would the Hive do? Long story long. I flew out last week and interviewed for a QC job with a major international company. The next day I was offered the job. The money is better than pretty good. I'll have to temporarily relocate to GA for quite a while which isn't a huge deal. I have until Thursday morning to accept the offer. The job wouldn't start until later this month. Two days later, I'm talking to a buddy and he tells me an old friend is working on the same project for another company at the same site. I call the guy to catch up and tell him I just interviewed for a job at the same place. We do some catching up since we haven't talked or seen each other in a few years. The next day, he sends me an email asking a couple of kind of odd work related questions and asks for my resume. Then he calls me and tells me what's going on. He wants to submit my resume to his boss for 1 of 2 open positions in his group (oversight) and I give him the go ahead. The group he is working in is exactly what I want to do and we have another friend that is in the same group, but he travels to different vendors performing oversight. Both of these guys get in touch with their management, on site and at the office, and vouch for me the next day. I get a call from the VP of their company about 2 hours later for a quick interview and to settle on money. These positions are contracted to a much larger company for this project and will be several years long. I'd also have to relocate for a few years. They haven't started interviewing for these positions yet, but I've been told that is an extremely high probability of me getting this job unless someone crazy experienced interviews for it. Basically, my resume gets pushed through the company I'll be getting paid by to the customer and they give a go ahead for the interview, but it is up to the site boss to decide who gets hired. Should I take the QC job I've already been offered or hold out for the oversight job? I don't want to take the QC job and drag up on them either before or after I actually start work, if I get the oversight job. Both positions are unique and would give me a huge resume boost, but the oversight job pays 60% more than the QC job and would be a lot easier work. The oversight job pay is getting into the ludicrous area. TL;DR: I've been offered one job, but should I hold out for a higher paying and easier job at the same site for a different company, that I have the inside track on, even though it isn't in the bag yet? Do the job till you get the other one. Easy enough. |
|
It might feel wrong leading the other company on, but it is the right business decision. Act as if you plan to work the first offer, but go for the better one as soon as you get it.
They would not give you any greater courtesy or consideration as your employer, so make the correct decision for yourself. |
| No shame in accepting the first offer and then backing out. I was offered a position with a company I worked for and accepted. It was going to be about 6 weeks before I would start the position. In the mean time I was in the right place at the right time and fell into a better paying position working less hours doing work I was better suited doing. I accepted the better position and resigned from the other company. I was up front with my original employer and they understood completely. They also let me know that if the new position didn't work out I was welcome to rehire with them. Not exactly the same as what you are doing but it is an indicator of how things can go. |
|
Quoted:
Do the job till you get the other one. Easy enough. Let me lay the timeline out a little better. I accept the QC job and start at the end of the month. Before I actually start the QC job, I interview for the oversight position and get it. What then? There's a about a 3 week lag between me accepting the QC job before I actually start it. A mountain of paperwork, security background checks and drug tests have to be done. Quite a bit can happen in 3 weeks. |
|
Quoted:
No shame in accepting the first offer and then backing out. I was offered a position with a company I worked for and accepted. It was going to be about 6 weeks before I would start the position. In the mean time I was in the right place at the right time and fell into a better paying position working less hours doing work I was better suited doing. I accepted the better position and resigned from the other company. I was up front with my original employer and they understood completely. They also let me know that if the new position didn't work out I was welcome to rehire with them. Not exactly the same as what you are doing but it is an indicator of how things can go. This is more or less the situation I'm in, but the timeline is shorter. |