How to Juggle Job Offer While Interviewing For Others

How to juggle a job offer can be challenging especially when you are waiting for another. Usually, this situation comes up when you are about landing your first job or as an expert waiting for another opportunity.

Looking up to other potential recruiters for feedback while excited to receive a current job offer can be very daunting.

The important factor to be considered here is how you respond to the job offer in a professional manner.

Nothing disturbs an applicant or a job seeker more than awaiting a great job offer which can pop up while hoping for yet another they are attracted to the most.

A reader once writes and I quote;

What is the protocol when you have an offer in hand from Company A but you’re waiting on a second job offer from Company B that you think would be a better fit? Let’s assume Company B’s offer might not be forthcoming (if at all) for 3 weeks or more. Obviously, you can try to tell Company A that you’re sifting through all your alternatives and need 2 weeks, but how long can one reasonably expect to string along Job A? I’ve seen people accept Company A (a bird in the hand…) and then quit in a month if Company B’s offer comes through, yet that strikes me as quite unprofessional. What do you think?

According to the writer, it is really unprofessional to accept a job proposal and to think of quitting soon after securing a different offer.

Imagine what the first company must have been through refusing other candidates the opportunity and investing enough time and money preparing for your arrival.

In this case, you will succeed in taking the opportunity offered to you for granted thereby tarnishing your own image within the company, giving rise to side talks and others who will eventually hear about it.

It is very important to keep to your words whenever you accept an offer to save you from ruining your reputation even to others who you may likely work for in the future.

You can discuss with the first company how important their offer means to you and ask for some time to think it through.

Any company that is reasonable enough will give you a few days or more to think it through before reaching out to other candidates.

Asking for an extension of time may not be necessary as it will give the company a bad feeling that you may be expecting an offer from another company, which may lead to questioning your intentions.

You can use the time given to contact the second company making them believe they are your first choice, indicating your interest to work with them.

You can brief the second company of the offer you are having from the first company that is waiting for your response within a week.

The second company will switch to action immediately if they are interested in you. They can respond to you in two possible ways:

1. As a result of conflicting roles, interviews may not hold as expected.
   
2. There may be no decision to make offers available within the week.

At this point you will be faced with a difficult situation in your hands.

The willingness to turn down the initial offer and wait on the second company without a guarantee from them would become your own decision to make ahead of the future.

In this article, you’ll learn how to juggle a job offer while waiting on another, along with tips on how to tackle the situation in an appropriate and professional manner.

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Responding To A Job Offer While Waiting On Other Offers

The need to juggle a job offer while waiting for other job openings is the same as a way to determine how to cling on a given offer while maintaining your candidacy.

Doing this potentially helps you get the position you want along with the employer you will like to work for.

You will be able to earn the kind of salary and benefits that can cater for your needs instead of taking the first job offer that hardly meets your needs.

Tips For Handling A Job Offer While Still Interviewing

Have a review of the following tips to help you juggle a job offer while waiting for another:

Practice Gratitude

You can have a better approach on how to handle a situation and still feel stressed when you get a job offer while waiting for another.

Being grateful to your employer when given a job offer is the first thing to do as this will always let them know how much value you attach to their company and what they have to offer you.

Give a Prompt Response

Be sure to leave a message in response to any job offer sent to you by an employer that same day.

It gives them the feeling of you being able to value time and also maintain excellent communication skills even when you are not ready to oblige yet.

Make Sure You Have a Written Offer Letter

As you think of ways to juggle a job offer while waiting for another, it is very important to get a written job offer no matter the circumstances, even after weighing one job over another.

The reason why it’s important to get this written job offer is to show a proof of consideration unlike a verbally-offered job that causes confusion over the position, determining if it’s actually yours.

A good example is when you decide to settle for a verbally offered job position and later realize that you are no longer needed anymore.

This may come up after rejecting the first few offers from several companies leaving you with no choice than to look for other opportunities.

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Communicate With the Other Company That They Are Your Top Choice

The manner in which you communicate with employers you haven’t heard from in a while or the way you reach them on job offers can decide whether to invite or decline your application.

One vital way to win your prospective employers’ attention is to attach so much relevance to their company.

Secondly, you can tell your manager how you see his company as your first choice.

Your enthusiasm to work with him can help them understand your stand on the matter.

For example, saying:

“I received another job offer from your competitor so I need an answer soon,” isn’t as warm and respectful as “Since we last spoke, I got an impromptu job offer from another company. However, I am inspired by your company’s mission and values and would like to continue pursuing a position within your company. I would be grateful if you could provide me with an update of my candidacy at your earliest convenience.”

How To Communicate Your Need To Delay The Job Offer

Here are six important ways to maintain your candidacy and professionalism while juggling a job offer and waiting for another:

1. Be Enthusiastic

There is a motivation you leave in the minds of your prospective employers whenever you provide a positive response and show appreciation ahead of their job offer for you.

This allows them to see your interest in the position and their company even if you have offers you are waiting on.

You will be allowed enough time to make your decision or give reasons why you can’t accept the offer at the moment.

2. Ask for A Timeframe in Which They Need a Decision

Before you request for free time to reflect on whether to accept the job offer or not, it is important to understand what the company hiring manager likes.

When it seems like there will be no confirmation in a hurry within a week or month as from the initial company, then it can put you in a better chance to respond to the other company sharing your interest in the job position while you make use of your limited time to wait for a response from the company.

3. Ask for Additional Time

Additional time is sometimes required when trying to choose between multiple job openings.

Employers may wish to know what their potential employee’s decision may be at the end of a deliberation period.

If the employee requests additional time to deliberate on the job offer but cannot be approved, then it is time to know whether it’s worth accepting the job or waiting for another.

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4. Express Interest in Learning More About Their Company

In the course of taking additional time to consider a job offer, you can ask to learn more about the company or visit the workplace often.

You can have the opportunity to hear from other hiring managers about job offers while taking time to know if the company will be a right fit for you.

5. Compare What Each Company Has to Offer

If you are juggling a job offer while waiting on another, these factors will guide your decision about each company:

Workplace culture

As you take your time before drawing conclusions, you must consider which particular company offers a workplace culture that fits into your personal values and work style.

For example, you can determine which company offers a casual work environment with a casual dress code if that is what you prefer.

Work/life balance

Target companies that support a healthy work/life balance which can be more favorable. 

Some employees value their personal time and crave for a strict balance between work and personal hours.

Salary expectations

Each company may offer different salaries which you must consider in your decision-making process.

For instance, you may decide to go with that position that pays more if you have a family and home under collateral.

Employee benefits

You can review the benefits from each of these companies and weigh them against your needs.

Examples include vacation days, gas cards, healthcare and other perks.

6. Contact the Other Company and Let Them Know You Received an Offer

It’s important to always keep in touch with other companies informing them about offers you received as doing this will provoke a response in confirming the status of your candidacy.

This will benefit the company offering you a job opening in a way that gets them prepared to know their next line of action whether or not to start considering other candidates depending on your feedback to the company.

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What To Do After You Decide On A Job

As you take time to make your decision, be sure to act promptly and graciously on whichever job offer you decide at the end of the day.

You must be able to reply to the hiring manager as quickly as you can and show gratitude for the opportunity even if you may decline later.

Consider the tips below:

If You Accept the Job Offer:

Send a job offer acceptance letter, including a thank you note.

If You Turn Down the Job Offer:

Send a job rejection letter expressing your appreciation and a brief reason why you’re declining the opportunity.

If You Receive a Conditional Job Offer:

Respond as quickly as possible.

Thank them for the offer and include your acceptance (or a request to weigh other offers).

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Conclusion

We trust this article is far enriching enough to broaden your mindset about how best to juggle a job offer while waiting on other offers including the tactical approach you can employ to carefully communicate your needs in order to delay a certain job offer.

Use this information to strengthen your guts or intuitive feeling to make a great choice.

Finally, remember that your response can sometimes be an indicator to whether you are qualified for the job position or not.