Why Accepting a Job Offer Isn’t Your Last Step

Posted January 27, 2014 & filed under Interviewing

Imagine that you’ve just finished accepting a job offer. Feels pretty good, right? Then, a company you previously applied to sends their own job offer with a sweetened pot. Do you reject the first offer or do you stand by your original commitment? Accepting a job offer from the second company may be tempting but there are unspoken consequences that come with that decision.

Juggling job applications

For some job seekers, this isn’t an unusual situation. Very few people put all of their eggs in one basket when applying for jobs. If you linger exclusively on one position, waiting for a rejection letter or job offer before moving on, other opportunities that align perfectly with your salary expectations, ideal culture, and job skills might pass you up. So, it makes sense to apply at several places simultaneously; just don’t keep everyone in the dark.

Don’t be tightlipped

You are better off being upfront with any recruiter or manager who interviews you. It’s common courtesy to let them know about pending interviews or job offers. It can encourage them to move faster to get you accepting a job offer, potentially providing greater salary and benefits to sweeten the deal.

One thing to avoid is using a pending job offer as an overt bargaining chip. It can make a good candidate seem money-grubbing and encourage employers to look elsewhere. Then, you are back at square one without a job to show for it.

Avoid blows to your reputation

Ask yourself: how important is your reputation? If you accept a job offer and quickly abandon it in favor of a counteroffer with a higher salary, your reputation can be tarnished. Leaving the first company in the lurch not only burns that bridge but can potentially burn bridges with others in the industry. Word can spread quickly when someone reneges after accepting a job offer and block opportunities in the future.

It can be better to work with a recruiter. A recruiter can act as a sounding board through the whole process and help you make the right decision. When a higher salary in a counteroffer becomes too tempting, a recruiter can help you keep a level head and weigh out your options. So, it can help to give one of our recruiters a call today to keep yourself from running into the pitfalls after accepting a job offer.

by James Walsh