Job Offer Juggling

By Ray Palmer

Business Placement & Career Center

University of Connecticut

Plan ahead! Have a strategy in mind for evaluating offers before you start getting offers! What criteria will you use to make your decision? What is the relative importance to you of such factors as: the job itself, training, company reputation, future potential, corporate culture, industry, location, people with whom and for whom you will work? What are your "musts" and your "negotiables"?

I have an offer, but want to wait to hear from another company?

•  Call the firm you are waiting to hear from. Let them know that you are interested, but that you have an offer and a deadline (make that deadline earlier than the real deadline!). Ask if they can accelerate the process.

•  If yes, go for it! If no, let them know that you are still interested and want to go forward with the process (if you really do). Then call the company that has made you an offer. Tell them you are pleased with the offer and interested in the firm, but need a bit more time to make this VERY IMPORTANT decision. Indicate a date when you feel you will be able to let them know your decision (keeping in mind the time frame with the other firm). Be prepared to negotiate for a date that you can both live with.

•  Don't wait until the deadline date to make the call!

•  Try to talk to the person who made the offer or the manager for whom you will work.

•  If they say, "OK," . great! If they say, "no," let them know that you will be in touch by the deadline. Now it's decision time! Which firm do you prefer? Which job do you prefer? How likely is it that you will get an offer from the second firm? What does the deadline pressure say about the firm and about how they may treat you after you are hired? Remember - there is a big difference between an offer on Nov. 15 with a Dec. 1 deadline for a May grad (lot's of pressure) and an offer on April 15 with a May 1 deadline (appropriate pressure).

•  Do everything you can to avoid putting yourself in the position of accepting an offer and then, later, rejecting it. Not only is this considered unethical, it can also hurt your professional reputation with employers now and in the future . word gets around.

I have an offer, but I'm not real happy with the money!

•  First, make sure that you know your facts and are being realistic - a number of websites have salary stats - your college career center probably has stats also. Consider geographic differences in salary/cost of living.

•  Call the person who made the offer, tell the person that you like the firm and the job ("very interested, great opportunity, etc."). Then indicate that you are disappointed in the salary. Tell them what you are looking for and why. Ask what flexibility they have in the salary offer.

•  When asking for more money, you can base it on other offers you already have (I have other offers for similar positions in the range of $ XX,XXX), on statistics (I understand from my Career Center or from xxx.com that the average salary for graduates in my major is $ YY,YYY), or on something unique in your background ("I realize that your offer is about average for graduates with my major, but since I have two years work experience or two co-ops or .., I was looking for something in the range of ..).

•  You will probably NOT get an immediate answer. Be sure to ask when you can expect to hear.

•  If the firm raises the offer to a level you like, congratulations! If they don't raise the salary at all or not "enough," you still have options. Ask about "sign-on" bonuses. Ask about a three- or six-month salary review, instead of waiting for the traditional one-year review.