Handling Job offers and continued Interviews

Okay. So, I did indeed get a job offer at North Coast Brewing (woot!). Interestingly they filled the position I originally interviewed for, but had another one open up. I've told them I'll get back to them with an answer by the end of the week. Great opportunity. Starting pay is... acceptable... but lower than I'd expected. He made it clear that's just to start and there is definite room to grow.

I have another interview in the next hour or so. This one is with a small, growing microbrewery in Colorado. Wouldn't be too surprised if this also leads to a job offer.

I put in several applications over the weekend, and feel good about likely landing one other interview out of those.

So... how best to handle multiple irons in the fire as far as interviews and offers? First order of business is to have the interview this afternoon and see how that goes. Second order is to talk about everything with the fiance. I figure I do not need to tell the people i'm interviewing with that I've had an offer already, but will ask them to let me know when I can expect to hear yes or no from them.

If I'm still waiting to hear from another job I might want more, do I say "yes" to the offer on the table and then back out later if I get a better offer?

I wouldn't accept the first one thinking you might get (and want) the other. At least have the interview and see how it goes.

It would be bad form, I think to back out after accepting a job. That does not mean it doesn't happen all the time (It happens all the time).

On the other hand, you're in a good position to get a better deal from the offer that's on the table if the other one offers you a job as well.

In reply to ClemSparks:

So, does that mean bringing up in the interview that I have had a job offer? Bring that up later if they sound interested?

I'm wondering which is going to cause more friction to reveal. I suspect that accepting a job offer and then surprising them later will be worse.

Never tell them you have another offer. If you get an offer and must respond before finding out about the other, accept the job, then decline it later if the other deal is better. I know it sounds bad, but get the best deal for you. I couldn't count the number of times I've seen HR departments act inappropriate, and unprofessional toward current and future employees. Unless you think it will come back to haunt you later (not likely), just do it.

I'd say you already have an offer. It establishes credibility for you "oh, they want him so he must be good" and encourages them to offer more money.

Zomby Woof wrote: Never tell them you have another offer.

Disagree big time.

I had an offer from a company (the biggest and best in the industry). I then had an interview with another company (the second biggest and probably the second best in the industry). I told the guy in the first interview that I had an offer on the table from a competitor. I had 1 more interview with him, and he pushed me through in 1 day (normally takes them 1-2 weeks) to the person who, if I had been hired, would have been my bosses bosses boss, and the salary immediately went up 10%, before I even did any negotiating. I ultimately was extremely close, but was passed over for a guy who had more experience.

In any case, the ball is in your court. Use it to your advantage. You'd be foolish not to.

I'm leaning towards, presuming I like what the place today has to offer better: "When can I expect to hear from you on when you'll have made up your minds? I received a job offer earlier today from another brewery, and told them I'd give them an answer by Friday. I would prefer the job with you guys, but can't let this slip away while waiting to hear what your decision is."

In reply to mtn:

The reality is that the salary didn't go up at all. You didn't get the job.

I've seen people not get a second interview because they said they had another offer. The feeling was that they were either full of E36 M3, and angling for more money, or telling the truth, and shopping for a better deal. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the feeling from the company was that they would not likely be a long term employee because of it.

Fortunately I'm dealing directly with operations people, not HR drones. I'm presuming they will prefer and handle honesty better than games.

I'm not just out hunting for a better salary. I'm hunting for something comfortably livable with opportunities to learn and advance myself best.

The offer I did get, they already told me I was their second choice. They gave the position I originally interviewed for to someone else and then had something else come up that they are offering to me before doing other interviews.

Being someone's second choice is not what you want. Been there, done that, and after a year of trying to work through it I realized that I was always going to be the second choice. It's a much better situation to go somewhere where they want you as opposed to the one where they're settling for you.

Beer Baron wrote: I'm leaning towards, presuming I like what the place today has to offer better: "When can I expect to hear from you on when you'll have made up your minds? I received a job offer earlier today from another brewery, and told them I'd give them an answer by Friday. I would prefer the job with you guys, but can't let this slip away while waiting to hear what your decision is."

This is a good approach to take. Don't seem desperate, but instead illuminate your timetable and why you have it.

Remember, no matter who you work for, you are the CEO and sole employee of Beer Baron Enterprises.

dj06482 wrote: Being someone's second choice is not what you want. Been there, done that, and after a year of trying to work through it I realized that I was always going to be the second choice. It's a much better situation to go somewhere where they want you as opposed to the one where they're settling for you.

Well, I also get the impression like they did want me, they just wanted me to have more experience before shifting me into that role immediately. It could also be that the person who got the job was in a position to start sooner.

What they are talking about is putting the two of us, and a third person who was a classmate of mine into rotation as the brewing supervisors for each of the different shifts.

Also, not sure how the interview today went. The guys were harder to read. Pay is about what I expected they would offer. I told them I'd received another offer and wasn't going to let it lapse "just hoping", but that I was interested in being there with them. They said they'd have an answer in 10-14 days. I think I take the bird in the the hand, and if they get back to me with a "yes" soon enough, I can bow out gracefully if I really do like the offer better.

That sounds like a reasonable plan of action. Good luck.

In reply to Beer Baron:

I think you have your head in the right place. That is all.

I think you're doing the right thing by taking the bird in hand. If you're looking to get started and move up the ladder, being the 2nd choice isn't as big a deal. I was working at a place where I definitely could have worked there long-term, but because of how things went at the beginning, it made my experience there much more difficult. In the end, I saw where it was going, and I jumped ship to another place where I was their first choice. Definitely a much better experience, I've been at my current job for six years and have no regrets.

Everything happens for a reason...

North coast! Congrats on the offer! Scrimshaw is one of my favorites. If you end up there, make sure they ditch the flash on their site, iPad hates it.

Beer Baron wrote: Well, I also get the impression like they did want me, they just wanted me to have more experience before shifting me into that role immediately. It could also be that the person who got the job was in a position to start sooner.

I also wouldn't read too much into the 'second choice' part. They did still stand by their offer, even though the role is somewhat different now, didn't they?

Beer Baron wrote: Also, not sure how the interview today went. The guys were harder to read. Pay is about what I expected they would offer. I told them I'd received another offer and wasn't going to let it lapse "just hoping", but that I was interested in being there with them. They said they'd have an answer in 10-14 days. I think I take the bird in the the hand, and if they get back to me with a "yes" soon enough, I can bow out gracefully if I really do like the offer better.

Sounds like the best plan of action to me. You don't want to lose the existing offer while holding out for "something better" only to find that something better doesn't exist.

I am a huge fan of North Coast, especially Old Rasputin, so you may need to take my biased opinion with a grain of salt. I would venture that it would be an excellent place to start; working for a company with a great reputation can only help you out. If you think that the pay isn't moving fast enough, other companies would probably put your resume on the top of the stack if they see that you already have the practice of a top-tier brewer backed by a solid foundation from a great brewing school.

Beer Baron wrote: Also, not sure how the interview today went. The guys were harder to read. Pay is about what I expected they would offer. I told them I'd received another offer and wasn't going to let it lapse "just hoping", but that I was interested in being there with them. They said they'd have an answer in 10-14 days. I think I take the bird in the the hand, and if they get back to me with a "yes" soon enough, I can bow out gracefully if I really do like the offer better.

That is essentially what I recommended, with the exception of telling them. Like I said, I've seen offers, and second interviews go away because people said they had an offer from somebody else. HR people and department managers sometimes make questionable decisions for ridiculous reasons, and they're unpredictable at the best of times. I think the only time to bring up the other offer is in the last round of negotiations, and even then it's a toss up whether it's a deal killer or not.

Let us know how you make out.

ClemSparks wrote: On the other hand, you're in a good position to get a better deal from the offer that's on the table if the other one offers you a job as well.

Agreed. BUT - when I was in the situation, I got a lot of mileage out of telling both parties that I was NOT trying to foster a bidding war, and I standing by that.

I told each party that I had another job offer, and outlined the advantages and disadvantages that each offered, but didn't share salary offers. I basically got each to sweeten the pot enough that their advantages outweighed their disadvantages. Both companies told me they liked that approach and would have looked dimly on it if I had bounced back and forth between them repeatedly, saying "they gave me X, what will you give me?"

In reply to Duke:

Just to be clear...I made no recommendatoion to start a bidding war. I simply mentioned that as the applicant, you certainly have an advantage (if only to ease your mind and boost your confidence) when you already have an offer on the table.

Your scenario sounds way more like what I had in mind...

Maybe its just my inquisitive nature, but I would wonder why two employees would leave the company so close to each other.

In reply to ClemSparks:

Yeah, sorry, I understood that. Sorry for not being clear myself.

Beer Baron wrote: Fortunately I'm dealing directly with operations people, not HR drones. I'm presuming they will prefer and handle honesty better than games. I'm not just out hunting for a better salary. I'm hunting for something comfortably livable with opportunities to learn and advance myself best. The offer I did get, they already told me I was their second choice. They gave the position I originally interviewed for to someone else and then had something else come up that they are offering to me before doing other interviews.

Basically, you know what you want. At that point, you do whatever is necessary to get it, including accepting a job offer (ALWAYS ACCEPT) and then leaving even if you've started working for said company. You are in this for you. The company being successful is secondary until such a time that that becomes important to you. There should never be hard feelings in business about seeking better opportunities. That is life.

congrats, any offer these days is a good one.