How long does it take to be informed you got the job?

[Sparkysea]

Hi All

I would really appreciate your thoughts on this please....

On Thursday last week I attended an interview. I understand the agent on Friday hadn't heard anything re the employers thoughts/decision. I have the possibility of a job with another employer and I believe this Monday they are expecting me to make a decision on whether to take it. However I would like to know the decision of the employers who interviewed me on Thursday before making a decision on the other post.

Please can you advise me on what would be the best thing to do in this situation?!
I am interested in both posts. Currently I am not working

Thanks for your thoughts...

Sparky

[Gargamel]

Depends, does your Thursday employer still have others to interview?

I'd ring the agent first thing Monday, tell the you have an offer already and ask them how long before they let you know.

iIf the agent sees there possible placement heading off, they will ring the client fairly promptly.

[Sparkysea]

Thanks for your help Garmel

I got the impression there was no one else left to interview

[21TonyK]

Pretty straight forward IMO. Take he first job you are offered. There's no law saying you can't change your mind if something better is offered.

[Sparkysea]

I understand I could do this TonyK but I really don't want to mess people around. It would be awful if you accepted a job and then another job offer was made a week later and you felt you wanted to take it.

[21TonyK]

Sparkysea said:

I understand I could do this TonyK but I really don't want to mess people around. It would be awful if you accepted a job and then another job offer was made a week later and you felt you wanted to take it.

Agree about messing people around but if you ask the question, especially with an agent involved the red flags are up. All they will see is someone who is messing around when you are trying not to.

Keep your cards close and only show them when you have a winning hand.

Within a few days they are on to the next person.

I speak from experience in a very similar position to yourself where I missed out on both jobs trying to be the good guy.

[CAPP0]

Gargamel said:

tell the you have an offer already

This would be very bad advice if you were waiting to hear from me. My response, if I wasn't ready to offer, would politely be "fine, suggest you take it then". I wouldn't be played off against another offer, real or imaginary.

To the OP: there is no answer to your question. I will often confirm a verbal offer within an hour of the final interview if I want the person but there can be a myriad of reasons why you wouldn't hear anything conclusive for a week or two easily.

[Sparkysea]

I understand exactly what you mean... I am indeed concerned of loosing out on both opportunities by being open about my position, but I don't see how I can take a job (if offered) and then leave it if another job is offered! I wouldn't just infuriate the employer but also one of the agents too!

[willisit]

My last role took... maybe 3 weeks to get an offer on; they had others to see over the following week, but I'm told, wanted me first but had to do their usual diligence.
Prior to that I've found out on the same day, or even in the room... so there is not a real example that will fit you as every employer can be different.

Whilst I, too, would hate to mess people around, I'd take the one already offered if you don't hear Monday AM (and that is if they are expecting your reply, and haven't merely implied they'd like to know). IF the other role comes in and fits the bill, switch. It happens ALL the time - it's business. Hell, I know of roles taken and then simply not turned up for on the day - without even a token email/phone call. Awful, but it happens every day. I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it if the right role comes along. It's YOUR future you have to worry about.

[curlie467]

Without wanting to be rude I think you need to man up, especially because you are currently out of work.

Take the job offered and deal with the other if or when it happens.

[Sparkysea]

Certainly don't want to imply the jobs are guaranteed. I am just thinking through situation. It's helpful to hear other people's views...

There appears to be a couple of ways of looking at it, 1. inform agent and try to speed up feedback (risky) versus taking whatever comes my way and move as soon as I think a better position has been offered (letting people down and getting bad reputation)

I appreciate whatever I do there isn't the perfect solution..Thank you to everyone for your comments, anymore thoughts greatly appreciated

[condor]

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

I'll suggest you take the job that is offered.

[andy-xr]

I dont believe you should take the first thing you're offered.

Companies will, if they want to, string you out while they evaluate their options. It's a 2 way street as far as I'm concerned - this is the place I'm looking at spending 8+ hours a day of my time and effort, for the next however many years so it needs to be the right position and move for me
In my mind there is absolutely no harm in asking one company to wait while you make a decision, as long as you can back that up with something. If they choose to be arsey and 'well, this is our offer, take it or leave it' then they werent listening when you said in the interview that you wanted to make the right next step and want to build your future with the best company for you

But, and there's always a bit, if a company is taking a looooong time to make an offer, they're generally going to have lost people from offers that werent accepted and that's on them, a recruitment/decision making issue that's probably present in many areas of the business.

I think if I was in your shoes I'd be saying 'I'm considering your offer, can you tell me a bit more about the PTO/expense policy/hierachy/something else' and strong them out a little, while chasing up the slower ones to see if there's anything there. You might get a No from the ones who're yet to make a decision, but you've found yourself some time to get that answer

[Flooble]

My record was nearly three months from the last bit of the "sift" to a phone call, out of the blue, offering me the job.

[curlie467]

andy-xr said:

I dont believe you should take the first thing you're offered.

Companies will, if they want to, string you out while they evaluate their options. It's a 2 way street as far as I'm concerned - this is the place I'm looking at spending 8+ hours a day of my time and effort, for the next however many years so it needs to be the right position and move for me
In my mind there is absolutely no harm in asking one company to wait while you make a decision, as long as you can back that up with something. If they choose to be arsey and 'well, this is our offer, take it or leave it' then they werent listening when you said in the interview that you wanted to make the right next step and want to build your future with the best company for you

But, and there's always a bit, if a company is taking a looooong time to make an offer, they're generally going to have lost people from offers that werent accepted and that's on them, a recruitment/decision making issue that's probably present in many areas of the business.

I think if I was in your shoes I'd be saying 'I'm considering your offer, can you tell me a bit more about the PTO/expense policy/hierachy/something else' and strong them out a little, while chasing up the slower ones to see if there's anything there. You might get a No from the ones who're yet to make a decision, but you've found yourself some time to get that answer

I think this is a way better reply than mine.

Good luck op by the way, it'll all fall into place.

[Shakermaker]

I'm still waiting to hear back from a job interview I went on 10 years ago... Some companies are just really bad at getting back to people, especially the people they don't select.