<p>My company is moving its headquarters to another city and I am actively seeking another job. I received an offer from Company A this week and am in the salary negotiation phase.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Company B called me the day before Company A made the offer. I did a phone interview with an HR vice president of Company B and it seemed to go well. </p>
<p>Company A needs someone to start right away and we may come to terms early next week. Company B is moving more slowly. </p>
<p>Company A is 33 miles from my house and the position is sr. manager. Company B’s position is director and it’s ten miles closer. </p>
<p>Both companies have good reputations, but I think Company B is a better fit. Salaries are close to the same, but Company B’s bonus potential is twice that of Company A.</p>
<p>If you were in my shoes and you agreed to accept a job at Company A and then got an offer from Company B 10 days later, what would you do? By the way, Company A is starting a big project in a couple of weeks, and it would set them back to have to make an offer to someone else.</p>
<p>I can’t comment on which company is better for you, as people have different preferences. However, since you are only in the salary negotiation phase, you can not have actually accepted an offer at Company A, and I don’t see anything wrong with choosing Company B, or still seeing who can make you the best offer. </p>
<p>You are in a very fortunate position! Congratulations.</p>
<p>I would tell company B about company A and see what happens. If they did not increase the pace, I’d assume that I was not company B’s first choice.</p>
Like Starbright said - if you haven’t agreed to a salary then you haven’t accepted the position yet so you’re conscience free at this point to choose whichever you want. </p>
<p>If you find yourself in a bind you can always tell company A you need to delay your decision a bit or tell company B you need a decision quicker due to company A. Of course, they might just tell you ‘never mind’ and go on their way but that’s the risk you run when juggling but look at the bright side - you have multiple opportunites to juggle!</p>
<p>Company B. hasn’t made any offer. Jobs are a lot harder to get than spots in college… so there’s definitely a “bird in hand” factor. </p>
<p>I agree with the suggestions above about negotiation strategies … but if the OP ends up in the position of an offer from one company and no word from the other, than I think as a practical matter she will have to act on the assumption that Company B. isn’t going to hire her.</p>
<p>How fortunate you are! Tell company B you are currently negotiating with company A but you would prefer a job with them. If they don’t move faster, I agree you need to go with the “bird in hand.”</p>
<p>All you’ve had is a phone interview. If the position is for “director” with great potential for bonuses, they’re doing a lot of interviews. Probably a lot of in-person interviews. Probably a lot of in-person interviews with the manager of the “directors” ---- not the HR vice president.</p>
<p>Without knowing what kind of company it is, I can only comment on the companies I’ve worked for. The “HR vice president” is usually somebody who arranges the interview calendar for the person who does the real hiring (in this case it would be the manager of the directors), and fills out the paperwork once the person has actually been hired.</p>
<p>In the companies I’ve worked for, “HR vice president” is pretty much a figurehead, and has no real hiring power. More often than not, they got in the way of actual progress.</p>
<p>Company B is doing a lot less than “moving slowly”, IMHO. Company B needs to show a lot more interest. That being said, there’s nothing to lose by calling Company B and trying to stir things up a bit, knowing that you’ve got Company A as a backup.</p>
<p>But the title of this post is “would you accept a job and then withdraw?” It depends on the “status” of the job. For a low-level job with a lot of inherent turnover, I’d say that’s okay. However, it sounds like both these positions are upper-level. Therefore, I’d have to say NO, I would NOT accept a job from Company A, and then withdraw if Company B came in with an offer shortly thereafter.</p>
<p>True, your Company B may be organized totally differently than the assumptions I’ve made, so only you can make that assessment.</p>
<p>I agree with above posts about moving company B along, but would not accept company A then turn it down. If company B won’t speed it up, then it tells you something. </p>
<p>I just recently had a candidate who accepted the job, then turned it down because his company countered. He didn’t even have enough courtesy to tell me directly. I thought to myself, “I hope he really likes his current company because he ain’t getting another job some where else.”. It does happen, but it upsets people.</p>
<p>I agree with those who say that you can use your situation to try to hasten Company B’s decision but that it would be a bad idea to formally accept Company A and then withdraw later. These things can come back to haunt you.</p>
<p>If you do it diplomatically, and if you emphasize that you regret putting Company A in this position, they’ll be disappointed but they won’t think ill of you. This sort of thing happens all the time.</p>
<p>Consider the shoe on the other foot: Company A hires you, and one month later announces layoffs – and because you’re Last In, you’re First Out. </p>
<p>It happens all the time in business. No one expects you to commit to Company A for the rest of your life. Stuff happens.</p>
<p>Also – you have absolutely no idea at this point if Company B is going to come through. There’s a reasonable chance that they won’t. So, you’re supposed to turn down a bird in the hand in the meantime? I don’t think so.</p>
<p>I would take the job with company A and continue to pursue the job with company B. It could be months before company B offers the job to anyone. I would feel guilty about it but I would do it. You have to do what is right for you and your family.</p>
<p>Also, you might find - when you take the job with company A - that you are really unhappy there. If, once you have started at company A, you LOVE it, that would be the time to withdraw yourself from consideration at company B.</p>
<p>I am also in agreement. Ethical behavior is always the best path. If you accept a job with company A and find that you do not like it, if company B or some other company makes you an offer you can certainly resign to take the other job. But to take the job with the actual plan of ditching them if company B comes through is unethical, IMHO. And trust me: the person who hired you at company B will always remember how you treated company A and will view your potential loyalty accordingly. Not to mention the fact that it is a small world, and what goes around comes around.</p>
<p>This summer, H was juggling had three possible jobs with varying time lines. Only one panned out. Problem solved. </p>
<p>Until an offer has been made, nothing is real.</p>
<p>I disagree with post #13. This strikes me as being similar to the queries we sometimes get from kids who want to apply to School A ED in order to increase their chances, with the idea that if they later get into more-desirable School B they will claim that school A’s FA isn’t good enough in order to get out of the agreement and go with School B. Not only is it unethical, it puts one’s reputation at risk.</p>
<p>Eleven years ago we moved to our current city and I had to find a job. I was offered several positions, and accepted one at Company A with a starting date 3 weeks into the future. I wasn’t thrilled about the job but at the time it was the best offer I had and I was the sole support for my family.</p>
<p>Then dream job Company B called for an interview. I explained that I had accepted an offer that began on September 1, but was very interested IF the timing was such that I could tell Company A before Sept 1. To make a long story short, I began working at Company B on Sept 1 instead. Eleven years later and I’m still there (but have been promoted to a higher position). I was able to give Company A a little bit of notice that I had received a different offer and they agreed I should take it. And in the 11 years I’ve been at Company B I’ve never seen a job search go so quickly as mine did, so I thank my lucky stars. I’m also very thankful that I didn’t have to work for Company A - it would have been a bad fit.</p>
<p>It would seem to me that we should be asking you. A person who is being considered for a, sr manager or a director’s position, should be giving us advice. </p>
<p>Being upfront is forthright is always commendable and appreciated by all. It’s rarely about the money, but the fit, isn’t it?</p>
<p>I did this myself years ago—after a long job search I accepted an offer for a job that was appealing, but involved a long commute. I was scheduled to start in 3 weeks. A few days after I accepted, the “it never rains, it pours” rule kicked in and I got an offer for a job that was in my town and paid better. I didn’t need to think it over for 5 minutes—this was my life and my future, and the company would simply go on to the next applicant in line. My letter was apologetic but made it clear that the second offer was unexpected and too good to refuse. I’ve hired many people myself, and I would understand this sort of situation completely. I’ve had new hires quit after a few months because they found better opportunities, and no one thought it was inappropriate–this isn’t any different, and in fact, is better for the employer than losing an employee after expending time and money to train him. OP, do what you want to do. Life is short, good jobs are scarce.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much for the advice. I did tell Company B that I had another offer on the table. I told this to the HR rep. She told the HR VP who sent me an e-mail telling me that they were impressed by me and were trying to speed things up. We’ll see what happens. I will post here when the next step happens!</p>
<p>Strongly agree with VH. I don’t think you can string Company A out that long …and if you do…you risk losing the offer. Given that Company A has an urgent project, I’m sure they would not be crazy about long delays. </p>
<p>So…if Company B can get you in front of people REAL fast and make a decision, maybe that can work. But I wouldn’t take the A job and keep B going. It’s not right. Just because companies act improperly in some cases doesn’t me employees should follow suit. Your reputation is at stake… protect it like GOLD. Good luck!</p>
<p>BTW, I just accepted a senior level job recently…the commute is a bit long (not horrible) but the people are terrific. I’m psyched!</p>
But seriously, go with your gut.</p>