A Bird in the Hand...?

[ItWillBeFridaySoon]

After a long time of struggling to get into a specific role I had some harsh but need constructive criticism on my applications and reapplied using a new ‘method’ …To my surprise this has worked and I was offered an interview.

Following this interview, I was offered and promptly accepted the role (Job A)

Today, I have been invited for TWO further interviews.

Here is my issue. I dismissed these new roles as I had not heard back in 3 weeks for one, 5 for the other – thus assuming I hadn’t been successful (competitive post – attracts supposedly 200 applications for 6 interview spaces)

Job A starts in August.
Job B interviews in the first week in August
Job C interviews in July

Job A is 6-8K less (significant for me) and involves up to 1.5hr commute each way every day. It is also a smaller organisation. I felt I HAD to take this opportunity.
Job B & C are bigger (national) organisation
Job C is in the area that I am going to live in

I feel awful. I pride myself on being open and honest. I hate this. What is worse is that the role involves people and I feel that I not only let the organisation down but also those individuals.

I am getting mixed feedback from family who say I should attend all interviews and basically, I have been too nice and let jobs run by due to worrying about upsetting...

I think Job B is out – it’s unfair on Job A even though the role looks amazing

Job C is a possibility I think as I could attend interview and hear the result without affecting Job A
This is a small area of work so the worry also could be that Job A interviewers know Job C etc (hopefully due to confidentiality etc they wouldn’t talk but…)

Issue also is that I am abroad (other side of the world) and so have to come back to interview for these roles at significant cost.

I obviously do not want to give great details away but would appreciate any thoughts...

I would definitely go for the interview for Job C, although tend to agree with you on Job B, when is the interview for Job B, before or after you start Job A? If after then definitely not, if it's a few weeks before then maybe.

Job A sounds like it's a reasonable stop gap but not something you are going to want to do long term (1.5 hours commute is a lot, but you say it's not every day?), so although your scruples do you credit, realistically you're probably not going to stay in Job A more than 6 months - 1 year? In which case it would probably be better in the long term both for you and them if you find something more suitable, at this point they probably still have reserve list candidates they can offer the role to and won't have 'invested' too much in you if you don't take up their offer.

I work in HR and it is common for candidates to drop out right through the pre-employment check process up until the day they are due to start (or even in their first week) due to getting other/better offers or simply changing their minds. Yes it is a bit frustrating for the employer but it's the risk you take and TBH everyone has their moment of disappointment then tends to move on quickly rather than holding grudges, life is just too short... so in summary I'd put yourself first here and go for the better job! Good luck, hope you get it.