To change my mind about accepting job

[biddybird]

Just had an interview; it went really well and I'm certain they will phone me later to offer me the job. (They said as much when I left.)

However, I have another interview next Monday for a much better position (better pay, in my field, 5 mins walk from home). This one's more of a long shot but I'd really like to get it.

Do I tell the first employer I will let them know next week, or should I accept the job and then rescind if I'm offered the second job?

addendum: Employer 1 is a large national company, if that makes any difference.

In my experience of recruiting, if you tell them you've accepted it they will tell the unsuccessful candidates no. If you say you need more time, there is a risk they will tell you you can't have it, but in reality they'll probably wait a few days and if you do say no they're more likely to still have some other candidates they can call on.

I wouldn't phrase it as having another interview though, I think it would be better to have another reason why you need more time. The longest I've ever given anyone was offering a job on a Friday and the letting me know on a Monday, I'd be a bit iffy about ringing you this evening and you saying you'd let me know next Tuesday.

Accept, then if you don't want to take it at a later date, you pull out. You can't say to an employer that you're waiting for a better offer, you'd be starting the job in a really bad light if you do decide to take it. They'd always know that you only took it because you didn't get the one you wanted.

No, doesn't make a difference if they are a big company or not. Either accept the offer and go for that job or decline in hopes of getting the other job on Monday. Please for the love of chuck, don't waste their time.

I’d personally accept it for now ...

I would accept the first one and see how the second one pans out. If you do get the second one you can always be truthful and say you have had another offer that you feel is better suited to your skill set (or some other reason) but be polite and gracious. Blimey that makes me sound like an old granny! I applied for 2 jobs a few years ago and got offered the first one, which I took, then got offered the second but the second was CS and it took (literally) months to get clearance, I handed in my notice at the first one and said it was because the second one was the field I had expereince in, my resignation letter was really apologetic and I spent my last month training up a replacement and writing desk instructions for my work - despite only having been there 3 months!

I wouldn't give a second thought to wasting a recruiters time. Employers waste applicants time regularly. Advertising jobs and interviewing people even though they already have an internal applicant earmarked for the job. Advertising jobs that they have no intention of filling until months down the road.

I would also accept it then pull out if you get the better offer. Put yourself first.

I think you might be getting into dodgy territory if you accept a job and then pull out. Even with a verbal acceptance. I am not 100% on this but you need to tread carefully.

Avoid the call and let it go to answer machine?

I would accept it for now. You may not get the other one on Monday and there is some time between verbal acceptance and signing contract/checking references, etc.

All sort of things can come up on both ends. It is not unheard of employers withdrawing an offer on ground of changes internally too.

Actually, I decided to check my last statement, the ones I must have heard from must have been "conditional offers" i.e. based on references being checked. Otherwise an offer, if unconditional, is a binding contract in the UK!

I would accept, and just not get to the contract stage until you've had the other interview.

I would use some delaying tactics to try to drag it out until Monday, don’t answer the phone today, ask questions about the terms etc.

Accept and then withdraw later if you get offered the other job. Nothing will happen to you. People telling you to worry about that are overanxious, you cannot be forced to start a job and you're not going to be sued or anything for saying "yes please" and then a few days later "changed my mind, no thanks".

When i interviewed for my first job with my current employer I wasn't as keen on it as one I had an interview for three days later, but when offered I accepted. I didn't get offered the second job and these days am glad, the place I work at now has offered me SO MUCH MORE than the one I preferred could ever have done.

Accept verbally and then decline later if the other job comes up - they can always go back to their shortlist afterwards if it comes to that. Obviously don't sign any contracts though!

I used to work for a large multinational as an in-house recruiter. I would verbally accept any offer that was made to you. It will take a few days to get the formal offer/ contract issued and by then you will hopefully have a result from the second interview.

It used to happen on a fairly frequent basis and a large organisation will have other candidates in the pipeline.

I would wait until I got offered the first job to make a decision!

Big thanks all! I do think I need to put myself first as I need the first job if the second doesn't pan out.

I was thinking that if I do get the second position and rescind my acceptance of the first they can still offer it to another candidate, even if they had previously told them they hadn't been successful.

I do understand about a verbal contract but agree it is highly unlikely they are going to sue me!

You haven't been offered it yet. Just because they hinted at calling quickly doesn't mean it will happen - depends on the organisation, but while the hiring manager might make up their decision, then it has to go to HR and be signed off and then there's a delay because someone with an apparently crucial signature is on leave, and so on... it can also be frustrating from the hiring side.

The second job may be better on paper but some employers don't do themselves any favours at interview - interviews are two way things, and I've had a couple which convinced me I didn't want to work for them.

You can sometimes put off a definite acceptance by negotiating over the package offered, asking for more pay.

But in any case, while it might not be great practice, you would be far from the first person to accept a job and then turn it down when you get a better offer. It's annoying, but it happens quite a bit - and on the other side of the coin, I once had a verbal offer for a job, then their funding got pulled before I got the paperwork, so nothing is definite until contracts are signed. And even then, they get broken. The world keeps turning.

Accept for now rescind if/when you have to, you're job hunting, you need to protect yourself, this is your life vs a job for a hiring manager, if you have to turn it down in a couple weeks they will work their way down the list of hireable candidates.

I've done this as the job searcher and had it happen to me as a hiring manager, the former was for my quality of life, the latter was a mild inconvenience I soon forgot about!

HR person here. Accept it, then if you get offered the 2nd one, retract your acceptance.

It happens a lot, dont worry about it at all.

Thanks again, that's a relief.
I don't like letting people down… need to think of it as a business decision.