I've been offered a job! But I also have two other applications that I'm waiting to hear from...

[financialnightmare]

So I've been offered a job! Yay!

But I also have two other applications that I'm waiting to hear from... which are for jobs that I would much rather have. But I'm not going to hear from them for 2-3 months.

What should I say to my new employer?

Should I accept the job but be honest and say I'm waiting to hear from others too?

Should I accept the job and then leave if I get offered another job?! I'm worried that will REALLY annoy them!

What's the right thing to say/do?

If you were going to hear back from the jobs within a couple of weeks I'd say be honest, and they'd probably be happy to wait.

But they are unlikely to want to wait 2-3 months, so if you are honest with them now that you would like to accept their offer on the proviso that you'd prefer another job and will therefore be off shortly after starting if you get the opportunity it's, they will not be impressed, and assuming you are not the only viable candidate, will probably withdraw the offer. They want someone who comes in committed, not with one foot out the door, treading water for those crucial first 100 days.

You could accept the offer, then resign again, but yes that will really annoy them and burn some serious bridges.

I think really you need to decide on a course and stick to it. If you accept this offer, contact the other jobs and withdraw your application nicely. Or, refuse this offer, gamble that you'll get one of the others and stay where you are otherwise.

A couple of years ago we had a new manager start in our department. He lasted three days because he went and accepted a job elsewhere. The head of department was absolutely furious at all the time and money wasted.

Think very carefully about this before you seriously piss someone off.

It's really difficult! It's just the timing that's such a nightmare!

I don't want to withdraw my other two applications and have an interview for one of them in the next couple of days. Both pay more and are in bigger companies.

This company is lovely but I know that if I pull out of the other jobs, I will always think 'What if...'

But I don't want to shaft this company and I'm a single parent so I can't really turn down a job.

Then again, I might not get offered the other jobs (but I really WANT them!).

It's really hard.

Accept the job and start. If you get one of the others you can make an informed decision at that point with the knowledge of what it's like working in the first company.

As a senior manager I get really pissed off when this happens, but its just the way it is and I wouldn't hold it against someone, especially with a couple of months time lag.

I'm actually working for the company that has offered me the job already, as a temp/interim. So I'm already doing the job.

It's ok but it's not in my chosen career.

As I was temping, I applied for other jobs...which are these outstanding two applications (which ARE in my chosen career).

The trouble is, if I WASN'T temping, then I wouldn't have to start the first job - because due to the timescales, I wouldn't have 'started' if I'd had a normal 3-month notice period (i.e. from another job). Because I don't HAVE another job, I don't have that notice period, which is what's making this so hard.

ARGH

Accept and decide what to do if you get offered one of the other jobs. It might annoy the manager but that's life I'm afraid, do what's right for you.

Definitely accept and start then. It will be very positive for them to have the continuity.