Interview/ Acceptance/ Holding out

[PuffRebuff]

I am coming to the end of a year's maternity leave (handed in notice prior to finding out pregnant, so don't have a job to go back to, as such) and have been applying for many, many jobs (probably about 60 up to this point).

This is entirely speculative, but I have an interview for a good job, albeit not necessarily one that I would love (but I understand how bloody lucky I am to at least GET a job interview especially as I've been rejected prior to interview for the other 59 and we really need the money etc), on Monday. Now, I have also applied for a couple more in the field that I want to get back into (research as opposed to a more administrative position) which I would absolutely love but the closing date is the 1st August with shortlisting soon after.

If, by some chance (preparation, preparation, preparation), I get the job from interview on mon, and then hear that I've got an interview a few days later for one of the other ones, would I be able to put off accepting/ rescind acceptance, or wait until interview/offered another one and then rescind acceptance? I am aware of grasping and bloody out of order that sounds, but if there is even a chance that I might be able to get the other one, it's more in line with what I want out of my career and would be incredible for me. The last thing I'd want to do though is piss about Tuesday's organisation though.

Any thoughts? (I do realise that I probably won't even get the job on Mon, but just in case)

sorry- by Tuesday organisation I mean the interview on monday!

Well if you accept an offer then let them down you will technically be in breach of contract, however I'd be more concerned about the possibility of wanting to work there in future.

I definitely wouldn't retract acceptance of an offer unless and until you have a firm offer elsewhere.

Ah; wasn't sure if a verbal "yes, I'll accept" over the phone would be binding ( scuttles off to check old contract law books ) I don't think that it's somewhere I'd ever work if I got the other jobs, but I take the point on board.

And, it's counting chickens and all, but just wondered if anyone else had found themselves in a similar situation and what they'd done.

As flowery says (because she is always right!), the danger is if you think you may want to work at the first company in the future. When/if you accept the first job, you'll get a notice period (which may well only be a week if there's a probationary period) so if you subsequently get offered the other job, you simply resign from the first one and serve your notice period before starting the other one. I don't think the fact you'll barely have started makes any difference to your ability to do this, but just bear in mind people can have long memories if that think they have been messed around so your name will be mud there (and potentially in other similar companies if it's quite a small field).

But that's the risk you have to weigh up against getting a job you want in a company you might stay in for the foreseeable future. For what it's worth, in your position I'd probably go ahead and accept the second job otherwise I'd always regret having turned down the opportunity I really wanted - but that's just my opinion and others will say differently.

Well if they say over the phone we intend to offer and you say over the phone yes I'll accept, then I wouldn't describe that as binding, as you wouldn't have had full details of their offer. But accepting a written offer would form a contract.

But it's not that relevant because as I say, I'd be more concerned about damaging relationships/reputation than the unlikely prospect of them taking legal action against you.

It may depend on the sector, but in my experience, even if you've had a job offer verbally, it can then take forever to get the paperwork through, and I would never resign (not an issue in your case) until I've received a contract I can sign - not least because some years back, I was offered a job, but the funding for the post got pulled, and in the end, it never happened. Plus at this time of year, it's also possible to get delays because of various people being on leave. Plus some companies can just be a bit rubbish at sorting out the paperwork { smiles sweetly at own dear employer }.

So keep going with all applications for now. That doesn't mean the situation won't arise. I have delayed accepting job offers before by negotiating on salary, but again that's more applicable to some fields than others. Actually, my current job I initially turned down, and they called me back for another chance to look round, and upped the offer, and I they persuaded me. The only time I've had two offers at the same time, they arrived at about the same time, so I only needed to think about it for a day.

So my advice is don't worry, it may not happen, but I haven't anything useful to say if it actually does! Good luck!