What can I do when I have an offer and I am waiting for another company to respond? Or, I have two offers and have to decline one, how can I let them down easy? These are common problems during recruiting periods when multiple offers are possible and when they actually happen – and the do!
Well, past recruiting activities and regular job searching activities have both resulted in many students finding themselves in a place that is both rewarding and challenging. Once you have the attention of more than one employer, you may find yourself transitioning from wondering if you will get one offer to trying to figure out how to manage an offer or even manage multiple offers. Yes – it happens!
The questions are…Who will you start you career with, and, why? And, how will you keep relationships in tact if you have to decline an offer from a company you truly value, even though you are planning on accepting a better offer, or a more suitable fit for you?
Here are some things to keep in mind as you enter the offer stage of CPA recruiting and/or as you pursue multiple employers outside of campus recruiting.
1. An offer is not an offer….until it is an offer!
An offer is an official piece of correspondence by letter or email that is clear concerning the position, the terms of employment and the salary. You must have this to truly know you have an offer.
If you hear from a firm rep, HR staff member or other staff members that your chances are good, “that is not an offer.”
If someone tells you they believe you are a fit in their company, “that is not an offer.”
If an interviewer tells you they are quite sure you will get an offer, “that is not an offer.”
If you feel like you have made an excellent connection with firm reps to the point where you are texting and meeting them socially, you might feel really special and positive, “that is not an offer.”
2. When you have one offer and another final interview is approaching with a potential offer.
Be sure to look at this realistically and understand that until the second offer officially comes, you only have one offer. This is especially difficult for people when the upcoming interview is with their favourite firm/company. Don’t let your emotion take over here. You will need to think this through. Here are a few tips to manage this. Some have more inherent risk than others.
A. If an upcoming interview will take place after the date you have been asked to accept a current offer, you have a few options.
i) Accept the first offer and enjoy your CPA candidate/new role (no risk)
ii) Ask your favourite company with the upcoming interview that you think may end with an offer to move their appointment up – if there is one. (some risk)
iii) Wait for the second company to reach out to you if it is within the acceptable window of the CPA Recruiting offer period or the period where you should get back to any given company that has made an offer to you. (some risk)
iv) Tell your favourite company that you have an offer from another company and you would really like to meet with them earlier if possible because they are your favourite company and you really want to work for them. (elevated risk)
v) Ask the firm that has made the offer for extra time (be specific) to get back to them due to some personal matters you need to deal with. (true…but…highest risk). This will not be facilitated during CPA recruiting when dates are in place for offering and accepting/declining offers.
Note: These scenarios are also applicable if you have already interviewed with the second company and you are waiting to hear if you may get a second offer.
3. If you have multiple offers at one time.
Creating a pro and con list where you can identify the areas most important to you in your upcoming CPA experience/or as you seek to build your career path. Is it the prestige of a big 4 firm or well-known brand? Is it the idea that you will be able to be involved with clients sooner than later? It is a small family your wanting? Is the large corporate structure where you want to develop your knowledge of the various service lines or global opportunities? Once you have determined the questions then you can rate the offers using a 1-10 scale and you can add cons on the other side which may include things like; they are too far away from home, don’t have the long term path that you are wanting to pursue or their travel options are not as interesting to you as the others.
Once you get this all down on paper, it is easier to make a comparison and a decision.
I hope everyone that reads this has the problem of multiple offers!
Best of luck,
Russell
Russell Garrett is the Owner of Protocol Business Solutions, a Certified Career Consultant and the DAP Career Coach. He also collaborates with the Business Career Center to support BCom career initiatives from time to time. Be sure to attend all the CPA Summer Prep Series Workshops. Russell will be delivering workshops for DAP and BCom students in collaboration with the Business Career Centre staff. Russell is also available to DAP students for online coaching appointments set up through email requests. You can contact Russell at dapcareersupport@sauder.ubc.ca. For in-person coaching appointments with Russell, you will be notified of dates throughout the summer and for Fall Recruiting through the DAP Student Blog and by email. These in-person appointments will be posted in COOL and you can register. Simply search using “Garrett” to find open slots.