Not long after accepting her first RDH job, my wife Tracie was offered a second one with a different office – good problem to have, right?
Turns out the second one wasn’t a great fit and it was fairly easy to turn it down, even though they didn’t overlap each other.
But it got me to thinking, what if you get an offer from an office that isn’t so great but have an interview coming up with an office you think is awesome?
Still a good problem – but a much tougher decision. So this week, here’s four things to think about if you get in that situation, and I would also love to hear how YOU would handle it.
1. The Situation
Everyone is at a different place in life – some are early-career, others late-career. Some have been out of RDH work for more than a year, others are in a stable situation; it’s impossible to give coaching that applies to everyone.
So the first piece of advice is to seek the advice of friends and family who are close to you and know your situation. But ultimately, you have to do what’s best for you, and only you can answer that.
The upside to this is that you won’t be wrong. Even if it appears so because of some factor down the line, you will have made the best decision for YOU at that time and you should never second guess that. “Like ever!” (says Taylor Swift, expert in absolutes)
2. Have a Good Poker Face
I think I have a really good “poker face” – anytime I go toe-to-toe with a salesperson, I’m pretty good at not showing elevated emotions (over-the-top excitement or anger).
When interviewing for jobs you want to be similar to that – relaxed, confident, yet gracious. Doesn’t mean you don’t smile – you should always exude a positive energy. But channel it toward the profession you are in, not this particular job. Help them see you are not desperate, but rather you have “options” beyond this particular job.
This is actually a sales tactic involving scarcity and demand. When we as humans feel we might miss out on something good (just because it’s in limited quantity), we tend to go crazy trying to obtain it. Remember the vaccine shortage when there was a Bird Flu outbreak a few years ago?
You want to give them the impression that you are in demand, that your personal brand is scarce, and that you have “options”. They don’t need to know what those options or demands are – could be time spent away from family or it could be you really do have more than one job opportunity in front of you.
But it’s also helpful when you are weighing two potential job opportunities. It can often buy you some time to consider the offer on the table vs another one that potentially may come. I wouldn’t recommend requesting more than a few days (one week absolute max) as that may put them in a bind. And a for sure no-no would be to ask for two days then call back and ask for even more time – stick to the original timeline.
3. The Decision
Ultimately, you gotta go with your gut instinct when deciding. I tend to err on the side of caution, so depending on how bad the job offer is or how good my chances are with a new job, I will be more likely to go with the sure thing. I don’t mind some risk, but it’s there needs to be some logic behind it.
Here’s some other tools to help you decide:
- Good old list of pros and cons;
- Ask yourself where you want to be 10 years from now and if the current opportunity has that potential or if it’s just a temporary stop;
- Set aside pay, benefits, and perks, and really analyze the personalities in the office – this should probably be your most important factor: how well will I get along with the people in this office? And be really honest in answering it.
4. Part Two of the Tough Decision
Okay, you decide to take the first offer and you still have this other interview. Keep or cancel? This is part 2 of the tough decision. Before I tell you what I would do, you should do what YOU feel most comfortable with.
Me? I would likely keep it and interview (unless I know my new employer is friends with my potential employer). It may end up being just good interview practice, but it’s also a chance to make a connection with yet another professional that you could potentially work for some day. That’s not so bad.
To take it a step further, I would likely accept the better opportunity, even after I have already accepted or even started working at the first one. It may feel awkward and there might be some disappointment from the first to hire you, those are real feelings!
But I really believe most employers know this is a real possibility and are usually respectful. Disappointed, maybe, but respectful. Just make sure if you choose this path to be kind, offer to work a couple weeks until they can find someone else.
Again, what I would do (and probably you, too) really depends on lots of factors. But I would like to know what you think – so leave a comment below.
