I need an outside opinion.

[LordBaltimore]

I'm 99% sure that I am going to get a job offer today, The job is a senior level job paying about $31.00 per hour. I'm also up for another job that is a management job paying $37.00 per hour.
The recruiter for the $37.00 per hour job tells me that I am there top candidate, they just haven't had time to do the second interview do to this weeks tax deadline.
I would like the second job more, but I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.
What would you do?

 

[chickapin parterre]

how valuable is your talent? son in law had days to decide on his first job offer because he was valuable.

 

[wvjules]

If job 1 gives you an offer, ask them when they need to have your answer.

 

[LordBaltimore]

I have 20 years of managment in my field, the 31.00 job is not management.

 

[dez1978]

I'd take offer 1, then if offer 2 comes thru take that and tell #1 that a better offer came thru.

 

[jen7233]

If you need or want the first job and they make an offer, ask how long they'll let you think over the offer. If you think you're fine without it, decline. If you do need a job and decide to take the first offer, push off the start date and see what unfolds with job two.

 

[LordBaltimore]

Thanks you all, I'm getting some good advise here.

 

[JimMIA]

If you're not currently employed, I'd get the deadline for acceptance for the first job and tell the recruiter for the management position that you are considering another offer.

I would also explore the opportunities for promotion in the first job, especially with your management experience. Is it just a job, or is there some real potential there?

 

[sam_gordon]

I'd take offer 1, then if offer 2 comes thru take that and tell #1 that a better offer came thru.

Personally I think that's a crap way to handle it. If a company offered a person a job, they accepted, then the company came back and said "we found a better candidate", they would be hung out to dry (rightfully so).

I agree that if you get a job offer from #1, ask when can you give them a decision. I think a realistic timeline would be the end of next week.

Then, you call job #2. Tell them you have another offer, you'd like to work with them, blah blah blah, but need to know something.

 

[soccerdad72]

I'd take offer 1, then if offer 2 comes thru take that and tell #1 that a better offer came thru.

Bad idea, IMO. Too much chance of that coming back (at some point) and biting you in the butt.

 

[LordBaltimore]

If you're not currently employed, I'd get the deadline for acceptance for the first job and tell the recruiter for the management position that you are considering another offer.

I would also explore the opportunities for promotion in the first job, especially with your management experience. Is it just a job, or is there some real potential there?

I'm don't think that there is going to be room for advancement, with the first job. The current manger is younger than me and has had the job for six years, so I assume she is happy there.

 

[GreatLakes]

If job 1 gives you an offer, ask them when they need to have your answer.

This. I would thank them for the offer and let them know you have to discuss it with your family/spouse/whomever and you will let them know.

 

[jen7233]

You sound confident about the second interview for job two. With my current job I accepted an offer, and then later declined in the interim before an official start date when another offer came in. It's not unusual. But these decisions are going to vary by industry and size of the company, I would just focus on your opportunities and where you want to work.

 

[anniemae]

I would pass on job 1. Unless you are desperate for work and need the paycheck. It sounds like your heart is not in job 1 and there no room for advancement, which seems important to you.

I would hold out for job 2. Unfortunately you have to be okay if they do not offer you a job. Sounds like you are in high demand so I would hold out for what you want (if you can money wise), better pay, advancement potential etc. IMO it's just not fair to job 1 to take when you really don't want it. Then you would leave them high and dry if Job 2 comes in. I would probably call my recruiter to see if they have any info on job 2 about when/if they will schedule another interview. You could always have the recruiter tell them that you have been offered another position to see if that lights a fire under them.

 

[_19disnA]

I would ask for some time to consider the offer for job #1. They don't need an answer today. I wouldn't depend too much on what the recruiter says about you being the top candidate for job #2. Until they actually offer you a job, that could just be a sales pitch to string you along and you have no idea if other more qualified candidates might come along. Being a 'top candidate' means nothing if they offer someone else the job. How do they already know how well you will do during their second interview, I don't really follow their logic.

You could certainly ask what the deadline for them making an offer on job #2 is and tell them you are considering an offer for job #1. If you are truly their top contender, that is incentive for them to make you a job offer. I also agree with some of the prior comments that accepting and then declining job #1 if job #2 happens to come along is a bad idea. (I assume the jobs are at different companies?)

Career opportunities at any company doesn't just depend on the age of your boss. Perhaps that boss finds a job somewhere else and quits or is part of a rotation of management across several departments. HR process at most companies look at the potential of the individual as well as the needs of the company. In larger companies, advancements will typically include various functional assignments to increase your understanding of how different parts of the company operate as well as your ability to handle a variety of assignments. Replacing your boss is generally not your only career opportunity.

 

[mrodgers]

I have 20 years of managment in my field, the 31.00 job is not management.

The wage/salary of a job does not determine whether it is a management job or not. $31/hour? Around here that's bringing home the bacon! That's what management positions generally pay.

 

[sam_gordon]

The wage/salary of a job does not determine whether it is a management job or not. $31/hour? Around here that's bringing home the bacon! That's what management positions generally pay.

Around here it probably is also. Doesn't mean that's the case everywhere. In a high cost of living location, that probably isn't impressive.

 

[soccerdad72]

The wage/salary of a job does not determine whether it is a management job or not. $31/hour? Around here that's bringing home the bacon! That's what management positions generally pay.

Depends on what industry they're managing in.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm 99% sure that I am going to get a job offer today, The job is a senior level job paying about $31.00 per hour. I'm also up for another job that is a management job paying $37.00 per hour.
The recruiter for the $37.00 per hour job tells me that I am there top candidate, they just haven't had time to do the second interview do to this weeks tax deadline.
I would like the second job more, but I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.
What would you do?

It would depend on:

...whether you currently have a job, and just want a better one, or currently don't have anything?

...whether you actually want to manage people, or just do whatever the technical aspect of the job is?

...the location and non-salary perks of each job?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The way my husband handled it a few weeks ago was he got a job offer for Job #1 but just 2 days later he got a verbal offer from Job #2. He told job#1 he did have a competing offer and if he could have til the end of the week to let them know as he was waiting on the written offer from Job #2. In this case he had passed the necessary rounds of interviews though for both. He ended up going with Job #2 and gently let down Job#1 (where the bridges aren't burned, door still open type thing).

In December my husband was in the running with just one other person, the recruiter said he thought he did a really good job and he was a favorite of his to get the job. There were 3 I think rounds of interviews. Unfortunately my husband didn't get the job not due to a personal thing where he wasn't as well liked as the other guy the company just went with a person who had 1 more qualification (in this case an MBA that is virtually useless to my husband's work he was at then) than him. I tell this story only to say don't count on a recruiter's word because even they can be surprised at the direction a company goes with.

Best advice I could give is to request a bit of time from Job#1 (but reasonable to both you and the company) to give them your answer but understand if Job#2 doesn't schedule an interview this week for at least next week's timeframe you may need to allow Job#2 to passby. Part of that might also be just looking at how Job#2's company runs if they can't get down to schedule an interview will you have issues with Job#2 and promptness later on.