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Job interviews...WORRIED!

mayerling

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
I've been invited to interview for two jobs within the space of two weeks. If I'm offered the first one I'll have to say yes because there's no guarantee that I'll be offered the second one. But if after the second interview I'm offered the second one as well, I'll be really torn. The first one is better in the short-term because it involves something I love doing, but has no long-term prospects, while the second one has medium-term prospects and would involve being close to my family.

What would you do?
:confused:
 
That's a tough one. Without knowing many of the details, it sounds like the second position is the one you'd prefer. If you get an offer from the first company and are waiting to see if the second one will make you an offer, you could follow up with the second company. You could tell them that you've just been offered another position, and you're wondering if you're still being considered. You could even tell them that you'd prefer to work with them and then be specific about why. A friend of mine did this once, and the two companies ended up competing for her. She loved it! If I was in your situation, I'd do that and see what happens. I don't think it could hurt. Good luck!
 
Zoe said:
That's a tough one. Without knowing many of the details, it sounds like the second position is the one you'd prefer. If you get an offer from the first company and are waiting to see if the second one will make you an offer, you could follow up with the second company. You could tell them that you've just been offered another position, and you're wondering if you're still being considered. You could even tell them that you'd prefer to work with them and then be specific about why. A friend of mine did this once, and the two companies ended up competing for her. She loved it! If I was in your situation, I'd do that and see what happens. I don't think it could hurt. Good luck!
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Unfortunately, there's no way I could do the second interview any sooner. They're interviewing all short-listed candidates 2 weeks after my first interview. So I'm in a bind...
 
Is this for a professional job opportunity? I ask because they typically do not offer you the position on the spot. They usually interview all candidates and then send an offer letter with a date to submit your acceptance. Two weeks should be plenty of time for you to complete both interviews and make a decision.
 
My husband's never received an offer letter in the mail -- the offers have been over the phone and then a contract is sent out once the terms have been agreed upon by my husband and the company. He has the option, of course, to not sign the contract if something doesn't look right, but that rarely happens. In my field, there's no negotiating salary, etc., but I've only gotten verbal offers as well.

Mayerling -- I was assuming that it may take a while for the first company to make an offer. My husband's waited anywhere from 1 week to 1 month for an offer to come through. I would think that you may be able to interview with the second company since (again, my assumption) the first company may take a bit of time deciding.

If that doesn't happen and you don't get that opportunity, then yeah, I can see the predicament you could be in. Have you made a pros and cons list or something similar? What draws you towards one company over the other? Do you think you'd be happy at the first company or would you wonder "what if?" if you didn't accept an offer, if one was made?
 
Is there a reason you think the first place will expect your answer right away? I believe you usually have some time to make a decision once you get an offer. I would graciously thank the first place for their offer and ask them when they would need to know by. If it's sooner than two weeks, ask them if they wouldn't mind giving you some more time as you have to consider moving to a new area, changing positions, etc.

As to which position to choose, you mentioned that the first one is for something you love doing but how about the second one? Is the second position something you just don't love or something you actually dislike doing?

ETA - And employers know that strong candidates usually have multiple offers to consider. I'm sure they're used to this situation.
 
lucyandroger said:
Is there a reason you think the first place will expect your answer right away? I believe you usually have some time to make a decision once you get an offer. I would graciously thank the first place for their offer and ask them when they would need to know by. If it's sooner than two weeks, ask them if they wouldn't mind giving you some more time as you have to consider moving to a new area, changing positions, etc.

As to which position to choose, you mentioned that the first one is for something you love doing but how about the second one? Is the second position something you just don't love or something you actually dislike doing?

ETA - And employers know that strong candidates usually have multiple offers to consider. I'm sure they're used to this situation.
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In UK academia, an offer is made to the successful candidate straight away so that if he/she declines they can contact the next short-listed person straight away. So I have one interview in early August and one in mid-August.

The first one is something I love, the second one is something that I could do, and wouldn't mind doing, but I don't love it.
 
This is a tough one, but it's GOOD to have this problem, isn't it?

I'm impressed that they make an offer so quickly in the UK. It took MONTHS to go through the entire process here in the U.S. So, if you are a finalist candidate does that mean that you'll be scheduled for a second round of interviews right away? Anyway . . .

It doesn't sound like you're too excited about the first position. If it turns out that you get an offer for the first position before you have a chance to get a second interview from the second position, can you tell the first position that you have another opportunity on the table and you'd like more time?
 
Haven said:
This is a tough one, but it's GOOD to have this problem, isn't it?

I'm impressed that they make an offer so quickly in the UK. It took MONTHS to go through the entire process here in the U.S. So, if you are a finalist candidate does that mean that you'll be scheduled for a second round of interviews right away? Anyway . . .

It doesn't sound like you're too excited about the first position. If it turns out that you get an offer for the first position before you have a chance to get a second interview from the second position, can you tell the first position that you have another opportunity on the table and you'd like more time?
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Actually, there is no second round. You apply, you get short-listed, you interview, they hire straight away.

I'm actually more excited by the first one in terms of what it involves, but the second one is close to home and is slightly longer-term (though not by any means long-term), which makes it appealing. I don't think I could tell panel 1 to wait a couple of weeks for panel 2 to decide. At least, it's not the way things work around here and I think it would be considered bad form to do that. I'd either have to chance it and tell job 1 'no' on the hope that I'd get job 2, or tell job 1 'yes' and risk alienating them if I go with job 2 in the end.
 
Yikes, that is tough. I got a lot of amazing advice on this sort of thing from the higher ed forums, most notably the Chronicle of Higher Education. Are there any similar sites for UK academics?

I'm really shocked that they only do one round of interviews. Do you mind if I ask some questions? Don't feel obligated to answer, since I know you have other things on your plate right now, but I'm just very curious. Do you meet fellow professors and the dean and VP of the college all during that first interview? Do they do the campus tour that day as well? That's a lot of pressure for candidates, I can't believe it.

I'd be interested to hear what others from the UK have to say about your position. I imagine many people have been there.
 
Haven said:
Yikes, that is tough. I got a lot of amazing advice on this sort of thing from the higher ed forums, most notably the Chronicle of Higher Education. Are there any similar sites for UK academics?

I'm really shocked that they only do one round of interviews. Do you mind if I ask some questions? Don't feel obligated to answer, since I know you have other things on your plate right now, but I'm just very curious. Do you meet fellow professors and the dean and VP of the college all during that first interview? Do they do the campus tour that day as well? That's a lot of pressure for candidates, I can't believe it.

I'd be interested to hear what others from the UK have to say about your position. I imagine many people have been there.
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Oh I don't mind answering. Don't worry :)

As I mentioned, both the jobs I'm going for are short-term so the procedure is not exactly as it would be for tenure-track positions.
For tenure-track positions, people apply usually by sending their CV, copies of publications, statement of future research activities, statement of past research activities, etc. About a week or two after the deadline for submissions, the short-listed candidates are invited to interview. This usually means about 5 or 6 people.
Apart from a proper interview, people are also asked to do one of two things according to the institution. They are either asked to give a sample class (usually for half an hour) or a research talk (usually for an hour). That's usually the first thing they have to do. That's usually in the morning, and interviews are held in the afternoon (or sometimes the next day).
Candidates usually meet only department people, and even if they're hired they may never meet the dean or VP. The successful candidate usually hears very soon and then negotiation starts but the time-limits for negotiation are short because departments need to know whether they need to approach the second best candidate instead.

So I guess things do work differently than in the US.
 
Thanks, mayerling. Very interesting!

The Chronicle of Higher Ed has a global sight, and I did a quick search and it looks like there are threads there about higher ed positions in the UK. I would start a thread over there, too. You never know who might pop in and give you some good advice.

I really hope you end up getting the position that is best for you, whichever one that ends up being!
 
Haven said:
Thanks, mayerling. Very interesting!

The Chronicle of Higher Ed has a global sight, and I did a quick search and it looks like there are threads there about higher ed positions in the UK. I would start a thread over there, too. You never know who might pop in and give you some good advice.

I really hope you end up getting the position that is best for you, whichever one that ends up being!
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Thanks for having a look for me! I'll go check it out now :appl:
 
Mayerling, I didn't realize you were in the UK. Things really do work differently than in the U.S. Well, without very much info...I vote for taking the job you would love doing!

I hope you get some help on the site Haven mentioned. Good luck!
 
Forgot to mention that there are no campus visits over here. I've been at my current job for a while now and I still don't know where everything is because nobody showed me around.
 
An update:

I interviewed but didn't get the first job, so now I'm really hoping I get the second job. I went back home recently as well, which makes me want to get the job closer to my family even more.
 
I'm sorry it didn't work out, Mayerling! Hopefully you'll hear from the second company soon.
 
Good luck with the second company!
 
Here's hoping for a really good news update on the second job soon, Mayerling!
 
I hope you get the second job! Sending dust your way.
 
mary poppins said:
I hope you get the second job! Sending dust your way.
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Thanks! I'll keep you posted.
 
Didn't get the other job either. I guess worrying about it was pointless. :(sad
 
Edited: Never mind, sorry - but I hope you enjoy the one you were offered!
 
waterlilly said:
Edited: Never mind, sorry - but I hope you enjoy the one you were offered!
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What do you mean? I wasn't offered either.
 
I'm sorry...I hope you find something else soon!
 
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