Many times you will have multiple active interviews, but how do you maximize your outcomes?
Be Honest
First, be honest, open, and transparent with recruiters about where you are in the job search process. If they do ask you about other interviews, they will want to know if you have any other offers or conversations going on.
If you tell them that you are indeed interviewing with other companies, then the recruiter may be able to speed up the process internally. Also, as an added benefit you can use this to your advantage when it comes to negotiating your offer. Check out our page on You Got An Offer!
💡 Pro Tip: People want you more when someone else also wants you.
If you tell them you only have one conversation going on and you surprise them with a competing offer you will have eroded the trust. Remember you may run into this recruiter or company again one day and your reputation as a truthful person matters.
Timing the Interviews
Second, timing is critical. Try to make sure you are timing the interviews simultaneously. The goal is to get offer letters within a day or two of each other so you can compare the offers.
Recruiters and hiring managers will likely have several other candidates that could be a good fit, but they chose you first. If you decline their offer, then they don’t want to loose out entirely on the other candidates.
Because of this pressure, the recruiters may only give you a day or two to make a decision.
💡 Pro Tip: You can buy yourself some extra time by asking to meet with the hiring manager again to review the job expectations in more detail or ask to speak to potential peers in the new company, which will give you a better perspective on what you can expect in your new role. Just make sure it doesn’t look like you are stalling, but rather that you are deeply considering the role and making sure you have a solid understanding of the expectations.
Comparing Offers
Third, remember money isn’t everything, but we know it matters. See our article It’s Not All About the Benjamins.
Consider all the benefits; money, vacation, work-life balance, reimbursement plans, educational opportunities, equity sharing, and promotional opportunities if you do well in the role.
Try to reflect on your goals and compare the different companies and different offers versus your goals. Check out our article on Setting Good Goals.
💡 Pro Tip: Share your goals with the hiring manager and see where they seem to have the same goals or where they are supportive of your personal desires.
Making Your Decision
Finally, when you do make the decision to take an offer trust the process.
Email the recruiter, get the offer letter, background check, and other administrative items going.
Call the hiring manager and let them know your decision to take the offer personally instead of relying on the recruiter.
Show up day one with positive energy and enthusiasm.
For the roles that you did not accept personally send an email to the hiring manager(s) and share with them that you have taken another role, you appreciate the time they took during the interview process, and hope to see them again in the future.
💡 Pro Tip: Make sure you understand something personal about the hiring managers, write it down in your networking tracking log, and reference those notes when you interact with them; assuming it is positive and appropriate as you want to avoid touchy or emotionally negative subjects.
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