In a recent post I covered frequently asked questions about negotiating compensation in the job offer. But a job offer is about much more than money. One of the trickiest parts of navigating a job offer is managing all of your other leads at the same time. Managing the timing aspect of your job search takes confidence, communication skills and attention to detail. Here are four issues that commonly arise with timing and the job search:
I have a job offer but it’s not my first choice company. How long can I stall?
Whenever you get an offer, even if it’s not your first choice company or the compensation is lower than expected, your immediate reaction should be excitement. You can negotiate the terms later, but for now, focus on showing the employer that you will genuinely consider it. This way, their immediate reaction is confirmation that they made the right decision – their offer is in good hands. Then ask for however long a time you need to get your first choice company to a decision. Keep in mind that most employers will expect a decision quickly (i.e., within a week). If relocation is involved, the decision deadline is usually longer but still not that long. If your first choice company is far behind this one, you may have to make a Yes/ No decision on this offer without full closure on the other offers. This is why it is so important to keep your other prospective employers updated on your progress with everyone else. By the time you get an offer, you don’t have that much time to finish off your interview process elsewhere. Sure, you can keep asking the company that gave you an offer for more time, but they will just assume it’s because you are not really interested and that you’re looking elsewhere.
My first choice company is dragging its feet. How can I get them to make a decision?
If you have been keeping your first choice company updated that other companies are interested, then you need to turn up the urgency by letting them know you have an offer. In fact, your first move after thanking the other company effusively for their offer is to call your first choice company and let them know about the offer. If you asked the other company to give you a week to decide, tell your first choice company you only have three days. You need to build in a cushion so you have time to weigh both offers. Make sure you only mention that you have an offer but not the specific offer term – these are confidential to the other company, and besides, you don’t want to give away your leverage in case your first choice company decides to come in with a higher offer.
My new employer wants me to start right away. How far can I push off the start date?
Timing isn’t just about time to decide but also time to start. You want to get a sense for start date expectations during the offer negotiation process. If your new employer needs you right away, that’s leverage you can use to negotiate for something you want in return. If you want to take time off but your employer really needs you, maybe you can start but then have some vacation approved for shortly after. Keep in mind that your official start date is tied to important benefits, such as insurance coverage, calculation of paid time off, retirement plan eligibility and bonus plan eligibility. For example, if your new employer would include you in the annual bonus plan if you start before the fourth quarter, the difference between a Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 start would be huge. Make sure you understand how everything is calculated before arbitrarily picking a date.
Ready to change your career? This 10-step guide will help you land your new dream job.
My former employer is asking me to stay longer than I would like to. What is a reasonable request?
Your start date doesn’t only affect your new employer if you’re transitioning from somewhere else. Your former company may ask you to stay through a specific project or through the industry’s busy season or long enough to transition a key client. The more senior you are, the more complex your role and the longer the ideal transition. Legally, the United States follows employment-at-will, so you don’t have to give any notice. But you also don’t want to burn bridges. Two weeks is standard. Some companies won’t require even that. Some will ask for more. If you can accommodate your former employer, you want to make your transition as smooth as possible. But your first priority should be to your new employer. If you have a hard date where you need start elsewhere, don’t let your former employer guilt you into giving them more and more time. I’ve seen candidates who negotiate so hard with their new employer about start date because they try too hard to placate their old employer – that’s like spending too much time with your new beau talking about your ex!
You negotiate for time as much as you negotiate for money. You need to know what you want – how much time you need to make a decision, when you want to start, how much notice you’re willing to give. You need to ask for what you want. You need to anticipate what your employers (both the new and the former) will want. Sometimes you need to get creative to come up with solutions that work for all. Prepare to negotiate for time just like you would prepare to negotiate for more money.
Caroline is a career expert with SixFigureStart and the author of Jump Ship: 10 Steps To Starting A New Career. She has coached executives from American Express, Citigroup, Condé Nast, eBay, Goldman Sachs, Google and McKinsey.
Watch on Forbes:
