Given an offer, but an interview for the job I really is still pending, how do I handle this? (employed, applying)

[JCC112]

I have been job searching for months, although presently employed for the same company for the last 5 years. I finally managed to land 4 interviews in one week which honestly has never happened to me before.


Company A is the job I really want, good salary, good benefits, relocation to the state I want to live in, direct hire, room for upward movement within the company. I have been on 3 interviews total, the 4th interview is 10/5. That is the in person interview so its going to be the make or break interview. So in a week and a half. I am flying out of state to do this, the company said so far I was the only person they had called down to interview and that they really wanted to bring me in. I was ecstatic.


Meanwhile, literally a few days later, I'll call them company B, reached out to me and after 1 phone interview, which I didn't feel like went well, surprisingly called me and offered the job. Its a small company, less benefits than the company I am even at now. Its a temp to perm position, not even direct hire. And the manager actually told me in the interview people had been leaving the company and she was tired of training people to have them leave. Red flag. Anyway, the only good thing about company B is the salary increase. Which is significantly higher than what I make now, and its probably higher than company A. Lets say $30k more annually than I make now. I realize salary isn't everything. If you consider their lack of benefits, you could argue I might as well just stay where I am. Expensive health insurance, no 401k match, no pension. In short I have better benefits at my current employer even if I do want to leave. Just not as high of a salary. They were pushy, wanted me to start right away, I had to ask them to give me 2 weeks notice to my employer and they were still pushy. It sounds like they just need someone ASAP and will hire anyone. Where as any other company I have interviewed with they put you through the ringer and you have to survive 4 interviews and background check and drug test before you even get an offer and it takes MONTHS. Company B was just like ok when can you start? Weird.


I have a gut feeling that I do not want company B. I would be leaving a pretty large well known company for company B, a smaller less known company with basically no benefits, all the while still interviewing with company A praying they hire me. So I would get pretty far into it with company B if I accepted and burn some bridges if I decided to leave for company A... not good.


What would you do? Would you say no to company B and put all your eggs in one basket and pray this last interview goes well and you get company A?


Its a risk, because I am risking not getting company A at all, which is really just based on a good feeling and hope that this last interview will go well. So I don't really even have in the bag yet, and worst case scenario which could definitely happen, I would just being stuck back job searching again starting over. Which would really suck and would be a low blow to my already discouraged job seeking self. (I have applied for SOOOO many jobs by the way and hardly that many interviews in comparison to what I have applied for, I don't need to tell how discouraging this has been.)


I don't want to take B, bail in the middle of the process and ruin my reputation and potentially cause discrepancies on my background check of my current employer if company A decided to go through with the process. I would literally be giving them my notice after a few days of getting hired.


AHH
Help?


Do I give up on company B?

[notnamed]

Yeah that’s a bunch of red flags at B. I would politely pass or make a counter that would make it worthwhile to you($45k raise?).

The effectiveness of a company’s interviewing process will surely be reflected in the quality of your coworkers. As you currently have a job I would hold out for A.

Though leaving a job shortly after taking it isn’t entirely bad either. Those initial few months are an evaluation period for both sides, not just the employer. Sometimes it’s just not the right fit and better to move on quickly.

[Suburban_Guy]

We humans have evolved over millions of years to develop gut instincts.

Trust them and use them.

Why even accept company B, when not only are you getting red flags about the job itself, but also the way they are rushing you to make a decision, and almost not caring about you needing to put in a proper two week notice?

And it seems like you've already invested all of your hopes and emotions into company A, a critical mistake too many applicants make. It's good to be positive but doesn't do any good when you get rejected since you take it much more personal.

I realize you've been applying to many companies, but the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

[JCC112]

Originally Posted by Suburban_Guy

We humans have evolved over millions of years to develop gut instincts.

Trust them and use them.

Why even accept company B, when not only are you getting red flags about the job itself, but also the way they are rushing you to make a decision, and almost not caring about you needing to put in a proper two week notice?

And it seems like you've already invested all of your hopes and emotions into company A, a critical mistake too many applicants make. It's good to be positive but doesn't do any good when you get rejected since you take it much more personal.

I realize you've been applying to many companies, but the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Thanks you're right, trust your gut.


And I really have invested literally all my hopes into company A and yes agreed, this is a critical mistake that should be avoided, however remember I have only gotten this far in the interview process with these 2 jobs, literally nothing else, and ironically I got offered the one I really didn't want.


So... really company A is it right now. Hence why I have so much hope invested in them.


I wouldn't take it too personally if they rejected me because in the back of my mind I am preparing for it just in case, despite my positive feelings, I would honestly just keep applying and you know... life goes on... but it would be a sad day regardless.


I am still looking of course, but currently no other leads. So that is why I have invested a lot of hope into company A because it is literally a dream job of mine I have been trying to achieve for the last 5 years.