Articles From the Team
Considering all your options is vital when accepting a job offer!
Congratulations! You have received a job offer so, although you have several more interviews lined up within a reasonable timescale, you must cancel them all and accept this job offer immediately before it disappears in a puff of smoke - right?! Well obviously when put like that, wrong, but you would be amazed how many people do it! Accepting the right job offer, not just the first job offer you receive, is vital to your future career, therefore it is worrying how many candidates receive a job offer and then honestly do decide to cancel all other interviews they have lined up. But why does this happen? Are firms suddenly imposing strict deadlines on the acceptance of offers or are people just panicking in the current market?
If it is the firm imposing strict deadlines, what are the firm worrying about? Are they concerned that what they are offering can be beaten by one of their competitors down the road? In which case, it is even more concerning that so many people cancel their interview with the competitor and are never going to find out. Personally, I would think twice about working for a firm who tries to put undue pressure on you to accept a job offer within a tight time schedule anyway, as they know you need to be in possession of all the facts to make an informed decision.
To be honest, it mainly seems to be that people are panicking in the current market - but why? It is a candidate strong market at the moment with more jobs than people, so calm down! If you are holding a job offer, no-one is going to take that away from you, so what do you have to lose by attending as many other interviews as possible to have a proper comparison with the opportunity you have been offered?
I have worked with plenty of people who have been pleasantly surprised and who have thanked their lucky stars for a very long time to come that they did indeed see through their pre-arranged interview schedule and did not accept the first job offer that came along, as they would have made the worst decision of their life and would have missed out on their dream job. People have preconceived ideas about what firms are going to be like, but unless you go along and meet them, for both first and second interviews if necessary (as different things will be covered by different people at both stages), you are never going to discover the true picture.
After attending all your interviews, you might end up accepting the first job offer you received, however you will be doing so safe in the knowledge that it is definitely the best opportunity for you at this time. However, you could well end up accepting a job offer with a firm that you didn't initially know that much about and hence were going to discount, so thank goodness you met them! Making an informed decision is vital, so don't spend the rest of your life wondering 'what if', get all the pieces of the jigsaw together first, and then make that life changing decision knowing all the relevant facts.
To make sure that you are in that position to make an informed decision and to be in possession of all the facts, why not call me, Tracy Harris at BCL Legal, in strict confidence on 0121 2301023. I place solicitors and legal executives into commercial law firms across the Midlands and the Thames Valley regions in a wide range of disciplines.
You never know, you could be hearing ‘Congratulations!’ as you accept an offer for your dream job with a firm that came as a complete surprise to you sooner than you think!