The waiting is the hardest part
January 28, 2019 8:36 AM Subscribe
I am going to be officially unemployed soon and I have an issue with handling two jobs I’m pursuing.
Job A:
Job A is at a local org that I’ve applied to periodically in the past. I had a phone screen with them last week and they want a face to face this week. It’s through a contracting agency with a conversion after 6 months. It’s the kind of job where the novelty might sustain me for at least that 6 months but I’m not sure that I would love it long term more than a year or two. The location cuts my commute more than half, and is accessible by public transit.
Job B:
Job B is a company in an eastern state. My former director from a previous job works there and I reached out to them to see if they had any openings. Turns out, they do. However, the interview/hiring process is not expected to start happening until late Feb/early March. This would be 100% remote and a bump in pay. Job would entail me learning some new technologies that I’ve not used before. The benefits and flexibility at this place are fantastically better than Current Job or Job A.
From emails I’ve had back and forth with my recruiter, Job A seems keen on hiring me. Personally, I’m not opposed but I want to wait and see what happens with Job B. Also complicating things, is that my intractable burnout is what cost me my current job, so I’m looking to take a month off between when Current Job ends (in 3 weeks) and when a new job starts. My ideal start date would be 3/25 or 4/1. I have the means to flake out for an even little while longer so it's not yet a panic.
How do I stall off Job A while I figure out what is happening with Job B?
My head says go ahead and take Job A and wait out the 6 months and hit up Job B again later, since Job A is local, quick to hire, it's an improvement over what I have now, and I don't want to burn my recruiter either. My heart says, stick it out for Job B because quality of life. Argh. What do.
Bonus question: How do I make a delayed start a must?
Job A:
Job A is at a local org that I’ve applied to periodically in the past. I had a phone screen with them last week and they want a face to face this week. It’s through a contracting agency with a conversion after 6 months. It’s the kind of job where the novelty might sustain me for at least that 6 months but I’m not sure that I would love it long term more than a year or two. The location cuts my commute more than half, and is accessible by public transit.
Job B:
Job B is a company in an eastern state. My former director from a previous job works there and I reached out to them to see if they had any openings. Turns out, they do. However, the interview/hiring process is not expected to start happening until late Feb/early March. This would be 100% remote and a bump in pay. Job would entail me learning some new technologies that I’ve not used before. The benefits and flexibility at this place are fantastically better than Current Job or Job A.
From emails I’ve had back and forth with my recruiter, Job A seems keen on hiring me. Personally, I’m not opposed but I want to wait and see what happens with Job B. Also complicating things, is that my intractable burnout is what cost me my current job, so I’m looking to take a month off between when Current Job ends (in 3 weeks) and when a new job starts. My ideal start date would be 3/25 or 4/1. I have the means to flake out for an even little while longer so it's not yet a panic.
How do I stall off Job A while I figure out what is happening with Job B?
My head says go ahead and take Job A and wait out the 6 months and hit up Job B again later, since Job A is local, quick to hire, it's an improvement over what I have now, and I don't want to burn my recruiter either. My heart says, stick it out for Job B because quality of life. Argh. What do.
Bonus question: How do I make a delayed start a must?
I would take Job A and negotiate a start date of 3/25 and in the meantime, proceed with Job B as if I never took Job A. When Job B gets around to hiring, either drop Job A before you start it, citing that you received a better offer, or drop it whenever.
If Job A won't play ball about the later start date, depending on your confidence level with Job B, say thank you for the offer, but I have some matters to attend to prior to starting that would interfere with my ability to be physically present at the office fulltime (they don't need to know that the matter is that you're tired and need some darned rest).
posted by skittlekicks at 9:02 AM on January 28, 2019 [5 favorites]
If Job A won't play ball about the later start date, depending on your confidence level with Job B, say thank you for the offer, but I have some matters to attend to prior to starting that would interfere with my ability to be physically present at the office fulltime (they don't need to know that the matter is that you're tired and need some darned rest).
posted by skittlekicks at 9:02 AM on January 28, 2019 [5 favorites]
Your financial situation (emergency fund, salary:monthly spending) and other job prospects are important parts of this decision. I don't know how many job offers you may get in a year or how badly you need them.
My town as a job A. They are always hiring people with my skill set. I 100% stalled them for like four months during the hiring process by making random excuses. I'm focusing on current job. Vacation time for a few weeks. Once I did say looking at all the job options. I was always polite and I would 100% just contact the recruiter again if I had to. So yeah, maybe just stall.
posted by Kalmya at 9:10 AM on January 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
My town as a job A. They are always hiring people with my skill set. I 100% stalled them for like four months during the hiring process by making random excuses. I'm focusing on current job. Vacation time for a few weeks. Once I did say looking at all the job options. I was always polite and I would 100% just contact the recruiter again if I had to. So yeah, maybe just stall.
posted by Kalmya at 9:10 AM on January 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
I am 100% remote and it is the most amazing, magical, wonderful thing. If you think you have a decent shot at Job B, and enough financial padding that it wouldn't be a complete disaster for you if it didn't work out, I would politely tell Job A that you are going to take some time off after your current position ends and that you will contact them when you are ready to begin interviewing again, and then pursue Job B. If you're not comfortable with giving Job A a total pass at this point, you could drag things out with them as much as you can, but I definitely would not negotiate a late start date and then subsequently back out of the job, unless you actively dislike the people at Job A and are unconcerned about what they might say about you. You'd be wasting their time holding a seat for you when they could be interviewing, and if you do back out what you did will be pretty transparent to everyone involved and they're likely to be quite salty about it.
On the other hand, in the corporate world, "we'll open applications for that position in late February" often means that "we'll open applications for that position in July," or if it doesn't it might still mean "we'll open applications in March, interview in April, and make a hiring decision in June." It's really dependent on how long you think you can get by without a regular paycheck, how reliable your information about when Job B will be available is, and how long Job B actually takes to hire people. I also wouldn't see any problem taking Job A, working there until Job B opens up, and then interviewing for and hopefully taking Job B (perhaps with an honestly negotiated late start date at Job B, since you actually will intend on working there) - most companies give themselves a 60-90 window after hiring people to decide if they really actually want them to stay and I see no issue with you making that window reciprocal.
posted by jordemort at 9:27 AM on January 28, 2019 [4 favorites]
On the other hand, in the corporate world, "we'll open applications for that position in late February" often means that "we'll open applications for that position in July," or if it doesn't it might still mean "we'll open applications in March, interview in April, and make a hiring decision in June." It's really dependent on how long you think you can get by without a regular paycheck, how reliable your information about when Job B will be available is, and how long Job B actually takes to hire people. I also wouldn't see any problem taking Job A, working there until Job B opens up, and then interviewing for and hopefully taking Job B (perhaps with an honestly negotiated late start date at Job B, since you actually will intend on working there) - most companies give themselves a 60-90 window after hiring people to decide if they really actually want them to stay and I see no issue with you making that window reciprocal.
posted by jordemort at 9:27 AM on January 28, 2019 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I've often seen companies that say they'll start the hiring process for open positions, and then things change in such a way that they decide on a re-org, or to hire temp work, or eliminate the position altogether, based on budget and a changing landscape. Since you're waiting on a posting and not on an offer, I'd say going with Job A is the thing I personally would be most comfortable with.
posted by xingcat at 10:04 AM on January 28, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 10:04 AM on January 28, 2019 [7 favorites]
Job B doesn't exist. Whatever you decide, don't pin a lot of hopes on Job B, because it hasn't been posted, you haven't applied for it, and you have effectively zero chance at getting it until that happens.
You could consider office temp work for some flexibility and lower stress / time commitment while you do a longer job search. I would probably just take job A and try to negotiate a late start date - they're hiring you as a temporary contractor to protect their own interests, so it's fine for you to also regard the job as temporary and continue pursuing other options, in my opinion.
posted by momus_window at 10:34 AM on January 28, 2019 [2 favorites]
You could consider office temp work for some flexibility and lower stress / time commitment while you do a longer job search. I would probably just take job A and try to negotiate a late start date - they're hiring you as a temporary contractor to protect their own interests, so it's fine for you to also regard the job as temporary and continue pursuing other options, in my opinion.
posted by momus_window at 10:34 AM on January 28, 2019 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Hm, I'm leaning towards taking A, hanging out there for a while and then checking in with B in the future.
posted by fluttering hellfire at 11:51 AM on January 28, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by fluttering hellfire at 11:51 AM on January 28, 2019 [3 favorites]
Best answer: A company that wants you to work six months as a contractor on the promise of a conversion down the line is not a company that you need to show much loyalty to. They want you to be a contractor in part because it makes you easy to fire—well, it makes them easy to quit, too. Take Job A, keep applying for Job B, and if Job B comes through then hey, an old professional contact of yours made you an offer you would be foolish to refuse, no hard feelings, just business. If Job B doesn't come through, then at least you're still employed.
If Job A wanted your loyalty, they'd make you a better deal than what they're offering. Look out for yourself and don't feel even slightly bad about it.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:09 PM on January 28, 2019 [7 favorites]
If Job A wanted your loyalty, they'd make you a better deal than what they're offering. Look out for yourself and don't feel even slightly bad about it.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:09 PM on January 28, 2019 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: I interviewed at Job A from 10:30 to 11:30 this morning. They called my recruiter at 11:45 and made an offer. Job A it is! (For now)
posted by fluttering hellfire at 10:43 AM on January 31, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by fluttering hellfire at 10:43 AM on January 31, 2019 [2 favorites]
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posted by Rock Steady at 8:49 AM on January 28, 2019 [1 favorite]