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One jobseeker may get an offer too soon: I cast a wide net in my job search and interviewed with some companies that I am not that interested in just to practice and get out there. Well, I am far along in the process with some of these and just beginning with my first choice companies. I am afraid that an offer will come along that I don’t really want. At the same time, in this market I am afraid to turn down a sure thing with just the hope of something better. What can I do to buy time? In this market, more candidates are casting a very wide net with their job search with good reason. Hiring targets change constantly as budgets get slashed, companies get acquired or restructured, or circumstances change the needs over time as firms take longer and longer to decide. The downside of applying to a lot of places is that it is hard to control the pace of the search. Some companies move through the process faster than others. You may find that you are in the final rounds at one company and just starting the first round elsewhere. If your first choice is the slower company, how do you slow down the faster search without seeming disinterested? Just as you negotiate salary, here you need to negotiate for time. The same rules of negotiation apply: know who you are negotiating with -- their wants, their constraints -- and frame your requests accordingly. Prospective employers want their company to be your first choice. They want to know that you're excited and genuinely interested in the position. They also have very real time and budget constraints. Maybe you are filling a spot for someone who is leaving in two weeks and they need to have the replacement there next week to transition. Maybe their fiscal year ends in two weeks so if they don't hire for this spot before then they lose that space in the budget. When a company pushes a process through quickly or pushes for a decision quickly, they may have good reasons and not just giving you a hard time. Therefore, ask about timing for all employers as you go through the process. How quickly do you expect to make a decision? When do you need this person to start? How many rounds/ how many people will be involved in the decision? Once you know that a firm is interested in you, these are all fair questions and will help you know how quickly the process may move for all companies in your pipeline so you can effectively juggle your schedule and negotiate for time. You can go to your first choice company and let them know what is happening with the other company. Don't be pushy but let them know that you have another company who is interested and close to a decision. Get a commitment or at least a good estimate from your first choice as to when you will hear from them. Then you know how much time you need to negotiate for. You also remind the first choice company that you are desirable on the market! At the same time, ask your second choice for the time you need. Reiterate your interest, but let them know that you have committed to certain meetings and don't want to cut these short. I do not recommend continuing to interview with companies that you are not genuinely interested in because it wastes everyone’s time. But if you would potentially accept an offer at a firm but it is just a lower priority, it is worth negotiating for more time so you can make an informed decision. Your second choice may become more desirable as you learn more about it (or about your first choice). In this way, negotiating for time means a more informed job search.
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