Say you’ve passed the interview and snagged that offer. Now what?
As I noted earlier, you will likely receive a verbal offer first. Many companies will want to know whether you’ll accept the job before they’ll put together a written offer (which is kind of strange, like asking a partner, “Hypothetically -- if I were to ask you to marry me, would you accept?”)
The verbal offer stage is where you should negotiate for more pay, vacation time, etc. Sometimes the offer is firm, but often there is some flexibility on the hiring company’s side. This is also the time to discuss relocation benefits, which are usually negotiable.
If you wait until the written offer arrives to try and negotiate, things become much more difficult. That’s because most likely someone in the company (i.e., your advocate) had to make a case for hiring you, and several senior people in the company have signed off and given their approval on the offer. If you then demand a higher salary they may have to go through the entire all over again, and your advocate risks their credibility and good will with the top brass.
Assuming that now you have worked out the details and accepted the offer, what’s next? Why, you should inform your current manager of your decision to resign, and you should make every effort to give two weeks’ notice. Even if you hate your current job and detest your boss, you should give them the advance notice as a professional courtesy. You should never burn bridges, as you may very well encounter these people again in your career.
When you do give notice, you should be aware that two things may happen. One, it’s entirely possible they’ll have security escort you out the door immediately. Personally I’ve never seen this happen with a voluntary resignation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did. Hence you should make sure to remove personal items from your desk and any information from your computer before you give notice. And if you do get escorted out, just treat your two week notice as a much needed vacation.
The other thing that may happen is that your company may come back with a counter offer. Sometimes they may wait until your two weeks are almost up to pull this on you. But career advisors are nearly unanimous on this point – do NOT ever accept a counter-offer. It won’t change the things you were unhappy about at your current company, unless your salary was the only issue. And even if that was the case and is addressed by the counter offer, your boss will immediately start looking for a replacement for you.
Make no mistake about it, once you accept a counter offer you will be tagged as disgruntled and disloyal, and you are living on borrowed time. You will most likely be out of that job within six months, one way or another.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
That "escorted out" business does happen. I got shown the door after I resigned at my last job.
They still paid me for the two weeks though.
"you will likely receive a verbal offer first" -- I've never seen that before. Usually if you go via a recruiter, he/she will prod you for a decision then get back to the hiring body which will then send a written offer.
In many cases I've said yes I'm interested, have em make me an offer I cant refuse. But until it's in writing, anything verbal is meaningless
Usually companies will make a verbal offer first if they need to do a background check before they can hire you. Background checks take time and money, and they won't bother with it unless you're likely to accept the offer.
Sime companies will make you a verbal, or even a written offer contingent of passing a background check. Background checks sometimes make mistakes (real world example: someone with the same name as you might have a DWI). Never resign from your current job until you know you've passed the background check at the new job.
Post a Comment