How do you handle multiple offers?

[jmo21]

Just spoke to the agent for the role on the table and told him I'll take it, so he's got the wheels in motion at the client. Don't know what the other agent is playing at, interviewed on Tuesday and there is still no apparent decision from the client, unless the agent is playing some kind of game with me. The role I took is actually about half the travel time, and only 9-5, though the rate is slightly less. Kind of wanted the experience from the 2nd role, but hey, you got to take what you can when you can.

Ooooo, oooo..... this is easy!!!

Choose one from....

- hiring manager is not available off sick/holiday/training/meetings
- they are interviewing more people yesterday, today, tomorrow, also next Monday, Tuesday.
- you weren't quite an "instant hire" so they have asked for more CV's and you are on the backburner
- they are trying to get things wrapped up with their first choice who is holding off for another role (maybe the one you have been offered, but his agent for that is putting him off waiting for you to decide)

Yeah, that's it, you are stuck in an infinite loop of agent/candidate/clientco mind games

[BlasterBates]

Just spoke to the agent for the role on the table and told him I'll take it, so he's got the wheels in motion at the client. Don't know what the other agent is playing at, interviewed on Tuesday and there is still no apparent decision from the client, unless the agent is playing some kind of game with me. The role I took is actually about half the travel time, and only 9-5, though the rate is slightly less. Kind of wanted the experience from the 2nd role, but hey, you got to take what you can when you can.

Well done now stick with your decision. If I made a verbal acceptance I would see it as binding, if a better offer came in within a few hours of acceptance I might consider changing my mind because I know they could still offer to other candidates, but I certainly wouldn't renage on it after a few days. What you don't want is to be remembered for leaving them up the creek; i.e. force them into a new round of interviews because the other candidates had already accepted other offers. That's the kind of thing that gets remembered.

If you do have an other opp. best to be up front and say you need time. Then force the hand of the other agent. If that doesn't work then best accept the offer. If they can't move quickly it probably means you're not their first choice.

A contract rarely goes beyond 6 months, so you don't have to wait long to have another crack at the market.

[Rabotnik]

Well done now stick with your decision. If I made a verbal acceptance I would see it as binding, if a better offer came in within a few hours of acceptance I might consider changing my mind because I know they could still offer to other candidates, but I certainly wouldn't renage on it after a few days. What you don't want is to be remembered for leaving them up the creek; i.e. force them into a new round of interviews because the other candidates had already accepted other offers. That's the kind of thing that gets remembered.

If you do have an other opp. best to be up front and say you need time. Then force the hand of the other agent. If that doesn't work then best accept the offer. If they can't move quickly it probably means you're not their first choice.

Yes, I am inclined to stick with my decision since now I've made it. Just had another agent trying to get me to interview at a bank tomorrow for £70pd more! Don't know why the real roles all come along in the same week! I've been looking since the start of the month, and everything up until this week has been bollocks from agents trying to get leads.

[psychocandy]

Ooooo, oooo..... this is easy!!!

Choose one from....

- hiring manager is not available off sick/holiday/training/meetings
- they are interviewing more people yesterday, today, tomorrow, also next Monday, Tuesday.
- you weren't quite an "instant hire" so they have asked for more CV's and you are on the backburner
- they are trying to get things wrapped up with their first choice who is holding off for another role (maybe the one you have been offered, but his agent for that is putting him off waiting for you to decide)

Yeah, that's it, you are stuck in an infinite loop of agent/candidate/clientco mind games

Agree here. Rabotnik mate the 2nd role aint gonna show. Like jmo says above here are possible reasons.

[Rabotnik]

Agree here. Rabotnik mate the 2nd role aint gonna show. Like jmo says above here are possible reasons.

Yeah, glad I grabbed the 1st one now, the 2nd one still hasn't contacted me! I'm beginning to think you can't trust these recruiters!

[Rabotnik]

The saga continues! Last night I had the snakiest agent ever call me again. He called me earlier about a role at a bank, and I said too late, I already accepted an offer. He called me again at 20:30 last night and said "Good news I got you an interview at that bank". Obviously I said WTH, I told you I already had an offer so not interested, and he said "Oh I thought you said it was OK to put your CV forward". I reminded him it was illegal to put the CV forward without my consent and he said he misheard me.

Anyway, this is obviously his tactic, but he added that I would be put on £440pd, vs £356 at the job I verbally accepted. So this is £84 more per day, and I would be getting banking experience. This guy was just doing a very hard sale and would not let me off the phone no matter how much I moaned about commute or having accepted the other role, he even went on Journey Planner to prove I could get there in 45mins.
Eventually I thought, what the heck, he is going to pay for my travel fare there, I might as well go there for the hell of it and see if they would pick me, would be good interview experience anyway.

So what would you guys do if you got something like this - 23% increase in wages and banking sector experience? I said earlier I would honour the verbal agreement, but perhaps that would be a stupid thing to do - have to think like a businessman right? The other agent said people pulling out before signing was all part of the business, so I shouldn't be bothered, but he would say that.

I saw a few other threads like this, bit thought I'd throw this out there, since I was interested to see what some of you seasoned veterans would do. I might not even be offered the banking role, but hypothetically say I had.

[Wanderer]

So what would you guys do if you got something like this - 23% increase in wages and banking sector experience? I said earlier I would honour the verbal agreement, but perhaps that would be a stupid thing to do - have to think like a businessman right? The other agent said people pulling out before signing was all part of the business, so I shouldn't be bothered, but he would say that.

I will probably be shot in the ghetto for saying this but I'm running a business, not a bloody charity and if I was offered 25% and similar conditions then I'd take it in an instant and walk away from the other offer.

Remember that if you are making a rate of X amount per day and saving a bit, if you can add 25% to that rate then that whole 25% (minus tax) will go straight into your profits/war chest so even a small increase (or decrease) makes a big difference to your bottom line.

Clients know full well that if they don't offer enough money then they they can't attract and retain good people, they deal with this all the time. And remember that your loyalty to the client by honouring a verbal agreement to do a cut price contract means next to nothing when the bean counters decide that there is a 15% pay cut for all contractors.

There is a certain amount of good will to retain, but unless you are in a seriously niche market then your services are a commodity and this sort of stuff is just business so no one takes it personally.

[BigTime]

People sign contracts and don't show up the 1st day which annoys the client a little and marks their card but if you're sure you wont look at that company again, go ahead.

[oscarose]

I'm running a business, not a bloody charity and if I was offered 25% and similar conditions then I'd take it in an instant and walk away from the other offer.

WWS+100

[Rabotnik]

I will probably be shot in the ghetto for saying this but I'm running a business, not a bloody charity and if I was offered 25% and similar conditions then I'd take it in an instant and walk away from the other offer.

This is what I am thinking, I shouldn't be hung up on being Mr Nice Guy, I work for myself, not to make some dodgy agent money. The £356 role is for a certain large government service, that's why they can't offer any more. My rate previously was actually £400pd, so I was silly to pitch below that, the market just looked pretty dire and £356pd > 0pd.

I think I should at least go to the bank interview today for the experience. If they offer me the job I would be a fool to pass it up. If I use the contract comparison calculator, the difference in monthly net income is about £1000!