Timeline to respond to an offer Forum

[Anonymous User]

I received an offer to lateral into a small firm, and I know they need me to start ASAP, but they didn't give me a hard date that I have to accept the offer by. I get the sense they want me to start before July though.

I have two interviews with firms next week, both of which I'd probably take if either of them gave an offer. How would you guys handle this situation? I think I could stall the start date of the small firm under the guise of having a big workload to close out at my current job, but I don't know how to stall accepting the offer, which is what I really need to do...

[A. Nony Mouse]

Just ask them when they need a response by.

[Anonymous User]

OP here: partner says he'd need an answer within a day or so. Should I ask for more time, and if so, should I tell the truth (that I'm waiting for other offers)?

[Jchance]

if so, should I tell the truth (that I'm waiting for other offers)?

Never unless you want to get your offer rescinded.

[Anonymous User]

if so, should I tell the truth (that I'm waiting for other offers)?

Never unless you want to get your offer rescinded.

OP again. Do you really think they might do that? That sounds harsh as all hell. Also, I really can't think of a suitable lie for needing to stall my acceptance deadline

[Danger Zone]

Just be honest.

[transferror]

Just be honest.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't be honest in saying that you're going to interview at two more places that you'd rather work at. Just because they made the offer to you now doesn't mean they can either take the offer off the table/give it to someone else.

The problem is that you already asked the partner and he said within a day or two. I had a similar issue, got an offer on a Monday, didn't get offer letter details until Tuesday and letter said offer expired end of day Wednesday. I freaked out and asked for 1 week, but firm only gave me until end of the week to decide because they said they had other candidates they needed to get back to if I wasn't interested.

You could try to ask for a short extension, but even if you're interviewing at the other places next week, you wouldn't hear back from those places for a while still - could be a few more days, could be more interviews there, etc. If you want to take the safe route, accept this offer and if you REALLY get a much more favorable one, you can always renege, even if it'll burn some bridges.

[Danger Zone]

I meant be honest that you're interviewing elsewhere and waiting to hear back, not that you "prefer" one firm or another. That's obviously a retarded thing to say.

[Kronk]

say that you have interviewed a couple other places and are waiting for offers, ask them when they need a response by, if they give you a quick turnaround that makes the other places impracticable, reevaluate at that point whether you'd rather give the interviews a shot or take the firm position, if you would rather interview, inform the small firm that you will need more time and understand if they have to go in another direction as a result but that you will still consider their offer if they are willing to extend their timeline

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I'm just going to say that I already interviewed and am waiting for offers, which should arrive shortly. Hopefully that'll buy me some time.

[sparty99]

I wouldn't be honest in saying that you're going to interview at two more places that you'd rather work at. Just because they made the offer to you now doesn't mean they can either take the offer off the table/give it to someone else.

The problem is that you already asked the partner and he said within a day or two. I had a similar issue, got an offer on a Monday, didn't get offer letter details until Tuesday and letter said offer expired end of day Wednesday. I freaked out and asked for 1 week, but firm only gave me until end of the week to decide because they said they had other candidates they needed to get back to if I wasn't interested.

You could try to ask for a short extension, but even if you're interviewing at the other places next week, you wouldn't hear back from those places for a while still - could be a few more days, could be more interviews there, etc. If you want to take the safe route, accept this offer and if you REALLY get a much more favorable one, you can always renege, even if it'll burn some bridges.

this

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I'm just going to say that I already interviewed and am waiting for offers, which should arrive shortly. Hopefully that'll buy me some time.

OP, you're missing the timeline issue here. Even if you do say this, partner already said you have 1-2 days. At most maybe he'll give you a week. The other interviews you have aren't until next week. After those interviews, there may be second round interviews. Or those firms will wait to interview ALL of the candidates they have lined up before they make their final decision. Decisions for the other interviews you're doing could take weeks to come through. Whatever time you do try to buy with the offer you have now is not likely going to be enough time for the other firms to make the decision.

Tread carefully. Even if you're not jeopardizing the offer itself, you're jeopardizing the partners' perception of you and how serious you are about working at the firm they're offering you a job at. If the other offers are really that important to you, keep interviewing and renege if you have to.

[sparty99]

Your only option is to accept and to renege or to decline the offer outright. In this economy, I would accept and strive for a start date that is July 1st or beyond.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I'm just going to say that I already interviewed and am waiting for offers, which should arrive shortly. Hopefully that'll buy me some time.

OP, you're missing the timeline issue here. Even if you do say this, partner already said you have 1-2 days. At most maybe he'll give you a week. The other interviews you have aren't until next week. After those interviews, there may be second round interviews. Or those firms will wait to interview ALL of the candidates they have lined up before they make their final decision. Decisions for the other interviews you're doing could take weeks to come through. Whatever time you do try to buy with the offer you have now is not likely going to be enough time for the other firms to make the decision.

Tread carefully. Even if you're not jeopardizing the offer itself, you're jeopardizing the partners' perception of you and how serious you are about working at the firm they're offering you a job at. If the other offers are really that important to you, keep interviewing and renege if you have to.

OP again.

I understand that the extra week wouldn't be enough time anytime regardless, but I just feel like I'm going to have to renege on my acceptance either way (assuming I get an offer from the other two places), so it'd soften the blow if I reneged after a week instead of doing it after two weeks. I figure there's less of a chance they'd get things started on preparing for my arrival (e.g. rejecting the other candidates, getting my insurance in order, etc.) if I only reneged a couple days after I accepted. I really hate to do it, but it just seems like it's going to have to happen.

In any case, I'm obviously going to let the places I'm interviewing at know that I urgently need a decision when I see them. Is there anything else I could be doing to hasten their decision? Should I inform them now, before I even have the interviews?

[Anonymous User]

None of this really matters...you're not understanding/need to accept that if you renege, expect the bridge to burned. Doesn't matter if you do it now, in one week, or in two weeks.

Don't inform them BEFORE the interview, you can ask the hiring timeline after the interview or to the firm's HR person afterward. But again, same point as before - even if they hasten, you probably won't know before you have to accept your current offer. So just accept it, and renege if you need to.

[sparty99]

OP here. I'm just going to say that I already interviewed and am waiting for offers, which should arrive shortly. Hopefully that'll buy me some time.

OP, you're missing the timeline issue here. Even if you do say this, partner already said you have 1-2 days. At most maybe he'll give you a week. The other interviews you have aren't until next week. After those interviews, there may be second round interviews. Or those firms will wait to interview ALL of the candidates they have lined up before they make their final decision. Decisions for the other interviews you're doing could take weeks to come through. Whatever time you do try to buy with the offer you have now is not likely going to be enough time for the other firms to make the decision.

Tread carefully. Even if you're not jeopardizing the offer itself, you're jeopardizing the partners' perception of you and how serious you are about working at the firm they're offering you a job at. If the other offers are really that important to you, keep interviewing and renege if you have to.

OP again.

I understand that the extra week wouldn't be enough time anytime regardless, but I just feel like I'm going to have to renege on my acceptance either way (assuming I get an offer from the other two places), so it'd soften the blow if I reneged after a week instead of doing it after two weeks. I figure there's less of a chance they'd get things started on preparing for my arrival (e.g. rejecting the other candidates, getting my insurance in order, etc.) if I only reneged a couple days after I accepted. I really hate to do it, but it just seems like it's going to have to happen.

In any case, I'm obviously going to let the places I'm interviewing at know that I urgently need a decision when I see them. Is there anything else I could be doing to hasten their decision? Should I inform them now, before I even have the interviews?

You are starting to be annoying. Actually, after reviewing your original post, you said that you are going to lateral to the small firm. Which means that you already have a job. In that case, the proper thing to do is to decline the small firm offer as it is not the place where you want to be long-term. If you accept the small firm job, you would be looking to leave again in a few years. If you are able to land interviews at large firms, then surely you can get other interviews in the immediate future assuming that the larger firms do not offer you a job. This is not a situation where you are newly graduated and don't have any job and are desperate for a job. YOU ALREADY HAVE A JOB. Thus, the proper thing to do is decline the small firm offer if this is not where you see yourself long-term.