Accepting job offers or holding out for a better offer?!

KentishLass

Hi all, thanks in advance for any advice/guidance.

I'm currently claiming job seekers allowance, and I hope to find work soon. I have an interview for a low-paid position next week that I think I stand a fair chance of getting. However I have an interview for a MUCH better paid job the week after, which I think I would absolutely love, but have less chance of being successful.

I'm pretty sure that the idea is that while I'm claiming JSA I should take any position that is offered to me (within reason e.g. travelling distance), but does anyone know if it's possible to delay an answer to an offer of employment?

I'm sure I'm getting ahead of myself, but I've looked online and can't find anything...I'm concerned that I may get offered the first position, and be asked to confirm my acceptance, before I know the outcome of the second job interview. I would prefer the second position were it offered, but once I'm offered the first position am I obliged to accept straight away?

Thanks again, I hope I've explained it OK! :A

LadyMissA

you can accept a job and only give them one weeks notice if you leave or get a better offer - I am sure someone can confirm that

KentishLass

Thanks very much, does anyone know if this would be okay with the Job Centre?

liney

I can't see that the the job centre will care because you won't be signing back on again, just going to a different job.

dancingfairy

Theoretically I guess you can turn down the job at the last minute/not attend on the first day but that is not very professional and you may well burn some bridges (assuming you got the second position of course). Not a very nice thing to do.
Hopefully they will consider the candidates after the interview for the first job and then maybe contact you in writing which will buy you a few days - you can always ask for a few days to think it over - maybe gotta to sort things with OH or childcare or something?
Depending on how much chance you think you've got with the second one you can always see if they will bring the interview forward? Certainly if you've been to the second interview and feel fairly confident and have had an offer from the first place you can always phone the second place and explain how keen you are to work there and the dilema - it'll either work or it won't and you won't have the lost the first job if they say no.
Best of Luck
df

mountainofdebt

Its not a case of beign on JSA - the advice would be the same for anyone.....its stupid to hold out (and potentially) lose an offer just becasue you think you might get a better offer.

If you ge the better offer then all well and good and that may raise a few issues about notice etc but surely a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush these days?

Sharon87

I've been in this position before. Had an interview for my career choice and an interview for working in a cinema. Had interview for cinema, then TV job, cinema got back to me saying we'd like to offer you a job, I took it. Waited to hear back from career interview, didn't get it. It's lucky I took the cinema job.

It's worse when you have 2 interviews in your career choice and have to make a decision which one to chose if you get offered both of them.

Sambucus_Nigra

Sharon87 wrote: »

It's worse when you have 2 interviews in your career choice and have to make a decision which one to chose if you get offered both of them.

But until you DO have 2 offers, you need to assume that you only have 1 and make a decision based on the information available at the time.

OP - just accept the first job and then - if you DO have 2 offers, make the decision then. Don't worry about the employer, just worry about yourself and if you do have to pull out, apologise profusely and let them know as soon as you do.

KentishLass

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the help. Mountainofdebt, that was my fear, that I was being really stupid not jumping at the chance of ANY job, because if it weren't for the second interview I would accept the first job straight away!

I think you're right, I'll see how the interviews go, who knows I might not get either yet! Sambucus Nigra you're right, I'll do that. Sharon87 thanks for the first hand advice, I seem to be in a very similar situation!

Thanks to all! :A

DCFC79

KentishLass wrote: »

Thanks very much, does anyone know if this would be okay with the Job Centre?

There's no harm in taking the low paid job, sign off jsa, go for higher paid job and if successful take it but its no concern of the JC.