When do you stop looking? 23 February 2022 at 8:52PM in Employment, jobseeking & training 11 replies 502 views

Sandtree

Job market is crazy busy at the moment and many companies are realising its a sellers market so are moving quickly. 

I know normally once an offer has been made I would certainly stop applying for jobs but may continue with interviews that were already arranged. Obviously all offers are subject to references and other sorts of checks but some will onboard you subject to checks starting and others will make you wait until the results before onboarding.

Chatting to a mate he's finishing his job on Friday, has a conditional offer on the table with the checks having started but one of those that you cannot onboard until done so likely to be a week or two by the time its unconditional and they can start. Out of the blue an agent has called, one we both know well so its not something fishy, saying they've a job he'd be perfect for and if he is up for it they'd interview him tomorrow with a view to start on Monday (obv meaning no break in work)

Having conditionally accepted a conditional offer would you then back out? The checks should/will be a formality so no realistic prospects of them not being passed. 

Marcon

Sandtree said:

Job market is crazy busy at the moment and many companies are realising its a sellers market so are moving quickly. 

I know normally once an offer has been made I would certainly stop applying for jobs but may continue with interviews that were already arranged. Obviously all offers are subject to references and other sorts of checks but some will onboard you subject to checks starting and others will make you wait until the results before onboarding.

Chatting to a mate he's finishing his job on Friday, has a conditional offer on the table with the checks having started but one of those that you cannot onboard until done so likely to be a week or two by the time its unconditional and they can start. Out of the blue an agent has called, one we both know well so its not something fishy, saying they've a job he'd be perfect for and if he is up for it they'd interview him tomorrow with a view to start on Monday (obv meaning no break in work)

Having conditionally accepted a conditional offer would you then back out? The checks should/will be a formality so no realistic prospects of them not being passed. 

Isn't it a case of what he would do in this situation? Sounds as if this is a fairly junior level job if it's a quick interview and then immediate start with minimum formalities, so I can't see any reason for him not to pursue this if that's what he wants and back out of the first offer. He's hardly going to be sued for doing so, although I expect there'll be a doomsayer along soon to suggest just that.

lisyloo

Why wouldn’t you take a better job if it’s on offer?

Sandtree

Marcon said:

Sandtree said:

Job market is crazy busy at the moment and many companies are realising its a sellers market so are moving quickly. 

I know normally once an offer has been made I would certainly stop applying for jobs but may continue with interviews that were already arranged. Obviously all offers are subject to references and other sorts of checks but some will onboard you subject to checks starting and others will make you wait until the results before onboarding.

Chatting to a mate he's finishing his job on Friday, has a conditional offer on the table with the checks having started but one of those that you cannot onboard until done so likely to be a week or two by the time its unconditional and they can start. Out of the blue an agent has called, one we both know well so its not something fishy, saying they've a job he'd be perfect for and if he is up for it they'd interview him tomorrow with a view to start on Monday (obv meaning no break in work)

Having conditionally accepted a conditional offer would you then back out? The checks should/will be a formality so no realistic prospects of them not being passed. 

Isn't it a case of what he would do in this situation? Sounds as if this is a fairly junior level job if it's a quick interview and then immediate start with minimum formalities, so I can't see any reason for him not to pursue this if that's what he wants and back out of the first offer. He's hardly going to be sued for doing so, although I expect there'll be a doomsayer along soon to suggest just that.

No, its asking the readers what they would do hence the "you" would do, or maybe what he should do.

Its a mid level but its contract work which even at this level is often a single interview or at most 2, the same role on a perm basis would be 3+ probably... the interview they've offered for tomorrow is with the COO and a director and so people who make decisions and not really anyone else to go up to on another round. 

Grumpy_chap

I'd only go to the second interview if I was clear in advance that the Agency knew I was sitting on an offer.

Sandtree

Grumpy_chap said:

I'd only go to the second interview if I was clear in advance that the Agency knew I was sitting on an offer.

This is somewhat where I was torn on giving my views... I like to be open as a temp I move often and so don't need to just think of this job but subsequent ones too. So I would advise them that I was sitting on an offer and also think there is no harm in going to an interview if they are happy to on that basis. If it results in another offer it's then the bit of a problem as it means rescinding on the original conditional acceptance for a reason that wasn't  in the conditionality which doesn't sit well with the being open, thinking long term etc.

Own_Worst_Enermy

I haven’t looked since end of December, to Fat/un motivated really. I’ve had emails from likes of totaljobs saying where are you. It’s been x amount of days, since you’ve u last looked etc.

But I fought to keep the Salary the I heard end of December and fought very hard to keep it. Despite mse’s view of it doesn’t really matter.
Got awarded full salary but I wouldn’t thank anyone for helping.

mcpitman

Own_Worst_Enermy said:

I haven’t looked since end of December, to Fat/un motivated really. I’ve had emails from likes of totaljobs saying where are you. It’s been x amount of days, since you’ve u last looked etc.

But I fought to keep the Salary the I heard end of December and fought very hard to keep it. Despite mse’s view of it doesn’t really matter.
Got awarded full salary but I wouldn’t thank anyone for helping.

What on earth does this have to do with the OP?

TELLIT01

My wife was in a broadly similar situation.  She had interviews with two companies about 10 days apart.  She heard nothing from the first interview and was offered the second within 24 hours of interview and accepted it.  A couple of days later she got a job offer from the first interview, with better pay, better hours etc.  She called the company she had accepted the job with and simply told them she would no longer be taking the job and apologised for any inconvenience this would cause.  No drama.

TELLIT01

mcpitman said:

Own_Worst_Enermy said:

I haven’t looked since end of December, to Fat/un motivated really. I’ve had emails from likes of totaljobs saying where are you. It’s been x amount of days, since you’ve u last looked etc.

But I fought to keep the Salary the I heard end of December and fought very hard to keep it. Despite mse’s view of it doesn’t really matter.
Got awarded full salary but I wouldn’t thank anyone for helping.

What on earth does this have to do with the OP?

Absolutely nothing.  This would appear to be a reincarnation of a previous poster who always had a better/worse, bigger/smaller experience than anybody else who was responding.  I'm not surprised totaljobs contacted them (I am really) as they seem to change jobs at least once a week!

Sandtree

TELLIT01 said:

My wife was in a broadly similar situation.  She had interviews with two companies about 10 days apart.  She heard nothing from the first interview and was offered the second within 24 hours of interview and accepted it.  A couple of days later she got a job offer from the first interview, with better pay, better hours etc.  She called the company she had accepted the job with and simply told them she would no longer be taking the job and apologised for any inconvenience this would cause.  No drama.

Situations change and you can ultimately rescind, though you may not be an appealing candidate to the company next time you're looking for work.

I guess this scenario is slightly different and would be more akin to your wife accepting the role and waiting to start the new job and in that period getting invited to an interview for a different company with the guidance that its a single interview and the successful candidate will start on Monday if they can. 

Arguably its broader too, I'm not in the market at the moment but in the same line of work and I'm getting 4-5 calls a day (admittedly some are same job just with different agencies) but agents are saying they've got a call with the hiring manager that day to select CVs and interviews the next day... if you've accepted a role do you still submit CVs to another job ad?

As I say, fundamentally, when do you stop looking? Or maybe you never stop looking?