Sideways move offered but step up opportunities elsewhere

Motherofcelticdragons

Hi, 
A bit of a long one; bare with me please! 

I've just started job hunting and have applied for a number of jobs. One was my dream role (I thought) and would have been a step up. I made it to the second round and am now awaiting next steps but I think I bombed it, and am unlikely to get it. The recruitment (hr) process hasn't been great, and the interviews were AWFUL. couldn't believe I made it to the second one. 

I also applied for a sideways move with a bit more money (just under 10%). I have been offered the role. Both interviews felt great, and I have a great feeling about my potential new line manager. Hr have been great and I think it would be a supportive place to move to (have been 10years with current job so it feels a big leap). The offer came through late Friday. 

Obviously I have applied for more than one job and today (Sunday) I got a reply for another step up role. It's a different industry but same sort of role, and one that I think I'd really enjoy. However, the current director isn't back til a week Monday so even a first round interview won't happen for a week. 

I don't want to leave the lovely sideways company hanging for over a week, for a role that might not even transpire but I suppose I'm wondering if I'll be disappointed if I don't even try for a more senior role that I feel I could do. It would also be significantly more money, which would be nice as OH's business is not currently doing well.

However, I feel like sideways move would help support me to develop, and there's potential for stepping up within the wider company. 

A lot of this is speculation but have no idea how to manage the hr for the actual offer tomorrow!!

Any advice welcome! 

El_Torro

You know better than us what the pros and cons are of each job. People are often tempted to go to the highest bidder in these situations, though as you say there are other things to consider as well.

You might get a chance at career development at the lower paying job. However if the other job is more senior with more money why wait to develop? Why not just take that job now? It’s not always easy to get promoted, regardless of how big the company is. Promotions often take longer to be offered to us than we’d like too.

The big issue is that you haven’t even had your first interview at the higher paying job yet. It may take some time for them to make you an offer, if that offer comes at all. The risk is you lose both jobs. 

Remember that you can always back out of a job, until you sign the contract. I’ve been in a similar position to you before. I accepted the role I didn’t want that much and then when the job I really wanted was offered I rang the first company the day before I was supposed to start to say I wasn’t going to take it after all. I didn’t feel good about it, needs must sometimes though. 

Marcon

Motherofcelticdragons said:

Hi, 
A bit of a long one; bare with me please! 

I've just started job hunting and have applied for a number of jobs. One was my dream role (I thought) and would have been a step up. I made it to the second round and am now awaiting next steps but I think I bombed it, and am unlikely to get it. The recruitment (hr) process hasn't been great, and the interviews were AWFUL. couldn't believe I made it to the second one. 

I also applied for a sideways move with a bit more money (just under 10%). I have been offered the role. Both interviews felt great, and I have a great feeling about my potential new line manager. Hr have been great and I think it would be a supportive place to move to (have been 10years with current job so it feels a big leap). The offer came through late Friday. 

Obviously I have applied for more than one job and today (Sunday) I got a reply for another step up role. It's a different industry but same sort of role, and one that I think I'd really enjoy. However, the current director isn't back til a week Monday so even a first round interview won't happen for a week. 

I don't want to leave the lovely sideways company hanging for over a week, for a role that might not even transpire but I suppose I'm wondering if I'll be disappointed if I don't even try for a more senior role that I feel I could do. It would also be significantly more money, which would be nice as OH's business is not currently doing well.

However, I feel like sideways move would help support me to develop, and there's potential for stepping up within the wider company. 

A lot of this is speculation but have no idea how to manage the hr for the actual offer tomorrow!!

Any advice welcome! 

A straw poll based on a few paragraphs of info, and getting responses from people who know nothing about you, isn't going to be anywhere near as effective as that splendid old fashioned tool of getting a pen and paper and writing down the positives and negatives for each option. Yes, it takes more effort - but you know yourself, and that is key information when it comes to job moves.

Grumpy_chap

You can only make a decision based upon what you know.

The job that you bombed the interview has gone - forget about that.

You have an offer for the sideways move with more money.  The decision to make is whether that job is better than your current job.  If it is, move.  If not, stay.
If you decide to move, make the decision, accept the job, agree a start date and hand in your notice.
You cannot, as you say, leave them hanging.  If they made the offer on Friday, and you are going to accept (based upon the facts you have today), then an early and keen response will be appreciated by them.  Remember, they probably have a second-choice candidate waiting in the wings that they need to respond to also.

The other step up role might then materialise, or it might not.  If it does materialise, you can still do the interview and you will do so from a relaxed position (which may help your nerves / performance).  If that job is subsequently offered, you can repeat the decision tree, comparing that offer against the sideways move offer (or current job if you decided the sideways move was not for you).  You may, after interview, feel the company is not the right feel for you anyway.  You can't presuppose any of this or the decision until you have the second offer in the bag.

It will be unfortunate, but you'd then have to withdraw from the job you accepted, or leave shortly after joining.  It's not great, but it happens.  Companies understand.