Multiple job offers - How to juggle...

Why is it important?

Rather like buses, we can wait forever for a job offer and then two come along at once. Graduates on the university milk round often find themselves in this position, as can those who have en­­listed the help of a proactive recruitment agency whose strategy is to field your CV to a number of prospective employers.

While it is great to feel in demand, multiple job offers pose a dilemma. What do you do if the first offer received, while representing a good career move, isn't your ideal and you believe the dream job could be just a phone call away? How long can you hold out before accepting or declining the offer?

Not treating any offer or future employer with full respect can mean that two job offers quickly turn into none and you create bad feeling along the way with potential employers.

It is possible to juggle more than one job offer, but the situation needs careful thought and consideration. Here are some guiding principles that should help secure the best possible outcome and ensure you don't burn any bridges with future employers.

Where do I start?

There are inherent risks in juggling more than one offer and to manage the situation successfully you need to use your intuition combined with a practical analysis of each offer. Compare the two roles carefully and assess their short-, medium- and long-term opportunities.

Factors to consider include scope for training and development, the culture of the organisation, the people you will be working alongside and how well it fits with your own values. Also include practical considerations such as commuting time and cost. Match these against your own priorities and expectations to help decide which comes out top.

"Make your comparisons on a like-for-like basis wherever possible and, while it's perfectly natural to have a preference based on gut feel alone, try to be objective," says Andre Morris, principal consultant at HR consultancy Penna.

Delaying tactics

While having two job offers on the table puts you in a position of strength, it is essential not to be tempted to play one off against the other or indulge in unnecessary stalling tactics, which may irritate a future employer.

But by all means go back to glean more information about the role, particularly if you are using a recruitment agency, which can serve as a handy intermediary. It is also entirely acceptable to ask for a few days to make up your mind, especially if the job involves relocation.

You could ask to spend some time at the company and to be introduced to key personnel who you will be working alongside and whom you haven't met yet. These tactics will buy you time while you decide and will also show that you are serious about the offer.

If you change your mind

Reneging on a job offer because you have received a better one threatens to damage your integrity with not just the first employer, but the second one, too. If you had no qualms about letting the first company down, who's to say you won't behave in exactly the same way again when you get a better offer a few months down the line?

Calculate the risk of potential damage to your reputation and future job prospects against the benefits of the seemingly more attractive proposition. If you genuinely feel on reflection that the first job will be a bad fit and your employment with the company is be unlikely to last, there may be a case for going back on your decision, but it should never be taken lightly.

Play it right

Once you've accepted the preferred offer, inform the other employer of your decision as soon as possible. Even if using an agency, be sure to personally contact the person who interviewed you at the organisation to thank them and provide a short explanation of why you've turned down their offer.

"By taking the time to be courteous at this stage you will leave a favourable impression which may be useful at some point down the line," says Morris.

If you only do 5 things

1. List the pros and cons of each opportunity
2. Buy some extra time if necessary
3. Be upfront and honest
4. Avoid accepting an offer and then backing out
5. Politely follow up with unsuccessful employers

Book: Multiple Job Offers in 10 Days: A Road Map to Finding a Great Job Whether It Is Your 1st or 21st, Jonathan R Price, Career Press, ISBN 1564149021

Article: How to get into a recruiter's good books 

Expert's view: what to do with multiple job offers

Andre Morris, principal consultant, Penna

What is the maximum period of grace you are likely to have in terms of arriving at a decision?

You should have built up a decent enough relationship with your recruiter(s) to get a few days grace to consider your options. Be straight with your recruiter, make an honest appraisal of how much time you feel you will need, and ensure they pass that information on to the potential employer.

If you need a week to make a decision, say you need a week, and stick to it. Take much longer than that, however, and questions will be asked about your level of interest.

Remember that a potential employer won't be overly impressed if you appear to be dithering or using their job offer as a negotiation tool with your current employer.

What should you avoid doing?

Taking the job that offers the most money regardless of the merits of the other offers.

Obviously, remuneration is a key consideration, but it isn't the only one. Consider what's important to you in the short-, medium- and long-term.

What would your three top tips be?

• Be objective, and weigh up each opportunity on its merits.
• Be open with your recruiter. If you have doubts, questions or want to negotiate details of the offer, they will be best placed to help. Remember they have a strong interest in you accepting the role with their client.
• Don't burn your bridges. How you conduct yourself through this stage of the process could have an impact on your career at a later date.