How to: Handle a Job Offer When You’re Waiting to Hear Back From Another Company

You've been job hunting for months, and finally, you've got a job offer on the table. Hooray 🎉 But wait...you're still waiting to hear back from that dream company you interviewed with last week. What do you do now? 🥺👉🏼👈🏼 Here are some steps to take when you receive one job offer but are still waiting to hear from your preferred company:

Review the Job Offer

Ask for a written copy of the job offer ✍🏼 and take the time to carefully review it. Look at the salary, benefits, job responsibilities, and other factors to determine if it's a good fit for you.

Be Transparent

Email the dream company and say something like, "I just wanted to let you know that I've received a job offer from another company, but you're still my top choice. If you're able to make a decision by the end of the week, I'd be thrilled to work with you." All you’re doing is asking for an update to their hiring decision ✨ This way, they'll know where you stand and can expedite their decision-making process if necessary.

Begin Negotiation

While you wait for a response, reach out to the company who extended the offer and begin negotiating 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

Ask for a Deadline Extension

If the company that made the offer gives you a deadline to accept or decline, and you're still waiting to hear back from another company, it's okay to ask for a deadline extension. Explain the situation and ask if they can give you more time to make a decision. At the end of the day, it’s a win-win situation, since the company gets to hold on to a great candidate 🫵🏼 and you get a little extra time to wait for that dream job to come through.

Weigh the Pros and Cons

Take the time to weigh the pros and cons of each opportunity ⚖️❌✅ Consider your long-term career goals, the company culture, the job responsibilities, the salary, and benefits. Determine which opportunity aligns best with your career aspirations and values and go from there.

Trust your gut

Feeling uncertain about the decision? Trust 👏 your 👏 gut 👏 and go with your instincts. Which job feels like the best fit for you? Which company's values and mission align with your own? Sometimes the best decisions come from listening to your intuition.

Receiving a job offer while you're still waiting to hear back from another company can feel like a challenging situation. Whether you choose to negotiate, apply a little pressure, freak out, flip a coin, or trust your instincts, just remember that there's no right or wrong answer 🙅🏼‍♀️ At the end of the day, you'll make the decision that feels right for you.

Join my program:

✨ If you’re looking for extra support in your job search process, sign up to take my Career Workshop Intensive, a 4-part program designed to help you get a job you love ASAP ✨