Job offer decision, negotiation, and strategy

17 Comments

1. AnonymousOctober 8,2025 at 1:21AM UTC

   Your current job is a temp, part-time role with a difficult commute. Your friend advised you of the role to tide you offer — it should not be looked at as a substitute for permanent work.

   Please go to the interview for the permanent job. If there is a fit, accept the new offer without guilt. Your friend and the part-time employer will understand.

   Always take the job that is the better opportunity for you. Remember that the company that you are leaving can find a new employee more easily than you can find a new job. Your responsibility to yourself is to find the best job for you.

2. AnonymousOctober 8,2025 at 3:08AM UTC

   To cancel the other interview is to close an open door without walking through it. Don't do that. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.

   If I were looking I would accept every reasonable interview just for practice and a chance. Maybe something fantastic awaits, but you'll never know unless you have the courage to try.

3. Diane Frances Lesley-NeumanOctober 8,2025 at 1:51PM UTC

   Go to the interview. See if you get it, if you do, kindly explain to your current company and your friend that you landed a permanent role, thank them profusely, and recommend someone for the temp role.

4. Diane Frances Lesley-NeumanOctober 8,2025 at 1:52PM UTC

   Nooooo, I would not do that under the circumstances. If she gets the other one, pick carefully, then explain that she was offered a permanent role elsewhere, and recommend a replacement.

5. AnonymousOctober 9,2025 at 12:20PM UTC

   There’s no harm in interviewing. Stress about it if/when you get a job offer.

6. AnonymousOctober 9,2025 at 3:30PM UTC

   A champagne problem! Is it another interview? If so no harm in talking to them without disclosing you have an offer that you have accepted, it's just information gathering. Who knows their process may take months. If it's a bonafide job offer well then be honest with your friend and ask for their advice. Let them know that your preference is a full time role because you are seeking a long term commitment for your future. If they are disappointed be open with them about how hard a decision it is. Definitely before you do any of this do speak to people who worked at the other company, who are there currently and who have left as well. Check their glassdoor ratings and any and all google searches you find to give you insight into their culture. Ask the hiring manager if you can have one more conversation with them and dig deep about things you need to know before making this decision. Without letting them know you are comparing them to another company or even a temp role use what you learn to get through the choice. Write things down. Then be honest about what you want in the order of importance for your decision. IE: commute, company, money, culture. Good luck!

7. AnonymousOctober 9,2025 at 6:38PM UTC

   I agree with everyone else, do the interview. Never give up an opportunity due to another job. Even if you don’t get the second job, you have a chance to network, learn and possibly be considered for future roles. Also, if you do happen to land the full time role, you have to do what is best for you, not for the company, I know it sounds harsh but all companies would do the same to you. If they decide your role isn’t needed, they will lay you off, without consideration for your situation. We have to do the same thing in this climate. It’s about your life, your career path, and what you need. That’s not to say that when you work for a company you shouldn’t do your best work and go above and beyond but when it comes to your career, a company has to realize that it isn’t personally (just like lay offs are often not personal), it’s business. I hear so many people, especially women, agonize over how leaving a job will cause the company hardship, disappoint their team or hurt their reputation. I rarely hear any of my male friends say this. If they find a better position, they leave and they are better off for it. As long as you are professional & communicate clearly that you’re moving on for career opportunity, there is absolutely no reason a company or the people in it should feel slighted or hurt. If they do, they need to grow up and learn some emotional maturity skills. It’s business, that’s the way of the world, and we all have to do what’s best for ourselves and our own career growth.

8. AnonymousOctober 9,2025 at 11:44PM UTC

   You don't have an offer in hand so the question and anxiety are moot. Follow through to truly know what you are giving up first.

9. Priscila CandalOctober 10,2025 at 12:37PM UTC

   Go to the interview! When you have an offer then worry about it.

10. AnonymousOctober 10,2025 at 12:39PM UTC

    Your friend simply did you a favor to help you until a new opportunity comes for you. If they are truly a friend, they will be more than happy to see you get interviews and move to something better for you. Thr current role is temporary and can end at any time, the goal is full-time long-term employment that pays the bills. Go for the interview and keep going until you find the right role for you. Best of luck.

11. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netOctober 10,2025 at 12:46PM UTC

    Take the interview for the perm close to home job. Absolutely. It happens all the time...

12. AnonymousOctober 10,2025 at 1:43PM UTC

    Continue to make plans to interview with the permanent job that's closer to home. And if it turns out that you receive an offer, I'm pretty sure that your friend/colleague will fully understand and support your decision.

13. AnonymousOctober 10,2025 at 4:16PM UTC

    It's temporary, right? You have no obligations to be loyal in that situation, except to your friend that referred you. I would go ahead w the full time position noting that it's closer and full time. Move forward w the interview, then worry about it if you get the offer.

14. Kim PfeifferOctober 10,2025 at 4:21PM UTC

    It's only an interview. Take the interview and see what happens. Cross that bridge when you come to it.

15. Farah BajwaOctober 12,2025 at 3:08AM UTC

    No one will look out for you or your career like you will. Do what is best for you. If the tables where turned, the company could drop you without warning and hire someone else.

    You accept the permanent role. You bow out gracefully. "Thank you for the opportunity. An offer came in that I couldn't refuse."

    Don't over think it. "It's business not personal"

16. Ellen KesselmanOctober 12,2025 at 4:27PM UTC

    You need the best fit. Please find out more about each organization/job/situation prior to making any decisions. After sufficient info-gathering, if one job seems better for you all around, then you should accept it.

    If the permanent position feels better to you in the short and long term, you should consider interviewing for and possibly accepting it.

    But if the temp job seems a better situation for you then I would still interview for the permanent one (in your effort to learn about its own situation) and then make your decision after some long consideration. Many forms of part-time work allow for interviewing time elsewhere.

    Remain discreet with the organization you're temping for (and remain discreet toward your friend who got you the job) about your interviewing etc for the permanent opportunity unless you are at the final negotiation steps for it. At that point, you may be better off discussing various aspects of the decision with the friend (if that's your relationship, so that they can buy in) and ultimately discussing the decision with the organization offering you a more permanent role.

    This way you're building choices which is what you want.

    Please be as gracious as possible throughout this entire process. Keeping doors open is good policy.

    Wishing you the best research you can accomplish, the best decision-making/deliberation you can do, the best negotiating you accomplish, and the best time at the job you ultimately settle into!

17. Cynthia WatsonOctober 14,2025 at 12:07PM UTC

    The key work is a 'temp' job. To me this is a no brainer.