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Anonymous

November 10,2021 at 5:25PM UTC

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Hello Everyone! After a year-long search, I recently received two great job offers. I accepted one of the offers and submitted my resignation from my current employer. It was a toxic and unequitable environment, so I am quite glad to be out of there. My official final day is this Friday.

However, I am still in the midst of interviewing with a 3rd company for a job that is a great fit for me - and also pays 20% more than the job I accepted. This is the job that I truly want. I have my 3rd interview scheduled with them this week, but I am not sure if I should tell this "pending" company that I have left my former employer. If I do tell them, I don't know if I should say that it is because I have other offers. I really don't want to blow this!

Of course, I need to make a decision soon. I'd love to hear what other folks have to say about this situation. Thanks!

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AnonymousNovember 10,2021 at 6:04PM UTC
This situation is the subject of a couple posts each week on this site. So you're in good company.
You use your leverage with the other offers to let the 3rd company know your situation and timing. Let them know that while they are your #1choice, you have already exited your former company and then let them know your timing to start you new position. Ask them their timing for a decision.
I would save this info until the end of the final interview .
Emmy BemmyNovember 10,2021 at 9:30PM UTC
I agree that you need to, in some way, communicate that you have left your current employer before they do the background check. I wouldn't lead with that information, but I also wouldn't directly lie about it.
Barb HansenNovember 10,2021 at 6:24PM UTC
Congratulations on the new job and the pending interview!
I would not tell the pending company that you just started (are starting) a new job.
Do not tell your new employer that your interviewing with another company.
AnonymousNovember 10,2021 at 6:27PM UTC
Hey there! I would not tell them that you left your job, but during the next interview, I would let them know you've received an offer, and ask what their timeline is for a decision.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 1:28PM UTC
Dido! Be mindful of this before signing any onboarding contracts/terms for employment.
Congratulations on multiple offers and thanks for sharing! Your success story arrived in my inbox with perfect timing.
Andrea Macek, Career Change Coach for Professional WomenNovember 10,2021 at 6:40PM UTC
Congrats on all the options, that's awesome! :) If you already signed the offer you accepted, it's a professional courtesy and best practice to not keep interviewing. And, you'll want to review the offer to make sure you're not legally bound to anything before you continue interviewing. That being said, if you feel this 3rd company is right for you then only you know what's best. You'll want to be transparent with both companies as to why you're still entertaining other options. I hope you find what's right for you, good luck! :)
TarraNovember 10,2021 at 8:35PM UTC
It's definitely not great etiquette to keep interviewing once you've accepted another offer. You definitely want to keep company #3 from knowing that. I might thin twice about making an offer to someone who would continue interviewing once they'd already made a commitment to a company. Think about what that means to company 2: They stopped recruiting, closed the job and likely rejected any other candidates they had in play. When they lose you, they are back entirely at square one - you've cost them money, time, and possibly other good candidates.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 2:06PM UTC
All very true, but! She needs to look out for herself! It puts company #2 in a bad position, but she doesn’t owe them anything. She owes herself to take a job that she’s excited about and a pay that she’s worth. As they say, if she got hit by a bus tomorrow, they’d have a job posting faster than her obit posting.
I’d say the only thing to do is to be prepared if you get this new offer from company #3, prepare a polite way to let company #2 down. They might be pissed, but they might be understanding. I’d say nothing to company #3 about your current offer.
Patricia ManroeNovember 11,2021 at 5:53AM UTC
I don't believe I would tell them anything.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 1:33PM UTC
Congrats! It’s fine to continue to interview after accepting (ideally yes you would be able to plan out all offers and communicate that you are considering multiple options but that doesn’t always work out so don’t worry about it and especially if the accepted job didn’t give you much time or leeway in timeline to accept). First, crush the interview with the role you are really interested in. But shortly after, reach out to the recruiter and also mention that you have another offer and ask about the timeline. If they are interested then this can help expedite and also help you with info on where you stand to stall with the role you accepted or you can push out your start date for a personal reason. If all works out then yes it’s better to let the role you first accepted earlier or before you actually start there but also after the contingent checks for the ideal role.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 1:41PM UTC
On some level I think that you know that this question is emotional: you want to continue interviewing with this third company because it could be a better situation for you, but you feel bad for the company which offer you accepted. What I would say is that you need to reframe the question when keeping in mind that employment is a financial transaction. It is important to be professional and courteous but it is completely appropriate to leave or not start for a better offer (assuming that you are not breaking a contract). Once you adjust that mindset, it may be easier to think about how to tell the third company that you left your job ("already transitioning and will be able to start shortly after receiving an offer" maybe?) and how to deal with the company which offer you accepted.
Also, keep in mind that sometimes a company and role are not all that they appear to be during interviews and it is possible that you would start the job with the company which offer you accepted, hate the environment and role, and be looking again a month.
Shannon Rene Fiorentini HenrichsonNovember 11,2021 at 2:17PM UTC
I don't see a need to tell the prospective company you left that role unless they ask if they can contact them for a reference.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 2:40PM UTC
I think you need to carefully consider what ramifications might come out of you breaking your commitment to your new employer should you get this third job. I don't know what field you're in, but in my field, news of something like this will get around. I don't want to say you'll be blacklisted, but you might gain a reputation of being unreliable. If this third company is where you plan to spend the rest of your career, then this might not be an issue. But do you need to keep other options open for the future? Might you need to interview again? How would you respond to a future interview question about why a company should make you an offer if they believe you won't honor your commitment?
Also, would having this reputation affect your ability to do your current work? I don't know how much you have to work with or interact with other people in your field, but would this affect your ability to work with others outside your organization?
I'm not saying this isn't possible if you go about it properly, but it's not such a simple decision as so many on here are saying. Just make sure you think everything through and have a well formulated plan.
Lisa MarieNovember 12,2021 at 11:23AM UTC
I'm sorry Ms. Anonymous... your advice is not sound.
The "what ifs" you cited is simply your *fear* of taking charge of your own destiny without fearful emotions.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 3:05PM UTC
It is a tough choice but if this new job you are interviewing for is really what you want, you should go for it. As uncomfortable as it might be to tell the employer you did accept the offer from that you have accepted another offer, it is a competitive market out there and you should think about where will this put you in a year, 5, 10? I resigned from a position after 3 weeks because I accepted another offer, and there was no good way to tell my employer about this but as uncomfortable as it was at the time, I am glad I made the decision.
Donna Stacy BurkeNovember 11,2021 at 4:02PM UTC
You got to be true to you.
Focused721350November 11,2021 at 4:04PM UTC
Good Morning,
Be careful what you wish for! You don't want this to end up with NADA!!!! Meaning Nothing! Go with your gut or the little voice in your head. Your a smart woman! Use that Great brain of yours......
Good Luck and God Bless! ;)
Angela VanSchoickNovember 11,2021 at 4:47PM UTC
I feel that you don't need to tell them that you left your prior company or that you've accepted an offer from another company. Do the interview as you did the first 2.
If the perfect job does make an offer, tell the newest job that you had applied to this other company and received an offer after they made theirs and, while you hate to do this, you really need to go with the best fit. Especially if you haven't gone through the complete onboarding process.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 7:02PM UTC
Great advice. I am in HR and I encourage employees to do what is best for them! There is no need for you to tell the dream job/company you have left your current company for another position. If you are at the third interview they know you are employed. That's all they need to know at this point. Good luck!
KathyNovember 11,2021 at 4:54PM UTC
This situation is definitely a conundrum. Even after the 3rd interview, you may not get an offer from your preferred company. It could take months for them to decide and by then you may have changed your mind and really like the 'new' job.
I wouldn't say anything to the 3rd company about transitioning to your new role and leaving your former company. At the time you applied you were still working for the toxic company.
I know people who have left jobs after a month for a better job and don't seem to have been harmed professionally. I'm sure this depends on your field and size of the job market in your area.
While I understand feeling guilty about taking a new job and potentially leaving if you receive an offer from your preferred company, these days it's a rare for a company to have loyalty to their employees. If it was in their best interest, they would lay you off in a heart beat.
As employees we need to to be loyal to ourselves. As women we are socialized to be nice and not make waves even if it's in our best interest.
Good luck!
GirlBossanova934974November 11,2021 at 4:54PM UTC
I would take the offer you have in your hands as of now. You know what they say about reputations. It takes many years to attain and be can lost in a matter of minutes. Be very grateful you are out of the place you were at for several years. In the job world, a great job can turn into a nightmare if a bad manager is brought in. So what there is now or appears to be, may not exist a few months down the road,
Bretley DannerNovember 11,2021 at 5:38PM UTC
You can do what you want, if you get your third job, you can except it, and move on. You are allowed to do what you want, and allowed to do what’s best for you. No guilt .
Monique PatenaudeNovember 11,2021 at 8:58PM UTC
Personally I wouldn’t say anything because they are still in the interview steps. You are free to make a choice once they make you an offer.
Gail Buckley CraneNovember 11,2021 at 9:04PM UTC
Congratulations on having several good options to consider. Choose the one that is best for you...in essence that choice will be the best for your new employer as well.
AnonymousNovember 11,2021 at 10:21PM UTC
Keep it buttoned—no reason to tell your business to the world. Yes, Ma'am (Sir), keep your boundaries intact.
April Donnell-SurgantNovember 11,2021 at 10:37PM UTC
This is not information that you have to provide. Whenever I am interviewing candidates, I always assume that they are applying to multiple places. Wish you the best of luck on your interview!
Ellen SwordsNovember 11,2021 at 10:40PM UTC
No guts, no glory!! Go for the one you WANT! If not you will always have the 'What if's' and possibly regrets! Pray overnight about it and the answer will be clear in the morning!
Jasmine ViccarroNovember 12,2021 at 6:53AM UTC
Do it! Pursue your dream job and be sure to stay discrete. It’s your career!
Lisa MarieNovember 12,2021 at 11:47AM UTC
Hello, it is not information the company you're interviewing with needs to know.
Unless the offer you accepted is *contractual* with specific and binding timeline requirements (read it again to be sure!) it is YOUR choice what to do with your talents and expertise.
If the offer you signed is on an *at will* basis, my advice is to do what you deem is best for you (career/ financial / emotional, etc. well-being) on paper.
After you decide what's best for you (based on the ppoints I mentioned above), do not hesitate to walk away from the company who's offer you have already accepted. You may be their 2nd, 3rd or 6th choice... meaning, other candidates may have turned them down before they extended an offer to you.
Too many times we do what *others expects* instead of what we WANT gor ourselves.
Congrats, keep looking, krep being successful! :-)
Tomilyn RichardsNovember 12,2021 at 12:19PM UTC
Coming from a Recruiter perspective. When you accept a job, we let everyone else know they didn't get the job... we begin the onboarding process... we halt our search. If you have a 3rd opportunity the best thing to do is simply be honest and let the employer know that you need a little time before accepting. The right company will absolutely give you that time.... but out of respect of the process... they also won't be notifying the other candidates in the process until the acceptance actually happens.
Kim PfeifferNovember 12,2021 at 1:42PM UTC
Great way to lose the new job.
Tomilyn RichardsNovember 12,2021 at 2:39PM UTC
Well the idea would be that if it is not your #1 job, don't accept it. The respect goes both ways.
Andrea Macek, Career Change Coach for Professional WomenNovember 12,2021 at 7:24PM UTC
@Tomilyn Richards, thanks for adding the recruiter perspective; there are two parties in this conversation, and both need to do their best to respect the process and communicate. A good recruiter like yourself wants the best fit as much as the employee does, it's a long process for everyone. Thanks for sharing!
Kim PfeifferNovember 12,2021 at 1:41PM UTC
Don’t tell #3 you’ve given notice already. See how it goes and take whichever job is best for you.
MeredithNovember 12,2021 at 1:42PM UTC
You can be transparent about the fact that you left because of the environment. You can say that you have pending offers with other companies but you are most interested in this role, and would love to be able to move forward quickly enough to weigh it against the other opportunities.
AnonymousNovember 12,2021 at 5:42PM UTC
Yup, just say that you're between jobs and expect to be "low balled" for your "dream job." Not meant to be disrespectful.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistNovember 13,2021 at 4:07AM UTC
I can't imagine why you would tell Company #3 you resigned from Company #1 nor that you accepted a position at Company #2 - it sounds like a potential way to torpedo your opportunity with Company #3.
Listen, you have to do what's best for you. Start with Company #2 - continue to interview with Company #3 since it sounds like your dream job. If you get an offer from Company #3, cross that bridge when you get to it. If you go with Company #3, don't feel guilty.
Vicki SheppardNovember 13,2021 at 7:38AM UTC
Just know in your heart where you end up is where you are meant to be. Truly only you can keep you happy. So wake up everyday with a positive heart n think about what your accomplishments will be today. Or wrap your head around how you will pay it forward today. The happiness doesn't come from anywhere else or anyone else or anything else but You.......
AvinashMurtyNovember 13,2021 at 11:44AM UTC
good
JYJNovember 13,2021 at 2:24PM UTC
Why do you have to tell anyone anything? You don't have another offer yet. Keep everything to yourself and if it works out with the one you really want, you leave. Employers do what's best for them all the time.
Cortney SpencerNovember 14,2021 at 5:31AM UTC
No you don’t have to tell the third company anything. should you get an offer from them you can tell second company you’re moving on your ideal job. Men do this thing all the time without guilt and so should you.
Kathy Neudachin BurkhourNovember 15,2021 at 2:46AM UTC
Do not tell the 3rd company anything. You don't need to. If they offer you the job, take it. This happens all the time. then tell the 2nd job you decided to take another offer. Very simple. Keep your mouth shut and get the dream job.