How to leave a new job for a better one?

How to leave a new job for a better one?

I have been job hunting for more than a year due to a layoff. It's a brutal job market as we all know. I am in the midst of consideration for 4 roles, one of which I really want and would be a step up. I am due to receive an offer for another job within a week which which I'm not excited about (lower level and pay). However, the job I really am excited about won't make a decision until September due to vacation time of decision makers. If I accept the lower role and then am offered the better one within a month after starting the new job, what is the best way to resign? I would be tempted to not accept lower level offer if the market wasn't just so bad.

Has anyone done this successfully? Thanks.

Why women love us:

  • Daily articles on career topics
  • Jobs at companies dedicated to hiring more women
  • Advice and support from an authentic community
  • Events that help you level up in your career
  • Free membership, always

Share your insight

Join an authentic community that helps women support each other at work. Share your professional experience or ask for advice — you can even post anonymously.

7 Comments

Join the conversation
  1. Anonymous

    In today's market, anything and everything can happen. Keep your search moving forward as you never know what will happen no matter how you feel.

  2. Anonymous

    Don't I know it! :) I am continuing to search because I know jobs fall through all the time. I lost count of the times I've been ghosted after completing 5 or 6 rounds. Just disappointing when the opportunity is less than you hoped after investing so much time looking. But as I noted, it is a really brutal market right now. Thanks again for commenting.

  3. Shels

    I had two places interested in me. The one closest to my home wasn't ready to come through with an offer until AFTER I had started at the one an hour away. When the offer for the one 5 minutes from my house came, it was at a $1/hr less than the one I had. Gas prices were at their highest point too. I ended up going in to tell the boss that I had decided to accept the job closer to me. I told her the driving in really bad northern Indiana roads and the length of time and mileage was part of the factor. She really understood. She said she had had a position where she drove 1 1/2 hours to a job and when she was finally able to find something closer, what a relief it was. Another factor in my decision was that I had to share a very small office with another woman who was very pushy, opinionated, and had a habit of poking me (hard) whenever she was standing near me (she had to train me for MY job). The poking was what really tipped the scale. I just couldn't subject myself to that atmosphere every day for hours on end.

  4. Anonymous

    I would accept this role and push the start date to Monday,9/18. You still don’t have an offer in hand. If or when you receive that offer ask for a few days to look through the offer letter/benefits and at that point, you will be looking at the end of August so asking for a start date of 9/18 due to preplanned vacation, will not be unreasonable. Keep looking until an offer is in your hand.

  5. Anonymous

    Thank you! I am going to push the start date but not sure they will allow it to be pushed that far in September (though I wish!). But I'm sure going to try. I know from experience that job opportunities fall through all the time. They get delayed, paused or changed in some way so I am continuing to aggressively search while in the mix for these others. Just a brutal job market!

  6. Anonymous

    Tell the company that you have a pre-planned family vacation that cannot be moved.

  7. Anonymous

    I’m just here for the comments - this is what I did- I accepted a lesser pay remote job (since everyone is fighting over remote jobs) and continuing to look.

    i am not coasting with this job though - I put forth a lot of effort - but as soon as a better job comes, which who knows when - leaving. I add this because a lot of people on here are judgy and obsessed with burning bridges & simping for employers.

Fairygodboss VIP
Achieve your career goals.
Be part of the largest online career community for women to find jobs, advice, and support — for free.
Fairygodboss members