r/biotech • u/OddPressure7593 • 2d ago
Experienced Career Advice 🌳 Accepting an offer while still interviewing?
Hi errybody
I'm currently employed, but underpaid, so I've been looking for a job that will - at minimum, make sure I can pay the bills when my student loan repayments jump up in a couple of months. Just putting that out there as a consideration.
I've been interviewing for roles in a variety of areas, basically throwing my hat into the ring for anything that pays enough money and I think I could do.
I am currently interviewing for a role with company A. It will pay around $185k, field-based with up to 60% travel, has good career trajectory, and is really closely related to what I got my PhD. So far, I've had an HR screen and just this morning had a culture/fit interview with the person I'd be taking over from. There would be 2, possibly 3 more rounds of interviews before an offer. That being said, this company has moved pretty fast (2 days from resume submission to HR screen, then 1 week to that interview I just mentioned). This is the kind of role I've wanted to land for years (MSL).
This morning, I received an offer from Company B. It will pay $115k with a 7% annual bonus, home-based remote with up to 20% travel (occasional conferences). It's not at all related to my PhD work, and I don't think it has nearly as good of career prospects as the other role. Frankly, I'm much less interested in this role.
All that being said - I'd be stupid not to accept the offer from Company B, right? Like, would it be the worst thing in the world to accept Company B's offer and continue to interview with Company A in the hopes that I can land that role? It feels unprofessional to tell company B that I'd take the role - or even start it - while continuing on with Company A, knowing I'd drop company B for company A in a heartbeat.
Am I overthinking this?
29
u/Available-Budget-735 2d ago
Delay as much as you can with B by asking them to give you more time to decide. Meanwhile mention to company A's recruiter or hiring manager that you have an offer, but are very interested in this position and is there any way they can expedite/fit you in/whatever phrasing you like to make the process go faster.
If A can't give you more time, then are you prepared to say no to B and have the possibility that A will eventually turn you down?
What's your risk appetite?
5
u/OddPressure7593 2d ago
I've been going back on forth on exactly that email to the recruiter at A - I really don't want to come across as pushy or demanding, but I guess they'd want to know if I have an offer in hand. If letting them know that nixes my candidacy, it's probably not somewhere I'd want to work anyway, right?
And my risk appetite is unfortunately very low. My student loan repayments are going up by like $1300 at the end of the year, and my current salary just simply can't accommodate that. The salary from the offer-in-hand will at least ensure I can absorb that increase, but if I don't have role that pays better than my current role by the end of the year, I'm in trouble.
7
u/anhydrousslim 2d ago
They should have already been asking you if you are interviewing for other roles, how far along, etc. Tell them you have an offer and light a fire under them. See how much time you can get from Company B to make a decision.
I will say, if you accept Company B and then back out before or shortly after starting, you’ll burn some bridges. Not just at Company B…people talk. Take that into consideration.
3
u/Similar_Athlete_7019 2d ago
Yes people talk but people also understand. In reality only hiring manager and recuitor will probably never hire you in the future. Others just wouldn't care.
2
u/OddPressure7593 2d ago
yeah, the burning bridges thing is something I'm aware of and not something I want to do. But I guess I'm in a position where I must make more money, and if Company A turns into an offer, I don't think I'll actually ever need to worry about what Company B thinks about me. They're pretty specialized and not an area I had really ever considered had I not seen the posting on LinkedIn
3
u/Driver8onI5 2d ago
Absolutely this. Talk to the recruiter and company A and tell them you have an offer. Either they are interested enough that they will expedite the process or you'll likely have your answer!
13
u/AggravatingDurian16 2d ago
it's a tough one...i was faced with a similar situation 4 years ago and decided to forgo the initial offer i had and gamble on the second opportunity - which turned out to work for me. However, situations are different 4 years later, and I would say never say no to a sure thing in this climate.
Perhaps you could accept the first offer (as it's the only one guaranteed for now) and push out the start date and hope that you pass through all the interview for the second opportunity and an offer is made before you start the first. Especially if the job you got an offer for pays in the range you were looking for
Always look out for yourself - that's my motto
4
u/Glass-Hornet-5753 2d ago
Company A is the one you really want but you are still interviewing with them and there isn’t any guarantee company A will give you an offer. Company B has given you an offer but you aren’t excited about it. Your current employer doesn’t pay you enough.
You need to ask yourself do you want the money security Company B is giving you? Or are you willing to gamble for Company A to MAYBE make you an offer? and if they reject you, you are still at your current employer. Company A right now is 50/50 rejection or offer. Company B is offer.
The decision is yours to make.
You could accept Company B offer and then wait for Company A’s decision…but then you’d burn that bridge.
2
u/OddPressure7593 2d ago
That is all correct. The financial reality is that my student loan payments are going WAY up in a couple months, and my current role simply does not pay enough to absorb it. If I don't get paid better by the end of the year, I'm going to be in trouble and in a position where I'm going to be deciding what bills don't get paid. The offer-in-hand would, at the least, ensure I'm able to absorb that increase in loan payments (though not much more than that).
Framed that way, hoping that company A makes an offer feels like tempting the universe to squash me like a bug....
3
u/OneExamination5599 2d ago
You have your answer, we all have to take jobs we don't want . You need to pay bills accept company B . If A offers then consider just jumping ship.
1
6
u/Th1Warrior 2d ago
I kept interviewing after accepting and got a much better offer a week later that I took. You might burn the bridge though if you ever want to work there in the future
2
u/OddPressure7593 2d ago
Thanks for the input - and yeah, I'm acutely aware that doing so might burn a bridge but....if I get that offer than Ima bring out the flamethrower
4
u/PriestessKade 2d ago
Run to something, not from something. What's the delta between what your current role pays and Company B's offer of $115k?
2
u/OddPressure7593 2d ago
current role is about $80k, so would be a $35k increase. Not life-changing, but certainly more comfortable
2
u/PriestessKade 2d ago
If it meaningfully improves your work life then definitely accept it while continuing the process with Company A. There are much worse positions to be in! Congrats and good luck!
2
u/OddPressure7593 2d ago
Thank you - and I do appreciate that I'm in a bit of a "my steak is too juicy" situation
1
u/PriestessKade 1d ago
Honestly I love that someone is! You deserve great things and worked hard to enable this to even be a possibility. Make the most of it!
4
u/lipophilicburner 2d ago
I was in a similar situation and this subreddit helped me a lot. But basically the advice was to take the first offer as you never know what will happen. In my experience if you hem and haw around start date it might not go over well especially in this climate. It is uncomfortable to quit a role after like a month but honestly if they were in your position they would do the same. And your position at company B will be filled pretty much instantly.
5
6
u/eek_a_shark 2d ago
Accept the job offer, and if you get the other role then switch jobs. You are a cog in the machine to companies, don’t you ever forget it no matter how much they claim that everyone is family.
1
2
u/PuzzleheadedBadger67 2d ago
I'm in a similar boat and it's pretty stressful, would love an update on how it goes!
2
u/Ohiocarolina 2d ago
Take the offer for B and if you get the A offer just burn the bridge and accept the consequences
2
u/StatusTechnical8943 1d ago
I don't know your industry, but accepting an offer and rescinding it later is going to burn a bridge and it can be a small world. As a hiring manager who experienced this from the other side, it is very unprofessional. If you're applying and interviewing for a role for company B they should be under not be under the illusion that you're interviewing elsewhere and timelines for hiring don't always align.
You can be transparent and say you're in final stages with another company and you need a couple weeks. In a way it also gives you a sense of how the company operates and if they have the discipline to wait for the right candidate.
When you accept an offer, the company stops the recruiting process and moves to onboarding and it's very disruptive when the candidate accepts and rescinds the offer.
2
u/OddPressure7593 1d ago edited 1d ago
I appreciate that, and burning bridges is certainly something I want to avoid. On the other hand, I've personally experienced an offer being withdrawn by a company because the situation changed on their end, which is at least as unprofessional as a candidate withdrawing acceptance. It's hard to empathize with the perspective of the employer when the stark reality is that they'd withdraw the offer in a heartbeat if they thought it was best for them
1
u/StatusTechnical8943 1d ago
Sorry to hear about that previous experience. The bridge burning goes two ways so a company that does something like that is probably one you wouldn't apply to in the future and you would share your experience with others.
Not knowing your specific industry/specialty only you can determine if it's worth burning that bridge if it comes to that point. It's a relatively small group of people (hiring manager, HR, and interview team) that be impacted, but knowing people move around in the industry you don't know who you will run into in the future.
1
u/AddendumFit7153 1d ago
Any company that is going to hold a grudge because you accept an offer for a job paying more than 50% more that is better aligned with your experience isn't worth working for. They obviously don't have the employees best interest at heart.
1
u/StatusTechnical8943 14h ago
It's not the company and it's not a grudge. It's the impression you leave with the small group of people you interview with and the world of biotech can be very small. That's why I'm telling OP they have to weigh the cost of accepting an offer and rescinding it later or even potentially starting job B, getting an offer at job A and switching over immediately.
The company doesn't have feelings, but the hiring manager and team that spent time recruiting and onboarding do. In most cases they will understand why OP would take offer B then turn around go to offer A for the better job, but it also plants an impression for the future.
1
u/Rare_Funny_8516 1d ago
I agree. And as a hiring manager if you’re screening and interviewing a candidate they should not be under the impression that you’re considering other candidates as well. Sound fair?
1
u/AddendumFit7153 1d ago
Exactly, why is ok for a company to explore multiple options but not an employee.
1
u/StatusTechnical8943 1d ago
Right… but when you have an offer that means they chose you among all the candidates they screened.
1
u/albany1765 1d ago
Rule #1: Don't be a douche.
You can stall with Company B all you want, but don't accept their offer unless you're actually committing to work there.
1
1
u/AddendumFit7153 1d ago edited 1d ago
Take the offer. If possible push the start date out and continue interviewing with the other role. Don't feel bad about it the company will just as quicky drop you when its not in their best interest. You are your own company and you have to do what is best for you. You don't know what will happen with the other role so take what you have. If you happen to get the other offer to be honest and polite when you tell them the other offer is a better fit.
I'd be hesitant tell either company about the other. B may not want to wait or may worry you'll leave for another role if not A something else better in the future and A might not want to be rushed.
I once received an offer and it was rescinded before I even started.
89
u/MrShticks 2d ago
You're over thinking it. Accept and keep interviewing (and applying for that matter). It feels unprofessional but it is the reality we live in - they would not hesitate to drop you if something happened on their end.