Question for the Job Hunter Savvy...

Hello All,

I know I don't seem to have been on too much, but I lurk quite a bit!!

Since all these job related issues were coming up I thought I'd post mine and see what you all thought.

I applied for two jobs recently, and interviewed for them last Monday and Tuesday. I really thought I'd bombed both interviews... and at the one on Tuesday I said that I really wanted the job (figuring it was my last shot.)

So on Thursday afternoon, I got a job offer (email) from the second place. I called them on Friday to ask if I could have until Monday to consider. (FH got a call from an out of state company asking if he wanted to fly down for an interview.) They didn't sound incredibly happy about me waiting till Monday.

Then the first place called and asked for a second interview -- I was honest with them and said that I did have another job offer -- but I was still interested, so we set up an interview for Monday at 3:30 p.m. That's the earliest I can get there. IF they are still interested in me after the interview, they won't be able to let me know till mid-week what my status is.

Having talked about it with FH (he turned down the out-of-state company) I think that the second job might not be a great fit for me. It's a design job in the marketing department of an electronics and appliances store. Although I love to design, it's possible I'd get bored pretty quickly trying to come up with new ways to advertise the same products. (It might suck all the creativity out me, ya know?) I also don't feel a great connection with the guy who is interviewing me... he'd be my supervisor.

The job at the other place is writing technical manuals, perhaps not incredibly exciting (but I have to learn new software and that would be interesting for a while cause I like doing that) but I do get along well with 2/3 of the people in the department. (They both interviewed me.) And I think I'd get paid better.

I guess I have two questions: The first is do you think I'm crazy for turning down a design job -- and if I do -- then what is the best way to go about canceling my interview? Or do you think I ought to stick it out, see how the second interview goes and then try to stall the other people? (Which I have no idea how to do nicely or easily.)

What I don't want to do is take the first job and have put them on hold so much that they're unhappy with me!

Hmm... I didn't realize this was so long! Thanks for your advice!

You have the first job for sure? It pays better and you get along with the people? You should accept the job.

Call the other people and tell them thank you, but you have accepted the other job.

Originally Posted by Kaleetha

Although I love to design, it's possible I'd get bored pretty quickly trying to come up with new ways to advertise the same products. (It might suck all the creativity out me, ya know?) I also don't feel a great connection with the guy who is interviewing me... he'd be my supervisor.

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Design is sort of like any other creative skill. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Don't worry about getting bored or having all you creativity sucked out, you'll be surprised what wild things you could come up with especially if you're backed into a corner.

I think you made the right decision though. People are very important in the workplace, and if you don't get along with them it can cause a lot of stress for you.

Thank you very much. I've thought about it quite a bit, and I'm going to call and cancel my second interview. Now I just have to do it professionally.

Does "Thank you very much for your continued interest. I would like to withdraw from consideration for this position," sound okay? I don't want to burn any bridges....

Originally Posted by Kaleetha

...Does "Thank you very much for your continued interest. I would like to withdraw from consideration for this position," sound okay? I don't want to burn any bridges....

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Say you have to cancel because you've accepted another job (it's the truth) and thank them. Don't apologize or give any other reasons or details.

Good luck on your new job!

Thank you! I was planning on telling them I was taking another job too...

It will certainly be interesting -- I've got a lot of software to learn soon.

Curious, did you get "Swampwitch" from 10th Kingdom?? I was just wondering, cause that's the only place I've ever heard that name aside from here.