So, after your vigorous job hunting and thorough preparing for interview, you face your recruiters, and during the course of interview; you receive the job offer on the spot.
Now, what do you do?
Do you accept the job immediately?
Do you decline?
This can be a pretty tricky situation to navigate, especially when you really need the position. It can be difficult not to promise a response by the end of the day, specifically a positive response.
But there are a lots of reasons to think twice about any role you’ve been offered this quickly.
To help you make the best decision for yourself, here are a few things to consider when you’re offered a job on the spot.
- Express appreciation
Thank the recruiter for the offer. Your enthusiasm is important, so muster it even if you are not sure whether the job is right for you.
2. Ask for a little time
You want to talk to your partner or your mom before deciding. Don’t wait too long, because the employer may decide to interview others and you could lose the offer.
3. Ask for an offer package
The offer letter will spell out the key details of what’s included in the benefits and more. Ensure you get the offer letter in writing. It makes it more official.
4. Explain the other prospect
If you have another job interview lined up for the next day, you must mention it as this will make you come across as honest and forthright. Also, you need to be fair to yourself and make the right choice. You should share enough to be honest and credible.
5. Don’t feel pressured to accept right away
When this happens, your response should be to ask for more time to consider. There are a few reasons why someone else might offer job on the spot.
– The position has been open for a long time, and the recruiter just wants to end the search.
– The company is not a great place to work.
– The Recruiter is hoping to lock you in for a little less money.
There’s one common thing through all of the reasons i.e. the company is trying to make sure you have as little time as possible to do additional research and discover something that would send you running the opposite direction. Most recruiters would give you more than a few hours to consider the offer, but in the even rarer instance that you are asked to decide before nightfall, you may politely decline.
6. Inquire why you’re being offered the role so quickly
While this may make you feel flattered that the company wants you and you have all the leverage; make sure you ask lots of questions like
– “If I were to accept, what kind of of support would I receive from the team”?
– “Would it be possible to meet other members of the team to help me decide”?
– “I am very happy, but can you tell me what it was about my performance that made you decide instantly”.
These questions are diplomatic and also help you keep things noncommittal. Sometimes employers will gauge your interest by asking: “If I were to offer you this job now, what would you say?” This is something you may want to consider before the interview, and come up with a clear, enthusiastic yet honest answer.
Conclusion
You’re good at your work so no wonder someone wants to snatch you up.
But it’s also important that you shouldn’t short-change yourself and rush into accepting a job offer on the spot. Take time to really consider what you might be getting yourself into. You’ve worked hard not to give that to yourself, and resist the temptation to accept job offer on the spot.
Have you ever been offered a job on the spot? How did you handle the situation? Do share your experience with us in the comments section.
