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Background:

I'm a computer science student. It's normal for software companies to start hiring in September/October, even when the students don't finish school until May/June, just so they can cherry-pick their hirees. I work as an intern right now for a respectable company, and they have indicated that they would extend a full-time offer to me once I've graduated. I like working for them, and would like to seriously consider such an offer.

However, it's hiring season, and another company has made me an offer. The offer expires in about 2 weeks. It's a great offer with a company I've long thought of working for, so it's something I'm not going to just dismiss.

Last week, I told my boss that companies were recruiting students right now, and that as I explore potential career paths, I really wanted to explore options with my current employer, and he said that he would talk with HR about making an offer so I wouldn't have to "shop around" right now. That's great, but now I've got a 2 week deadline for this new offer from another company.

Summary/Question: If I work as an intern for company A (who has indicated that they'd make me an offer, though with no specific timeline), and company B has made me an offer with a deadline in two weeks, how can I tactfully request my company (company A) to "hurry up" and make an offer within two weeks so I can properly evaluate both offers? I've got great relationships with people in company A, and I don't want to burn any bridges or come across as a "weasel" in trying to hurry up their offer. Telling someone to "hurry up" when making an offer isn't feeling right to me.

I feel like this would be easier if I didn't already work for company A, but since I already work for them as an intern I feel like I need to be more tactful in order to preserve the good relationships I currently have. But perhaps I'm overcomplicating it. Or perhaps not.

(as a "bonus" question: if I take the offer from company B, do I give company A ~9 months notice I'll be leaving? That feels like a very long time, but they'd know anyway if I rejected their offer... I don't know if other industries are like this, but situations are weird for software engineers, I feel)

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    A company wants you to commit to a job offer in the next two weeks that does not start for another 9 months? Are they giving a signing bonus? Seems like a lot could happen in that period of time.
    – user8365
    Commented Feb 5, 2015 at 15:53
  • @JeffO: I can't really comment on the offer itself, other than it's a pretty typical offer from the company in question. And yes, a lot can happen in that time. But it's fairly typical for big tech companies (read: Google, Microsoft, Facebook, etc.) to hire new graduates several months before actually graduating.
    – Cornstalks
    Commented Feb 5, 2015 at 18:08
  • In my experience, many companies will extend their deadline if they know you are waiting on another offer. At the very least, I don't think it would hurt to ask Company B, especially if you get a clear answer about when your offer from Company A will be available.
    – Andrew
    Commented Feb 5, 2015 at 21:12
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    If company A told you they would make an offer, there's nothing wrong with you asking when. They should know what the jog situation is like for graduates.
    – user8365
    Commented Feb 12, 2015 at 23:21
  • They might say their offer is only valid for two weeks to get you to commit asap so you don't get a change to look around. If they are already hiring now 9 months in advance, I am pretty sure they will have no problem extending the deadline. Demand is high and good profiles are scarce. In this field the bigger companies usually hire all the good profiles they can get their hands on.
    – Jeremy
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 14:41

3 Answers 3

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Just give your boss an update. Something like:

I don't have that offer from HR yet, and now I've received an offer from another company. I'd rather work here, but it's scary turning down a good offer when I don't have another one yet. How long do you think the HR process will take? Is an offer here a sure thing? Can you give me some advice?

Now, your boss is unlikely to give you advice that goes against the company's interests, but might well tell you that HR typically takes 4 weeks to get these things together, or that actually it looks like you might not be getting that offer after all, or whatever. Or, your boss may thank you for the update and then get on to HR and tell them to hurry the heck up.

If you take the offer from B and never get an offer from A, you don't need to say anything to A. If and when you get an offer from A you should either accept it or decline it. If you want to tell your boss to stop hounding HR for the offer, because you couldn't wait and have accepted the offer from B, you can, but that's not the same as giving your company notice. They technically think you're leaving when your internship ends, so they don't need any notice about that.

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    I like this wording because you're not telling anyone to "hurry up". You're simply giving them information that may help them make a decision to speed up the process or not.
    – jmort253
    Commented Sep 20, 2014 at 17:04
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Simply check if your boss want really hire you, if not just accept the offer and leave. You shouldn't lose any opportunity, specially at begin of career. I don't think you can hurry up your hiring, because well, people already know you they had enough time for hiring but didn't why? Think about it. Good luck.

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    My boss did want to hire me. He made that clear to me. But in order for a formal offer to be made (with compensation spelled out) it has to go through HR and be approved by a committee overseeing finances. That process takes time. I needed a formal offer so I could negotiate compensation and make a decision.
    – Cornstalks
    Commented Feb 5, 2015 at 18:11
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You will start with an entry level position, which means they will most likely come to you with the "standart offer" of the company.

So the best advice you can get on this is, either ask your boss directly what's that standard offer, or make your search from your colleagues/internet. That's not a classified information. Then compare it with the current offer.

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    Then the offer might be better or the same, but he can still not safely assume he will get an offer at all.
    – skymningen
    Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 12:45

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