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I have two interviews from software companies, one on Monday and the other on Friday. What is the best way to handle the first company (or both, if that matters) so I can keep them both "alive", without being rude and give myself the opportunity of choosing one company under careful consideration?

For example, what if one company says "you are good, we want to hire you", before Friday? I am very new to interviews and I fear that I might do something silly.

I definitely want to do both interviews.

I know that companies usually give some time window to check other applications as well, but I never know.

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    @Dukeling difference between three weeks and 4 days (or probably less for the offer if at all), but pretty similar otherwise. – Kilisi Dec 1 '18 at 12:29
  • Is this for a long-term salary-type position, or a contract? – Fattie Dec 1 '18 at 13:01
  • You face a problem, you're talking A WHOLE WEEK. That is a long time - it's not a few days as your heading suggests here. You'll need time to think on the second guys as well, so now the first guys you are telling "Wait until later next week". That is way way too long. – Fattie Dec 1 '18 at 13:02
  • @Fattie, it is for long-term position, not a contract. I understand about the period, but i do not know what is few or many in this case, sorry, nor know the internal procedure. I updated my question to be clear on that. – vlzvl Dec 1 '18 at 13:05
  • @Fattie, changed the question to further reflect the situation. I do not know exactly the companies themselves, but one is international (subsidiary in Greece, Thessaloniki, where i am located), the other is a typical web page / mobile city company. On telephone, i talked with some HR on the big company and the web developer himself on smaller company. I hope what i am saying is meaningful :). – vlzvl Dec 1 '18 at 13:25
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I think you have to be a little careful here:

So it's typical that they're giving you an offer and a deadline and not the typical when you can start thing? or it is up to software company?

  • What country is this?

  • Is it a large company, or, is it a start up (and/or already successful) company where you will be dealing directly or nearly directly with the principal(s)?

I have to say it is pretty normal - fairly common that, yes, you sometimes have to make an instant decision and instant rate negotiation, and start very soon.

In such a situation, if you say "Oh I have to think about it for seven days" (which is what you're suggesting - until the next Monday at the earliest) - what will happen?

The tycoon in question won't say "well screw you, get lost". She or he will say "Oh .. ok .. fine then" and immediately go off to the next ten meetings of the day.

Over the next seven days there will be a host of people (including me!) desperate to get the project if it's interesting, and indeed, a week is forever in software and Tycoon-land; he or she may have just drifted off to other projects, the whole architecture may have changed or whatever.

I have to say that for "better" jobs or contracts - the really good ones you really want that are really interesting - it is not uncommon you have to make aggressive snap decisions.

Man - there was an interesting question on this site. The person on this list, P, reported that someone telephoned to discuss a job. The person P answered "Oh, I'm driving and I'll call you back". {Driving or similar, I forget.} Of course - they lost the opportunity. The end.

Be cautious.

Actual idea ..

Is there not some way you can get the Friday folks moved forward? (You're so keen right? :) )

Conversely you could put off the first one a few days to make them closer, but who delays interviews?

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  • hey thanx :) Well, i doubt i could ever calling them and asked them to interview me a few days earlier... But funny thing is that first company actually asked me to confirm our meeting on Monday and i could perhaps say something just there and perhaps change the time but i fear i am entering into driving-on-mobile example you mentioned, without even getting interview at first... – vlzvl Dec 1 '18 at 13:19
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what if one company says "you are good, we want to hire you", before Friday?

This would be unlikely to be a problem, but if they did say that, just reply that you would like to think about it over the weekend.. It's just a few days, totally understandable.

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    i see, thanx. I thought thinking about job would get interpreted to being rude but on second thought i have to consider their salary as well and not answer instantly.. thanx for help :) – vlzvl Dec 1 '18 at 12:45
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While there are challenges when juggling applications, rounds of interviews, and job offers; these are good challenges to have.

It is possible that the first interview could end up being with the company that will hire you, but becasue you have no idea if that will happen, and you have little control over how quickly they move from initial interview to offer letter; so you have to keep juggling.

I have seen situations where a team went from interviewing the first candidate to the sending of an offer letter in a matter of days. Other hiring teams in the same company didn't schedule a 2nd round of interviews until two weeks after the first set of interviews. Other teams would spend months because they were led by somebody who could never make a decision.

Having two interviews in the same week is great, but you need to keep applying. When I have searched for a job I have even run into the situation where I kept applying for positions up until the day I returned the unconditional offer letter. It is not unusual to have applications at all stages of the process.

Every offer comes with a deadline, while it can be possible to stretch it it can't be extended forever. Some people use the approaching deadline to spur other companies to make a decision. One family member of mine was contacted by a company the day before the deadline about an interview, he told them the exact situation: I have to interview in the morning, I need to know within an hour, becasue I have an appointment with the company with the expiring offer at 2 PM. He interviewed, they made an offer, and he cancelled his 2 PM appointment.

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  • aha, i see thanx... So it's typical that they're giving you an offer and a deadline and not the typical when you can start thing? or its up to software company? – vlzvl Dec 1 '18 at 13:01
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    when can you start is a different question than we need you to accept this offer in x days, or we will move on to another candidate. – mhoran_psprep Dec 1 '18 at 13:05

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