HBR Guide to Your Job Search

CHAPTER 18

Managing a Job Offer When You’re Still Interviewing Elsewhere

by Marlo Lyons

After months of interviewing for new jobs, you finally have an offer in hand. You’re excited, but it’s not your first choice. You’re still interviewing for your dream job and some other ones you don’t know enough about yet. You don’t want to lose the current offer, but at the same time, you want to see how the other companies’ hiring processes play out. What should you do? Here are five ways to manage an offer in hand when you don’t know if or when another will come.

Ask for Time to Decide

The most important thing to do is express excitement. Without setting a positive tone, you risk having the offer pulled back. By letting a recruiter know you’re excited ...