Job offer advice!

LSainsbury · 24-03-2006, 14:29

Hello,

Question:

If you are offered a job, how long -legally - do you have to think it over / accept the offer. I'm under the impression it's 7 days but I might wrong.

Any ideas / where would I find out? Going to check DTI site now, but any pointers would be useful!

Cheers

Lee

**Graham M** · 24-03-2006, 14:30

Is this offer Vocal or in Writing?

LSainsbury · 24-03-2006, 14:32

Nothing as yet - just weighing up what might possibly happen next week...but probably verbal via agency / direct by empolyer and email confirmation of package.

handyman · 24-03-2006, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsainsbury

Hello,

Question:

If you are offered a job, how long -legally - do you have to think it over / accept the offer. I'm under the impression it's 7 days but I might wrong

It's up to the employer how long they give you.
And even if you say yes you can change your mind later. Balls in your court so to speak.

LSainsbury · 24-03-2006, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by handyman

It's up to the employer how long they give you.
And even if you say yes you can change your mind later. Balls in your court so to speak.

OK - not sure where I got 7 days to think about it from. I suppose once an offer has been made / contracts sent out / read contract / weighed up all options it would be about 7 days!

danielf · 24-03-2006, 14:44

Normally you just say you want to think about it (even if you're desperate for the job), and they will probably ask you to get back to them before a certain date. One week sounds quite normal to me.

Saaf_laandon_mo · 24-03-2006, 14:53

I thought that if you've applied for a job, and theyve offered it to you, you'd have nothing to think about. The assumption I make is that the job offer meets all the expectations of the reason you applied to it in the first place.

If I was a boss, and a candidate applied for a job with me, impressed me at interview and I offered him/her the job and this offer met the expectations discussed, then in all honesty Id be a bit miffed if candidate then turned around and sadi they need time to think about it. In such a case Id feel that the candidate is weighing up other job prospects (i.e we're not first on his list) so I'd probably revoke the offer, if they took more than a few days to get back.

LSainsbury · 24-03-2006, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

I thought that if you've applied for a job, and theyve offered it to you, you'd have nothing to think about. The assumption I make is that the job offer meets all the expectations of the reason you applied to it in the first place.

If I was a boss, and a candidate applied for a job with me, impressed me at interview and I offered him/her the job and this offer met the expectations discussed, then in all honesty Id be a bit miffed if candidate then turned around and sadi they need time to think about it. In such a case Id feel that the candidate is weighing up other job prospects (i.e we're not first on his list) so I'd probably revoke the offer, if they took more than a few days to get back.

This was one that I got a rejection on a few weeks ago but they asked if they could keep my details. Today I got an email asking if was still looking...so I'm playing it cool at the moment...

Angua · 24-03-2006, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsainsbury

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

I thought that if you've applied for a job, and theyve offered it to you, you'd have nothing to think about. The assumption I make is that the job offer meets all the expectations of the reason you applied to it in the first place.

If I was a boss, and a candidate applied for a job with me, impressed me at interview and I offered him/her the job and this offer met the expectations discussed, then in all honesty Id be a bit miffed if candidate then turned around and sadi they need time to think about it. In such a case Id feel that the candidate is weighing up other job prospects (i.e we're not first on his list) so I'd probably revoke the offer, if they took more than a few days to get back.

This was one that I got a rejection on a few weeks ago but they asked if they could keep my details. Today I got an email asking if was still looking...so I'm playing it cool at the moment...

I should certainly give them a couple of days to stew but not too long as they may be working their way down the list of 2nd choices.

Nugget · 24-03-2006, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

I thought that if you've applied for a job, and theyve offered it to you, you'd have nothing to think about. The assumption I make is that the job offer meets all the expectations of the reason you applied to it in the first place.

If I was a boss, and a candidate applied for a job with me, impressed me at interview and I offered him/her the job and this offer met the expectations discussed, then in all honesty Id be a bit miffed if candidate then turned around and sadi they need time to think about it. In such a case Id feel that the candidate is weighing up other job prospects (i.e we're not first on his list) so I'd probably revoke the offer, if they took more than a few days to get back.

I'd have thought that would depend on information given at the time of the interview. For example, when I had the interview for this job, I didn't know what the salary was going to be. When I got the letter offering me the job, I'd already pretty much decided that I was going to take it but, taking into account the extra travel and loss of holiday days, I wanted to crunch the figures based on their salary offer.

As it happens, after a couple of days, I worked out that I'd ask for an extra thousand quid which, as it happened, they agreed. As soon as they agreed that, I accepted the offer verbally, and then followed that up in writing.

Personally, I don't feel that a potential employer could see a problem with someone weighing up the pros and cons for anything up to a week (although I appreciate that this could depend on the urgency for the job to be filled)