Hi all, I posted a few weeks ago about turning a job offer down solely on the basis of having a bad feeling about it, and wanted to share an update.
I transitioned into tech several years ago from a background in the arts. My current job is in an industry I don’t really like, with my current employer being inoffensive enough for me to have taken the job as a foot in the door. The job I turned down was for a company that made Software as a Service for companies in my current industry. The compensation was essentially identical to my current role, but it did look to offer experience in things that would be good for my professional development.
The day after I turned down the job, I was invited to interview by a local company in an industry that I feel a more positively towards, but not particularly strongly about. Everything was going well with them, and I felt confident that I’d accept an offer from them if they made it.
Then, I was invited to interview with a company I had applied to way back in December, that worked in the specific area of the arts that I was in before. I had a first interview that excited me, and the day before the second (and final) interview with Arts Company, Local Company offered me the job.
I asked Local Company to give me some time to consider the offer. The most senior person in the call was a little pushy about knowing why, and wanted me to respond by the following day. I was able to negotiate a little longer, to the morning the day after. I immediately emailed the hiring manager at Arts Company and let them know I had an offer and when my deadline was to decide on it. I asked if they would be able to give me feedback on how I was doing as a candidate following my interview with them, and they agreed.
I had a meeting to receive feedback from the hiring manager at Arts Company first thing in the morning on the day I needed to respond to Local Company. Not only did they offer me the job, they let me know that they had gotten permission to increase the salary budgeted for the role for me. I accepted on the spot, and am now waiting for paperwork to finalise so that I can hand in my notice!
I’m so relieved that I didn’t take the first offer that came my way. I felt a lot more comfortable with the people at both companies, and both of them offered significantly better compensation than the first one.
