A bird in the hand - job advice required

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

Background - I recently moved country and have been looking for a new contract job for about 2 months - and finally got offered a job today (job A). It’s an interesting enough job, ballpark for salary, but only 2 month long contract, starting Monday 20th.

Conundrum is that I am expecting a response from another company, for perhaps a slightly more prestigious role on Monday, for at least a year contract (job B). Salary unknown although they know my range. I spoke to the HR person there today, she says I am definately in contention, the only external candidate interviewed for one of 2 roles, and it mostly depends on a budget and planning meeting tomorrow. So they can’t give me a firm yes/no until Monday. Starting date for this is 1 July.

So the question is, do I take job A, knowing I will have to start looking for work almost immediately, or say no, hoping that job B (or one of a number of others in the pipeline) works out in the next couple of weeks?

I am tempted to say no to job A (against better judgement) thinking I have a good chance with role B, and if that doesn’t work out, I already have job hunting momentum. But, it’s saying no to an income, which could be really useful.

So dopers, you have 12 hours or so to help me make up my mind.

#2

Do you think that the people at Job A might be willing to work with you (let you start later or something) if you explained your situation to them?

#3

Do you realize that this post’s tag reads “A bird in the hand-job…?”

#4

Can you stall job A? Just tell them that you would like to think about it over the weekend, but that you will give them a firm answer by the close of business Monday.

If they pressure you to give them an answer sooner than that, then you may need to make a choice. But why borrow trouble?

#5

I jsut realized they want you to start monday. If the job is so desperate that they can’t stand to wait a day, or if they are so undiscriminating that they’d rather have someone else than have the best candidate one day late, then they sound kind of flakey.

#6

Ha. I came in to make the same observation.

#7

Read the proposed contract of employment carefully. Have they sent you one? If not, say that you’d like one to read. That’ll buy you a day or two.

#8

:eek: Always a career path worth considering! :smiley:

#9

My recruitment person has explained this, they are going to interview another candidate tomorrow, so I really have only until tomorrow morning to make a call.

Still, it has been suggested to me that I should wait and see what the call is on Monday, and if it’s a ‘no’ then check back with the consultant and see if they filled the role or not and offer to take it if it’s still available.

#10

I would have to advise against adding birds to hand-jobs. Would probably be painful, and you might run afoul of bestiality laws.