An offer

[cjsmith]

Companies T, X, MP: resume submitted, never a peep. Probably not a fit.
Company G: wants a phone call early next week but has not yet scheduled it.
Company Z: usually does two interviews. I've had one and then took off for the East Coast for a week. May be interested in seeing me again or may think I rate somewhat lower than boogers.
Company V: interview tomorrow.

And job offer number one of the 2006 Job Search Season is at company M, a place so small and so deep in stealth mode that their web page has nothing on it but a logo. It's verbal so far, by which I mean spoken, and I don't think they're even going to bother checking references before putting it on paper. They want an answer from me ABSOLUTELY RIGHT NOW, as in "start Monday".

I pushed back on answering before tomorrow afternoon's interview at Company V. That one had already been scheduled and I didn't feel at all right about:
- saying yes to Company M and ditching the V interview last minute
- saying yes to Company M and going to the V interview, wasting their time
- saying no to Company M without any time to think
or, honestly, simply being pushed to decide so fast.

So I'm now expected to call as soon as I get out of V's building and tell M what I have decided. Deep breath. I hate being rushed, but it does look appealing...

If I say yes, I break things off with V quite suddenly, and I cancel the call I'm supposed to have with Company G early next week (marking the second time their process has simply been too slow to catch me, thus probably blacklisting me forever in their eyes), and I tell everyone else (including some recruiters) I'm out of the running.

If I say no I... well, what is this, do I want a job or don't I? I mean, they want me, and they want me to write code, and for this they will pay me a salary. What am I looking for, flowers and a serenade?

Time to sleep on it a bit.

Comments

[ericainohio.livejournal.com]

I dunno, CJ. It would kinda be a red flag to me that a company was that desperate and that aggressive. Do you know why Company M is being so pushy? It would seem to me that a reputable, professional company would allow a potential employee ample time to make a decision. Unless they just can't, and maybe that's normal for your profession?

But at any rate, big congratulations for being so WANTED! :-)

[jtidwell.livejournal.com]

What she said. ;-)

My first reaction was the same -- whoa, they're being too aggressive. Think hard on this one; do you think this is the best job offer you will get? Because knowing you, this almost certainly won't be the only one you'll get.

I hear Company G makes good offers. But then, you probably don't want a three-month interview process either, which is what you're likely to get with them.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

I'd be wary of M's verbal offer and rush to respond if nothing has been provided on paper yet. That gives them wiggle room to drop or alter any part of it when you actually start work.

[jtidwell.livejournal.com]

Oh, and also.... congratulations!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh, I certainly won't respond -- and they won't expect me to -- without paper! :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I do wonder why they're being aggressive, but the idea that they're being so quick to make up their minds is just fine. They're only thirteen people.

Thanks!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure it's the best I would ever get, but I suspect it's close to the best. The only real negative for me personally is that there isn't a whole lot of C/C++ coding they're doing (at least right now); I'd be in Java a lot of the time. The salary is competitive, the stock numbers can't be beat, there are a lot of opportunities to challenge myself and learn new stuff, and the culture seems very good from what I can tell.

They're not the first startup to ask for an immediate reply, so it's not *scaring* me so much as making me feel rushed. Bleah. Hate the rushed.

And yeah, I agree with both points about Company G. Sadly, I am guessing they simply won't be fast enough unless I am absolutely committed to them and only them. :-(

[gdmusumeci.livejournal.com]

It sounds like Company M is an early startup: that's fine. Those sorts of companies tend to be extremely aggressive in recruiting people, so I would not be put off by that. Just make sure you do your due diligence around the company's financial health, road to profitability, etc. You know all that I'm sure.

It's always difficult to look for a job. There are all these Really Big Decisions that have to be made, often with incomplete information and in a short timeframe. On a somewhat related topic, I got a job offer yesterday, and found out about it because my current boss called me at home (note that I am on vacation) to tell me that I had an offer letter in my inbox. What the hell was that?!

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

That kind of aggression is a standard characteristic of startups as early in life as Company M is. At this stage in their business lives, everything is happening at lightning speed and if they don't move just as fast, then another startup with a similar idea might pull ahead, grab the funding and the market, and that's that. Think of these kinds of companies like jumpy little dogs only these jumpy little dogs just might become real dogs someday.

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

If M is what you want after you've slept on it, then I think you should insist on flowers and a serenade during the offer signing process. ;)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That's so true: you never have all the information you want to have. Neither does the hiring manager. I often liken this process to getting married on a first date. The more I interview and work, the more I think that's (an exaggeration but) essentially true.

So, um... what kind of ding-dong sends an offer letter to the candidate's current place of employment? That's pretty weird! Had your boss known you were looking? WERE you looking at all? How strange!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

These people just might do it! Yesterday at the interview they invited me to their Thursday evening party hour (margaritas and quesadillas, this time) and when they didn't find the acting VPE had any good songs on her iPod for us to listen to, they threatened to sing instead. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I've never been to one this early in its life cycle. (I've been employee forty-something before, but never in the teens.) What a world! :-)

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

It sounds like the little start-up could actually be a lot of fun. Challenging, yes, but sounds like a pretty good fit.

[dpolicar]

Yeah, second what amywithani said. I was employee number seven once. It was like that. We all moved so fast we sorta forgot that the rest of the world didn't.

(I remember once working myself into a lather because some piece of information had not yet been disseminated and I had mentioned it SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY and the nondisseminator had to sit me down and say "Yes, Dave. But it's been less than 24 hours. Please chill." _That_ was embarassing.)

I suspect the important thing is that you not be seen as dithering. "I have another interview and it's only fair to go to it before responding to your offer" is fine... but expect "Great, so when will that interview be over and can you call us then?" as a reply. A firm "I can call you two hours afterward" or whatever is probably fine. (Of course, you could simply inflate the interview time)

And good luck, however you go. The small-startup thing is a huge blast... I recommend everyone do it at least once, to see what they are capable of. It will attempt to own your soul, however.

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

They're not the first startup to ask for an immediate reply, so it's not *scaring* me so much as making me feel rushed. Bleah. Hate the rushed.

If they're rushed now, they'll be rushed when you work for them too. (They're a startup, that ain't a shocker, I know, I'm stating the obvious. :) )

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

A good point though. They absolutely will. Sometimes I need the obvious stated, when I'm making a decision quickly!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm chuckling about the less-than-24-hours story. It's so believable, and not at all your "fault" -- it was the culture and you were caught up in it! :-)

I like the "not dithering" point. Thank you. I'll be sure to present myself that way.

I'm really leaning toward taking it. Company V will have to be pretty phenomenal to pull me away...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

It is at least a good fit culturally, which helps a lot. (And my sincere sympathies to those for whom that's not true, or who have hateful coworkers. That's seriously rough.)

[dpolicar]

(grin) My other favorite story of that period was stumbling into my boss's office at some time around 3pm one day to see if he wanted to grab food, 'cuz I needed to take a break.

He said sure and we went to Harvard Square and it was PACKED.

And I looked around incredulously and said "It's 3pm! Don't these people have JOBS?"

And my boss looked at me sadly and said "Dave... it's Sunday."

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

BWAHAHAA! That is excellent! And man, it's so "startup". The world of the small startup has its own mythos, its own stories and stumbling blocks and underlying patterns repeated, and that one fits squarely into it. :-) (The other thing that sorta fits is that even though you wrote 3pm, the first time I read it I got "3am". I had to reread when I didn't know why Harvard Square would be packed on a Sunday night.)

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Flowers and a serenade seem perfectly reasonable. After all, it's not just anybody. It's *you.*

(OK, that was written 'half in jest and full earnest' as the Irish are wont to say.)

I just agreed to another position with the same company (for more pay). I've been searching actively for months now, looking for something that would keep me employed by the same employer while giving me a new challenge. It's not an especially good time to be a NASA contractor whose background is in unmanned astronomy missions. What I've ended up agreeing to is, I've decided, the best practical deal for me. It's not an astronomy mission, but it is a mission. It won't pay quite what I'd asked, but it's more than 10% more than what I'm getting now. Most importantly, it's a mission that has so much riding on it that I know it's not going to be cancelled.

So is it a dream job? No, not really. Is it a good job? It is. It'll do, and it'll give me good experience for a time when the wheel turns again and astronomical missions become available.

I recommend a similar decision matrix to you.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

'half in jest and full earnest'

I like that phrase! *grin*

It's not an especially good time to be a NASA contractor whose background is in unmanned astronomy missions.

I hear ya. I like the fact that you found one that you are sure is not going to be cancelled. That's got to be one of the worst parts of working on something like this: it could all get shelved at any moment. I'm glad you're not likely to face that with this new position.

So is it a dream job? No, not really. Is it a good job? It is. It'll do, and it'll give me good experience....

That's how I'm feeling about M. It's not *perfect* but it's quite good. It will give me lots of experience I can use later. The salary is competitive, the tasks they'll have me do will be opportunities to learn, they *want* a generalist whose job is "learn and then do", the people are friendly and I think I'll fit in. It's a good job.

Thanks!

[wcg.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!

So, have you decided?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I still have that interview at Company V. Unless V is spectacular, though, I think I'm going to take the offer at M.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

I will stay tuned for further developments!

Strangely familiar

[psi-star-psi.livejournal.com]

I signed up at a place with only thirteen people in it once. Wow, that was a bunch of clowns.

Of course, then you came and joined us about a year later, so you already knew that.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

As someone doing the small startup thing right now (employee #2 of 5!) I'd definitely agree that it's a blast :) The way I see it, if the pay is good and the people look like they'd be people you'd want to spend a large portion of your waking week with, it's definitely worth taking a chance on.

The only real problem is the opportunity cost of the jobs you *might* have been offered had you only waited a few more weeks and shopped around more. As several other commenters have noted, it's not unreasonable pressure because startups often need to hire people with desperate urgency, but that doesn't make it any more comfortable from your side. Can you negotiate a bit more money (either salary increase or signing bonus) as a compensation for immediately telling everyone else you're not interested and not waiting to hear what they might have had to say?

There's also the "it's a startup - what if it doesn't survive" fear, but I've personally always taken the attitude that even if things do go pear-shaped, I'll only be more marketable the next time around.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this comment! After my interview with Company V, I'm realizing that if Company V makes me an offer I'd have a tough time choosing. V is 40 people and is more in my comfort zone. I wondered on the drive home: "Can I find people who are working in very small companies and ask what it's like?" Your first paragraph was just what I needed!

Sometimes I wish I could take 'em all. *sigh* But there's not enough of me to go around even when I have only one!

I agree completely about the "what if it doesn't survive" fear. I too am banking on being as or more hirable than before.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

DANG! V looks good too! I have another hour or two before M starts to wonder why I haven't gotten out of my interview at V yet.

Re: Strangely familiar

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

BWAHAAA! So true! :-)

[wcg.livejournal.com]

And your decision?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

M. I called and left voice mail for the guy at M. (I'm a little surprised he hasn't called back yet, actually; he was so all-fired anxious to hear, and he hasn't checked his office or cell voice mail.)

*deep breath* nervous! Plus, last two days of "freedom" start right now. Many things to tidy up around here so's I feel ready to focus.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

I wish you all the best with it CJ.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! :-)