But I Need More Time...

Every semester we see students going through the job search process, whether directly through our office or externally. Being the quality job seekers that Marquette students are, most of these students are spreading their options and applying with a number of different organizations. This helps the students get a good feel for the companies out there, and in turn which may be the best fit for their needs. The best news comes for the truly fortunate students that get to choose which company they ultimately work for. But as good of news as this can be, at times it causes the most stress of any part of the process.

Most students go into the job search process having an idea of which company is their first choice. The interview process will usually help to reinforce this feeling. However, the problem that often arises is when an offer comes that is not from the first choice organization. Due to the timing of recruiting cycles, you may run into a situation such as this where you receive an offer before you have completed your interview with your top choice organization. How should you then proceed in this circumstance?

First, any offer you receive should allow you time to consider all the details. If you are being pressed for an immediate answer, you may want to think about why they would want such an immediate decision. Should this happen, ask for time to think about the offer and make the best decision for yourself. If you do have an interview upcoming, it is acceptable to let the organization know about this. Most companies will be flexible to allow you to make the best decision for yourself, as they want employees that want to be working for them.

As with anything, you need to use some reason with asking for additional time. If you are asking for a few days, or maybe even a week, you should be fine. If you are delaying your response by an extended amount of time, you are risking your spot being taken, as the company may then assume you are not truly interested. Ultimately the companies are willing to show some flexibility, but you need to be respectful of the position they are in, just as you would hope they are respectful of the position you are in.