Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
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Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#2There ought to be a database of companies that give offers with very short expirations. Not necessarily condemning the practice, but it would be good to know. Yelp, for example, routinely gives offers with a 5-day acceptance window.
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#3There ought to be a database of companies that give offers with very short expirations. Not necessarily condemning the practice, but it would be good to know. Yelp, for example, routinely gives offers with a 5-day acceptance window.
This is every company. I've never heard of any company giving more than 3-5 days. If you work for a big corp, you know how unbelievably insecure management is, any delay at all would make them look very bad politically. When a hiring manager's whole career is based on appearances, which it usually is, a week is an eternity.
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#4Campus recruiters count on student’s high ethical standards.
This goes far beyond campus recruiters. Most companies, at least here in the UK apply the same mentality to job offers.
The key factor is absolute honesty & transparency. As Joel alludes to in the article, be open and tell them you are considering all of your options before making a decision. If pushed, turn the tables and ask them if they would offer a job to the first person they interviewed even if they were a good fit for the role? How do they know the next person they meet won't be a better fit. Pressure tactics are common place and this is an excellent example of one of the first times you will be faced with it and it will benefit you down the line when you start working for them and they press you for project deadlines and so on.
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#5There ought to be a database of companies that give offers with very short expirations. Not necessarily condemning the practice, but it would be good to know. Yelp, for example, routinely gives offers with a 5-day acceptance window.
This is every company. I've never heard of any company giving more than 3-5 days. If you work for a big corp, you know how unbelievably insecure management is, any delay at all would make them look very bad politically. When a hiring manager's whole career is based on appearances, which it usually is, a week is an eternity.
I totally agree with you for most job offers. This article, though, is directed toward college students looking for summer jobs and internships. For a position that starts 7 months from now I would expect a longer window to be acceptable.
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#6Is it odd that the most surprising thing about this article, for me, was that people start looking for summer jobs in November?
Also, why aren't people accepting every offer they get, then at the start of summer[1] send an email about changing their minds to everyone who isn't the best offer? Or even play offers against each other?
[1] or rather a reasonable amount of time sooner
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#7I'm surprised this is coming from Spolsky. Spolsky's companies must be getting big.
Small companies can often only hire one person at a time and therefore need short acceptance windows. Small companies (< 50 people) often have only one specific position open. It is unethical to make more than one offer if you hiring for a single position. Therefore small companies often need short acceptance windows so they can make an offer to someone else who might want the position and fill the job.
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#8There's no mention of the flip side of this. I only have one position, and I interview multiple candidates, several of which are good. If I make you an offer, I can't afford to sit around waiting for weeks for you to make up your mind: if you turn it down, chances are my other candidates are already gone, and now I have to start the whole process again from scratch.
Edit: fair enough, I missed that Joel was talking about the specific context of internships.
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#9Is it odd that the most surprising thing about this article, for me, was that people start looking for summer jobs in November? Also, why aren't people accepting every offer they get, then at the start of summer[1] send an email about changing their minds to everyone who isn't the best offer? Or even play offers against each other? [1] or rather a reasonable amount of time sooner
Ethics? Not wanting to burn bridges?
Re: Joel Spolsky On Tech Hiring: Beware the Exploding Offer
#10So accept the initial offer, do the interview with the #1 choice anyway, and if it works out, drop the runner-up. They don't need to be on your resume. The first choice doesn't need to know about any of this, though you might have to get creative with the interview scheduling.
I have no doubt that the scenario Joel describes is real, but anyone who gets screwed this way needs a bit more of the "dog eat dog" mindset. It's unfortunate the world works this way sometimes, but it's all in the game. I sympathize with any young kid in this position though, the unemployment rate alone has to make the prospect of turning down an offer, any offer, seem insane.