Forum - Ask the Hiring Manager

QUESTION:

I have an offer with a company that requires a drug test that needs to be scheduled, in the mean time I am pretty close to another offer that I might consider very strongly, even if the salary is a little lower than my 1st offer. By scheduling the drug test for the 1st offer, will I be automatically accepting the 1st offer? What do you suggest I do in this situation?

From: Monica Uttarkar, Senior at New Jersey Institute Of Technology


ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:

Hi Monica - -

Usually (although not always) when a pre-employment drug test is involved, the offer is contingent upon successful results from that drug test. In other words, we are making you an offer, but if you fail the drug test, the offer is null and void. This is fairly standard for any company involved in pre-employment drug testing.

The bottom line is that you should proceed forward with all potential offers until you have formally accepted.

However, your question actually brings up the broader question of when is an offer acceptance a legally bound contract. The reality is that while you can legally bind the company to a formal offer (remember to always get it in writing), there is little the company can do to bind you to an offer acceptance. In fact, it often happens that a candidate will accept an offer with one company, only to later change his/her mind and accept a different offer. What is the first company going to do? Sue you to enforce the contract? Hardly.

But please do not misinterpret my statement of this reality as my giving tacit approval of accepting one offer, then going after another. The other half of the reality is that when you accept and then later reject an offer, you have likely burned a bridge to that company for the duration of your career. Not a very wise thing to do in the world of job search.

The timing of offers seldom works out perfectly. You can use your negotiating position to slow down the early offers and speed up the later offers, but within reason. In the end, you will need to make a final decision and stick with it. Above all, do NOT continue to take additional interviews after you have already accepted an offer. And only in the most extreme circumstances should you consider backing out of an already accepted offer.

Read my chapter on job offer negotiation here at the site, where you'll find more information on how to properly respond to offers and how to maximize your offer. Or offers (plural), as the case may be.

Congratulations--your job search is almost complete! Take special care in completing these important final steps.

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All job search information at this forum is provided by Brian Krueger, author of the book College Grad Job Hunter, the definitive guide for college grad job search. Used by permission of the author.