Job Search Information

The Multiple Offer Technique

If you are willing to entertain offers from other companies, it is your personal obligation to inform these companies of your initial offer as quickly as possible. You may have only one or two others that are even in the running. If so, restrict these multiple offer tactics to them.

Contact the person within the company who would be your hiring manager. Let that person know that you have received a competitive offer and tell the manager which company made the offer. The reason for giving out the company name is that you usually will not have to disclose the dollar amount, since most industry insiders have at least a general idea what others in the field are paying. Don't be surprised if the manager suddenly backs off, because they may realize that their company cannot match the other company's wage/benefit package or other perks. If you have scored your initial hit with an industry leader such as P&G in Consumer Products, Boeing in Aeronautical Engineering, Microsoft in Software, or another market leader, you may find it difficult to draw a second offer, except, perhaps, from won of the other wanna-be-giants. The true giants are tough to beat. It takes time to put together a competitive offer and some of second-tier companies may be just as willing to back away as to put up a fight. If this happens and you have a true preference for the other company, let them know in very direct terms that you are still more interested in them than the company that made the initial offer. Bigger is not always better.

You will find that once the first offer comes in, it is often quite easy to generate others. If you have done an excellent job of developing yourself differentially from your competition, employers will know they have to react quickly to sway you to their side.

You may have the uncommon luxury of choosing who you want to work for. While others are scratching and begging for an offer--any offer--you actually have the difficult (?) decision of deciding which company you like best. Keep all the negotiations open and honest. You will find that honesty is not only "the best policy," but also your greatest competitive advantage. If one company comes up $2,000 short of what you would accept, discuss it with the appropriate party. The company would much rather shoot at a specific target. For more specifics on negotiating your offer, see the "Successful Job Offer Negotiation" Section.

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