Need Employment Advice!
 

I thought I would post this thread here because there's more traffic.

So I'm getting an offer for this internship with minimum wage, and its for 3 months until the end of the summer, 30 hours a week. The start date is starting next week, and I have to sign and return the employment letter to them by the end of Friday.


The problem is, I have an interview next week and am still waiting for responses from other companies (with much better pay/hours/everything). Should I accept this offer and keep applying/interviewing and leave when I secure something better? Or should I just straight up decline the offer and not waste their time? I don't want to reject them but not get any offers after that and end up with nothing.


TLDR: Is it ok to leave a company after like a few weeks if I find something better? (employment letter and NDA don't specify, but term is for 3 months)

Should I accept this offer and keep applying/interviewing and leave when I secure something better?

Yes.

Lets say you decline the offer and not get any other responses from other companies. Then what?

Its better to have something than nothing

Is it common for people to work for short durations and then leave for something better? Especially after signing employment letter etc. Just wondering if there are any legal issues or anything.

Have you already verbally accepted the 1st offer? If not, I would politely tell the 1st company that there are other potential outstanding offers and that you would need another week to decide. String them along.

Following the interview with company 2, tell them you already have an outstanding offer but you do prefer working with them. Let them know so they decide quickly.

Companies like to know that you're demanded and that they've made the right decision. This is usually how I get 10-20% higher salary than initially offered.

Take the job

if you leave a week later, that is fine, you don't have to mention this on your resume anyways for this length of time(some will argue this point, i personally wouldn't if its like this)

As for legal issues, just make sure that theres no clause that says you cannot work for a competitor within x amount of time in between gigs

I don't recommend taking the 1st offer and leaving soon after. It's not a good idea to burn bridges.

Well I've already postponed the start date with this internship for a week, so can't delay anymore. The second job is much more stable and long term with benefits, and the internship only lasts 3 months at min. salary

I had the same dilemma a few years back and I ended up taking the job with the lower pay. I didn't want to risk it.

Its a decision that has pros and cons.

Burning bridges could mean screwing over future connections. Yet I don't really see a win-win in this situation.

Options:
1-Tell the company you need more time as you have other interviews
2-Decline the offer
3-Take the offer and leave if the other companies offers are better.

None of the options will make the first company happy, essentially burning that bridge, yet the least harmful option is #1. In this day and age, I would never decline a job considering in Vancouver (job specific) it's a pain in the ass to get a half-decent job.

TBH really, I'm not too worried about burning bridges. The person i've been in contact all along is on contract and she doesn't know if she's going to stay with the company long term.

Also, the position is a marketing assistant in an IT startup (my degree is in marketing). I don't plan on expanding into the IT field, so I guess there isn't much harm?

Short of interviewing with the fine folks at the Church of Latter Day Saints, most employers won't hesitate to screw you over if needed or required.

In that case, its a dog eat dog world.

However...honesty is a fantastic policy, with caveats.

One-tell them straight up that you have another interview scheduled for more money in a week.

No one likes to be someone's second string. If you are confident that you are a real score for them, and they are really going to want you for 3 months, then go for it. These are people that are telling you that they would pay you less if legally allowed...so keep that in mind.


Two, tell them you are putting them on hold for a week.

I'd respect it. If I'm in a crunch for heads, I might go without you. I'd appreciate not investing time in training you and then not getting you. Take your read on the business.

Three...fuck 'em if you have to.

Who's number one in your world?

Are you done school? Why are you looking for an internship? Are you desperate? How confident are you in your ability to get another job?

Take the internship if you REALLY need the work experience. Otherwise reject it. Don't screw over the company and someone else who would gladly take that position in place of you.

I was in a similar position. Secured a co-op position for a very small company at low wages, no benefits. Two weeks later, I found out I got offered a very good internship in HK through connections.... decided not to burn bridges and stayed with my co-op position. One year later, the work experience and positive reference from that employer helped me secure a wonderful position that I'm currently still at.

It was a very very tough decision to turn down the internship, but I'm glad to say things have worked out!

My advice for you is when it comes to co-op and internship positions like this... look beyond the pay and benefits. Many professionals I've talked to (as well as reputable articles and forums such as WSO) have said that the most important thing about these student positions is the experience. Working at large, reputable companies will help you get noticed when you're applying for FT positions. It also helps immensely when you're networking. I read one article which talked about how one finance student interned at several F500 companies without pay for 2 years. This eventually helped him get many interviews when recruiting season came along, and landed him several offers.

A coworker I worked with last year, had lucrative internship/co-op experience in various large organizations throughout her undergraduate degree. She found a FT position shortly after graduating, and got a very good offer with full benefits.

If the jobs are all in the same field (and presumably the position isn't any form of unskilled labour), I would definitely recommend against taking the first job, and quit soon after you find something else. In any particular field (esp if it is specialized), it is a much smaller world out there than you think. Over time, it is common to keep running into similar faces over the course of your career. So if you are burning your bridges now, karma is only going to bite you back in the a$$ later down the road.