08 Mar Feeling Anxious About Multiple Job Opportunities? Here’s How to Handle it Like a Pro!

If there is one word you want to be known for in your career it’s integrity.

One of the best definitions of integrity is the ability to be trusted to do the right thing reliably. It also means having a moral compass and can be counted on to consistently make the right decision.

And, right now, health and safety candidates have the upper hand.

With an influx of roles and a competitive market for employers, many candidates are juggling multiple job opportunities. We know candidates want to do the right thing and build a reputation as good operators. However, sometimes the anxiety induced by juggling multiple roles leads otherwise competent professionals to make poor choices about how they conduct themselves in the interview process.

So, we’ve written our top tips to help you put your best and most professional self forward when you’re interviewing for your next role.

1. Say no, not let’s go!

If you are approached about a role, pause for a moment and ask yourself does the role meet my criteria, e.g. scope, location, salary? If it doesn’t, put the flattery to one side and decline the opportunity there and then. You’ll receive more respect for saying ‘no’ at this point, than starting the interview process only to decline later. You may also be blocking someone else from interviewing for the role who is interested and better suited than you.

2. Open and transparent communication

Recruiters and employers respect open communication, so tell them if you are interviewing for other roles (and the time-frames for those recruitment programs). During the interview process, be upfront about things like salary, the expectation of flexible working, planned holidays, etc. It’s a hindrance to blindside the recruiter or employer with expectations they were not aware of at the beginning of the interview process.

3. Have courageous conversations

If you are feeling overwhelmed because you are in the interview process for one role, but at the offer stage for another and you really want to stall the first process, one of the worst things you can do is ignore recruiters or hiring managers. Coming up with excuses as to why you haven’t had time to review the contract or get your referees together is just as bad (this is when recruiters start to become super suspicious).

Communication is the key to keeping your solid reputation intact. Discuss the situation with all parties, after all, if you are following our tips, then it’s no surprise that you are at this stage. How your future employer communicates with you at this point just might ‘seal the deal’.

4. Decline with poise

If you are at the offer stage, it can still come as a surprise to a recruiter or employer that you don’t want their job. After all, like you, they have invested a lot of time in the process. How you manage the ‘no thanks’ conversation is extremely important. Your feedback to them should be constructive and they should be thanked for their time, recognising they now have to start the recruitment process over again.

5. Never accept a role and then not start

Quite possibly the most career-damaging move you can make is to sign an employment contract and then not go through with it. It is a much better situation to ask for 48 hours to review the contract and consider the offer, as well as think through how you will manage a counteroffer from your current employer. To sign a contract, then leave the employer (and recruiter) in limbo is something that they will always remember and will damage your reputation as a professional.

FINAL WORD FOR CANDIDATES

No matter how you manage to accept and decline offers, make sure you do it with integrity. Let that be the one word that people use to describe you.

Ready to resign? Read our blog for tips here.

And, here’s our take on counteroffers.

For further information on how to stand out, click here.

And remember, we are here to help with your job search or to recruit great talent into your health and safety team. Get in touch with us here.