How Do I Delay Job Start Dates Without Losing The Opportunity?

[rodster888]

I have been working in the call center industry since 2006. I resigned last December 2012 and have been working from home / a housewife since then. Just recently I started re-applying at Team Leader job openings I saw online.

My problem is: I went thru alot of job applications and actually got accepted to several companies. One company is already rushing me to start on June 24th but I am still waiting to hear back on my other job applications since I want to work for the other companies I applied to MORE since they have better company standing, etc. I am worried if I do not take the other job offer and start by June 24, that I may not even get the other job/s I applied to. Here's an overview of my choices:

Call Center #1:
- Offered me low salary
- Is 1 hour away from my home
- Poor facilities, poor employee satisfaction (based on internet searches)
- Company is well known
- Potential START DATE: July 5

Call Center #2:
- Offered me high salary
- Is 30 mins away from my home
- Nice facilities, medium to poor employee satisfaction (based on internet searches)
- Company is "unheard of", small company
- Potential START DATE: June 24

Call Center #3:
- Hasn't offered me salary yet, but based on feedback, can give me HIGH salary
- Is 1 hour away from my home
- Great facilities, VERY high employee satisfaction (based on internet searches)
- Company is VERY well known and has a GREAT REPUTATION
- Potential START DATE: ??? - Still waiting for 2nd interview date

Call Center #4:
- Hasn't offered me salary yet, but based on feedback, can give me HIGH salary
- Is 1 hour away from my home
- Great facilities, high employee satisfaction (based on internet searches)
- Company is VERY well known and has a GREAT REPUTATION
- Potential START DATE: ??? - Still waiting for 2nd interview date

Call Center #5:
- Hasn't offered me salary yet, but based on feedback, can give me HIGH salary
- Is 1 hour away from my home
- Okay facilities, high employee satisfaction (based on internet searches)
- Company is SEMI well known
- Potential START DATE: ??? - Still waiting for JOB OFFER, done with recruitment process, no call back yet

How do I delay the hire dates any further without losing the potential job? The other companies aren't a sure thing yet so I am really pressed to decide. =( HELP!!!!

[bednobs]

really though? Isn't it easier to find a job when you are already in work?

[rodster888]

BEDNOBS- True, it MAY look better than "housewife", however, it will look a lot WORSE, if my resume has:
- Call Center # 2 (worked only for 6 mos or less on it), don't you think?

I am already in a managerial role, NOT an entry level role, so I have to think out my career moves before impulsively making them. It is not like I am choosing from Gas Station #1 or Gas Station #2, heck, it would be easier if I wasn't planning out a GOOD or BETTER career move. Where I come from, career choices play a big role in people's lives. If I can get great compensation and money to pay bills on top of being with a GREAT company, why wouldn't I choose that over SETTLING for a no name company that just happened to offer me an equally high salary? Understand?

[rodster888]

237SJ - Exactly my point and my dilemma. Bednobs cannot seem to grasp my point and why I am having this dilemma. But thanks, bednobs for your inputs. I'm really thankful for everyone who is taking the time to help me out. =)

[237SJ]

I think you`ve answered your own question, which is don`t take no 2, hang on for something better. Did you get any feeling about how you did in the interviews?

[bednobs]

sorry, no not in the slightest. If you are able to stay at home and not work then great - just turn down company number 2 on the off chance you may get offered something else in one of the other companies. if however, you (like most of the rest of us) need to work for a living, take the number 2 job, make the best of it, rise to the top and then plan your career

[rodster888]

I am not desperate for just "ANY JOB", I luckily have the option to choose among 5 different companies, 3 of which are WELL KNOWN and can offer me great experience, training and salary. It's just I am pressed to make a decision already.

[bednobs]

well i must have misread your questions then. I didn't realise you had the option to chose between 5 - i thought you only had job offers from 2. Must get my glasses out.

[rodster888]

The other companies seem very promising, but like with any other job application, I have no way of knowing for sure if they will hire me at all. Then, if I don't take call center # 2's offer, and all the other companies end up never calling me back, I will have nothing. =( It's taxing enough to dress up, put on your best facade and go to several different interviews and take multiple personallity and IQ tests... I honestly am having difficulty planning out my best moves, since the decision of the jobs aren't up to me just yet.

[EcclesCake]

As you are management calibre you must have to make decisions all the time. Why don't you apply the same process that you would use to make difficult decisions in the work place to this scenario?

[rodster888]

EcclesCake - I sort of already am. I did my research on the company, gathered as much data a I could about their company profiles, salary, employee satisaction, etc, but it wasn't enough to come to a sound and SMART decision. Thus, my next step - Getting people's opinions on it (sort of like having a FOCUSED GROUP DISCUSSION at work).

[EcclesCake]

It's not really focussed though as the focus should be on you and ABers don't know you. We are working in the dark with regards the central entity of the discussion.

[rodster888]

EcclesCake: So what exactly are you suggesting? Is it to STOP using sites like ANSWERBANK to help me make decisions? OBVIOUSLY, I can and will make the final decision, since as you said, NONE of the "ABers" actually know me, especially you. This is the whole POINT of this WEBSITE, is it not? To ask questions and to get answers?

This is the whole ad of The Answer Bank - Ask questions and get real answers from real people. Whether practical or just for fun get answers to your questions. CORRECT? What's up your bum? I haven't gotten any helpful feedback from you yet. So yeah, if you have nothing helpful to contribute, better to move on to another thread.

I am very thankful to the OTHER "ABers" for actually contributing and HELPING. I will be sure to take all your inputs into consideration. Thanks again everyone!!! =)

[EcclesCake]

I thought my answer was well considered and objective, you clearly didn't as you can be the only one so emotionally involved to have taken umbrage and to have reported it.

At risk of having my reply removed again......

I really do appreciate what you are trying to do, i.e. get objective opinions. However, without knowing your strengths and weaknesses, your personality or your larger plan it is very difficult to advise which path to take.

It is ultimately your decision, having suggested you apply some process to your decision I think listening to your heart might be a good idea too.

You are clearly very wound up about the decisions you are facing, you have said on other posts that you have suffered with stress in the work place previously. Please, please consider if you are ready to return to work, there is no point in making yourself I'll if you don't need to return to work just yet.

Look after yourself.

[rodster888]

EcclesCake: Thank you. Much appreciated. I hope you understand, I would not normally ask total strangers for advice, but I'm obviously in a bit of a pickle here. Anyways, I will go ahead and think about it further. Thanks for your suggestions.

[EcclesCake]

I agree you are in a pickle but behaving like Jekyll and Hyde is not going to help you.

Take a walk and clear your head when the decision making gets too much. You are getting yourself too tightly coiled.

[boxtops]

The way I see it is that if you really are not keen on Call Centre 2 then say no, irrespective of whether or not you get another job in the meantime. It's very unprofessional to accept a job then keep on applying for others in the hope something better comes along - and if you accept No. 2 then give your notice in in a couple of weeks' time, it's going to be really bad for reference purposes. A new employer always wants to know why you left the last job and will no doubt ring #2 and ask them - and this just makes it looks as if you might flip from job to job after a few weeks, always looking for a better deal (which tbh isn't always there when you get there).

If you go for #2, IMO, you need to be prepared to give it a few months at least before looking elsewhere. #2 are holding on for you, and no doubt there were other people in the queue that they could offer that job to if you decide you don't want it.

Don't play games - just tell them yes, and stay there and stop job-hunting for a while, or be honest and say no, then keep looking. It's not fair to anyone to keep people dangling like this, and does your own professional reputation no good. You applied for it, after all, you did your homework about their reputation so you knew what you were getting into.

[DTCwordfan]

Call 3 and 4 - which to me sound like the ones you want, explain that you have a pending offer but you would really like to have the chance to work for them and would like to meet soonest to see if the fit is there.

Sounds easy to me. The advice on the long walk is a good one - or have a long bath, whatever is the best place for your think-tank.

[rodster888]

boxtops: Great answer as always. Thanks so much. Will do.

[rodster888]

DTCwordfan - Thanks too. Very sound advice. I'll wait a week before I call #3 & #4 I really would not want to blow my chances by seeming too eager. They REALLY are the ones I want... =)