Should I accept a job offer if I'm still waiting on an offer for a better job?

Question

I'm in my last year of college, and I have been offered a job with a start date of 1 year from now. The pay and benefits are excellent, but they expect you to work hard, averaging 55-60 hours a week with no overtime, which is ok with me but no walk in the park. I only have 3 days to decide whether to accept or reject this offer.

Next week, I have a follow up interview with my dream job. The pay is a little lower, benefits are about the same, I would average 40 hours a week and get overtime for any additional, and it is something I have always dreamed of doing. Because this job is very hard to get, I still have many hoops to jump through and will not be extended an offer from this job until about 2 months from now.

If I decline the first job offer, and I don't get the dream job, I am out of luck and unemployed. If I accept the first job offer and get offered my dream job, I would want my dream job but would feel really bad turning the first job down after formally accepting.

Any advice?

Answer 1

I've never heard of a job being offered so far in advance. Weird. There are so many things that can happen in 365 days...you could fall off a cliff, the company could go bankrupt, etc.



It would be unethical to accept this first job if your dream job finally comes through and you tell the first company ooops, sorry.



Also, with this many jobs coming up now, why would you be unemployed in a year's time if both of these jobs fell through? Too many unanswered questions here.



In the end, the first job doesn't sound very good at all unless it would look stellar on your resume. I would decline.

Answer 2

Take the first job. You won't even start working in it for another year...and by that time you'll know whether or not you're in the running for the dream job. Don't worry about turning the first job down at a later date...I'm pretty certain there are a lot more people in the applicant pool to choose from.

Answer 3

Start date one year from now.... If you were to accept and then withdraw from the job, they would presumably have other people to fall back on. This dream job is far from being yours. Accept the first job and then see what happens with the dream job. Having been in this situation myself, I can tell you that things have a way of sorting themselves out.

Answer 4

Accept the first offer, but continue going for your dream job. Then if you get your dream job, pull out of the first opportunity.

Answer 5

well when dose the frist job start ad no ur not stuck in the 90 day probation poride just give then a two week notice