Job interviews and afterwards
 

Hey all,
I was wondering about this and it's bugging me.
If you get an interview, should you still keep searching for jobs? What if you go to many interviews and more than one job accepts you? If oyu tuen down one of them after accpeting since you already found a job, will they think that you were not taking them seriously or fooling around?
What if you feel that one job MIGHt accept you and you have another job interview in anotherp lace. Should you go to the other interview anyway?
When do you stop searching for jobs?
I'm sorry, i'm so confused. Thanks for any help.

Never stop searching.

Many would say it's a bad sign to stop interviewing even after you're happily employed. There's a difference in approach, say between on-your-knees-desperation and you-need-me-aloof, but you should always be testing your marketability. Even if you have no intention of taking a second offer it'll help you know what qualities are valued and what you may lack. All the better if you have to choose between suitors.

More than once I have been in the situation where I'd accepted a job and then was offered another. One time I was offered two different jobs the same day, within 10 minutes of each other. Pay rate was the same, distance identical-I took the first offer.
I've also been offered a job within two weeks of taking another. Felt bad, but I left the first one(it was near Christmas and I got some nice gifts and even a small bonus, even though I'd only been there 19 days).
Unless you have some sort of hard to find skill, never feel so obligated to one place that you would stop looking. You ARE expendable and replaceable.
Courtesy would be to give at least 10 days notice-you don't want to burn bridges.
Once settled into a job, don't stop 'looking'. Missed opportunities are just that. Whenever a job comes your way, look into it, no matter how happily employed you might be.It's a lot easier to tell 10 people 'no', then hope you get to tell just one 'yes'.

Thanks guys!
What is you accept an offer and sign the contract, and then you get a better job offer?
What do you do and what about the contract you just made? Aren't you unable to do anything once you sign a contract? Or you can, if you leave a notice within a ?# of days?
Can you actually sign a contract nad then after a while just say "bye bye" after finding a better offer? If you can, wouldn't this look bad on your resume? Wouldn't people be afraid to hire you again?
Sorry and thanks for bearing with me ! ;)

Each contract should be treated individually. Each employer, too. Be sure you understand what you sign. Ask for X days to respond. Read and re-read the contract. Get help if necessary. Look for anything having to do with termination. Non-compete clauses, too. (depends on the field)

Yes, there's some honor involved. If you're a habitual job changer it will get around. Would you want to invest in someone who couldn't stick with commitments? While hopping was the rage during the bubble, loyalty counts for a bit more now. (Though not more than employer->employee loyalty, which isn't great.)

How much are you inconveniencing the employer? If you verbally accept but back out before signing it'll be a minor inconvenience. Maybe bruised egos. If you back out after orientation and leave them short for a big show then expect a larger reaction. Some contracts spell things out, though they may be more bark than bite. (depends on the contract vs. employment law)

Get the information you can. Make the best decision you can. It's tough when things are happening quickly but you have to walk the line between treating yourself right vs. screwing others to whatever degree. Remember, how you do things is as important as what you do. You can smooth over what might otherwise look like a flaky move. If you get a great 2nd offer, let them know. Soon. People generally understand if you don't leave them in the lurch. It's a small world and you may be working with or for them later.

Great advice, Cyrnel.
So far, i've gone to one interview. dont know if they'll accept me yet.
I have another interview tommorrow. I'm right now in need of a job, so the first one who accepts, i'll go for...
that is why I am afriad, because if a better job offer comes i'll take it, but as i'm searching for the best, i still want to be working rather than just sitting at home waiting for a miracle,lol.
thx for the advice, Cyrnel

Always read anything you sign. Unless you're a salaried, exempt employee, or protected by a union, most places will have you under an "at-will" employment contract. "At-will" means you can be terminated any time, and you can quit any time--though most places, if you don't give them two weeks notice, will put you on their no-hire list should you give less than 2 weeks of notice.

Go with what works best for you, employer-wise. Don't be afraid to switch jobs even if you are a new employee. In this day and age very few of us work for employers who care for us. Ng is right--you are expendable. They wouldn't think twice about downsizing you if they had to--so you've got to look out for No. 1.

Sure.

Because after they interview - they'll probably interview more potential staff.

It's not done until it's done.

When a company calls you to offer you a job, it's okay to say "Thank you, let me think about it, and I'll give you a call tomorrow." You don't want your desperation to show (they may pay you crap if they know you're desperate... just like getting a loan or upping your credit card limit... you only get it when you don't need it), and you don't want to agree to anything that you don't have time to think over. You're not the first person to tell them this, and you won't be the last person to tell them this. Also, if you have another interview in a couple days, tell them this, and tell them you'll let them know after that. When you go to the other interview, tell them that you've already received an offer, which will let them know that they need to decide whether they want you or not pretty quick.

The only exception I can think of (based on what I'm going through with my company right now) is if they need you to start tomorrow (which would be the case in freelance positions, for one). For that situation, if you want to work, you take it. You can always work things out later, because you're basically on-call/as-needed, and if they're not giving you steady work (or not paying you a retainer), they can't realistically expect you to give them steady assistance.

If you're leaving one job to go to this job, you also want to get it in writing, just to have something to back you up. This also gives you a stronger negotiating position, because you don't "need" it. It's okay to negotiate salary in the majority of professional situations that I can think of, because I don't think a company would realistically not come back with either another offer, or say that's their final offer. Of course, this is all based on my limited hiring/negotiating experience, so I may be wrong, but I feel I'm at least being logical and fair. =) However, I would say that if they start getting into small increments ($17 vs $17.50 per hour when the start was $15 vs $20), then they're getting down to the point where you need to accept or risk not getting the job.

Keep looking until you have the job...maybe until you've started working there! Once you commit, make sure it is what you want to do and then honor that commitment. Be honorable and it will help you in the long run.

At this point I'm only echoing what others have said, but... until you've locked into something, you want to keep all of your options open. That means keep interviewing and don't get complacent after one interview that seemed to go well.