Juggling multiple interviews - etiquette question
 

I'm looking for a new job. I've submitted my resume to several places and am hoping for multiple interviews. Since I've never really dealt with this, how does one politely and professionally let a company know that you have other interviews scheduled in the case of a job offer before the other interviews are finished? I'm looking at admin assistant/clerical type jobs, just as reference.

You don't really have to tell them anything. If you're offered a job before you interview with other places, all you have to do is ask if you can have a couple of days to think it over.

Of course, if you want, you could tell them that you're entertaining other offers and would like to get back to them in a couple of days.

If you get offered a job, you pretty much have the advantage there.

Good luck.

Wait until you get offers, then play them against each other to negotiate a higher starting salary.

Not sure if he's kidding but YES

Right - negotiate and play salaries against each other for a clerical job. Hope that strategy works for someone out there but more than that I hope it really was a joke comment.

There really is no etiquette in this case. If offered, take the job you want. Pretty much all potential employers know your are interviewing different places. If you get another offer you want, take it and don't worry about the other companies unless they call. Then you politely say you have accepted another offer.

It's completely accepted that you're interviewing lots of different places. When you get an offer, one valid response is, "I have a couple other companies I'm waiting to hear from this week, so may I have until Monday to get back to you?" HR professionals should have no problem with this.

If it requires a resume and interviews rather than walking in and filling out an application, it's worth it. Even an extra 50 cents per hour adds up to $1000 over a year.

Your math is correct. However, as an employer I can tell you that I know of no one out there that will negotiate hourly rates for anyone at the clerical level which is what the original poster said he was interviewing for.

Medusa is female, just so you know.

Uh, yeah. No offense to Medusa intended, but clerical work isn't exactly a highly specialised job. If it doesn't require uncommon skills, attempting to negotiate salary probably won't get you very far. Why would they negotiate with you when they can just hire the next applicant in line with no hassle?

Don't try to negotiate your salary.

As far as the OP goes, listen to JJ and ratbastid. It's pretty much the accepted norm that if you're interviewing at one place you're probably interviewing at a bunch of them.

The negotiating comments are a joke. You can't negotiate a job at that level without looking like an idiot. Hell, negotiating your salary at any level is setting yourself up for ridicule and a declined offer unless you're so damn sought after that they're willing to do extra stuff to get you.

But to the OP: if you get a job offer, ask for a day or two to think it over, but if it goes over a couple of days for the rest of the interviews you should expect to miss out on some opportunities.

I have no intention of negotiating my salary. A somewhat flexible schedule is much more important since I'm in college and an employer who is willing to let me take a shorter lunch so I can leave a few minutes early is more valuable to me at this point in my life.

Thanks for your replies, everyone.

From someone with a fair amount of experience in clerical jobs, medusa, I'd say your first piece of advice (jj) is the best as far as what to tell employers when they've made you a job offer.

And I've been a 'clerical worker' for most of my adult life and have negotiated my salary going into each and every one so I don't knows what's so laughable about that. Employers are looking for competence at every level of employment when they're hiring. Not so sure what makes some of the folks posting on this thread think that anyone seeking a job under management level has nothing to negotiate with. If you have good work references and proven capability then you can negotiate your salary.

The admin assistant at my current job negotiated her salary as well. Thank you for acknowledging that I'm more than just a face behind the desk. I appreciate it.

I don't consider admin assistants as clerical positions. Clerical in my book is that first level employee. That's where I was coming from in my previous comment. Everything is negotiable beyond the first level positions. And I have been a manager for 20+ years so I do have a little background in this area.