Never Assume You've Landed the Job Until...
John was in the sixth round of interviews for a corporate sales management role with a global hospitality brand when he was told, "We want to hire you. We think you're a great fit and we believe you have what it takes to help us reach our goals." John was thrilled because this organization was high on his target list and he had already spent six months on his job search.
John promptly suspended his job hunting efforts. He stopped networking, having conversations with other prospective employers with whom he was speaking, and trying to develop relationships with hiring authorities at other companies on his Personal Marketing Plan.
Then the unexpected happened. The hotel group suddenly brought in a new Sales VP who put all hiring on hold because she wanted to reorganize. John's offer fell through and he was devastated.
Don't let this happen to you. Never ever assume that it is a sure thing. Don't stop looking until you have a written and signed offer in hand. The following are all too common:
▪ Offers get rescinded.
▪ Funding for positions disappear.
▪ Hiring freezes are implemented.
▪ New leadership has other ideas.
John could have avoided this scenario had he worked diligently to generate multiple offers (or at least one other). There is no better confidence booster than earning several offers. It gives you a psychological and salary negotiation edge.
When a job hunter only has one promising opportunity in the works, he typically keeps asking the hiring company about progress. He appears desperate.
However, the job hunter who has other offers can say, "I've been very busy speaking with several other companies, and in fact I have two other offers on my plate. But I really want to work with you." This is a game-changing conversation. It can influence the company to make a decision sooner rather than later.