​So you’ve got more than one job offer, while that sounds like a great situation to be in, a multi job offer is a process that has to be carefully managed and can be stressful. Sometimes timelines don't align which means some upfront thinking and open discussions need to take place.

For a candidate in this position working with a recruiter through the process is a real advantage. As a third party they can assist in the timings around the processes, interviews and provide appropriate transparency to the employers. The key for a candidate in this position is to be transparent with their recruiter and enable them to work for you to get the best outcome, providing guidance around any points that you'd like kept confidential and how best to approach that. Where we've seen candidates go wrong is lack of communication in the process which doesn't reflect well on the candidate once they've made a decision – whether that be to accept or reject an offer.

Without a recruiter involved the candidate will need to work directly with the employers/hiring managers around timelines and give open and honest feedback about what you have in play. Handling this aspect with integrity is key as employers have been known at times to withdraw job offers if they feel you are stalling or not interested in their role. Once a role is offered to a candidate, an employer would typically expect a decision within a 2-4 working day timeframe, this sometimes depends on if they have other strong candidates in the mix and how urgent their requirement is to fill the role.

When making a decision between multiple job offers, we recommend taking the salary out of the equation initially and considering the below aspects early on in the interview process to help in your decision making:

Consider the people you will be working with

More important than the company as a whole think carefully about the people directly in your team. Consider questions like did you find the interviewers easy to relate to, what are the managers like, and what the other people in your team like.

Work type

Thinking about both short term and medium term goals and the type of work for each role. Does the work type align with what you want to be doing and will it lead you in the direction you want to go in your career.

Work life balance

This will mean different things for different people and by assessing what is important to you and your personal life you will be able to match the job to suit your requirements. Consider the softer factors of each role like the flexible working arrangements, work life balance, any benefits like gym memberships. Ensuring the role is aligned to both your professional and personal needs will help ensure you find an employer for the long term.

Progression opportunities

What further learning, mentorship and progression opportunities are on offer at each role and how do these paths align with your aspirations. For example a senior lawyer in one firm may be offered a clear path to partnership, and in another be offered a more generous salary but no track to partnership.

With these aspects considered salary now comes into play, the salary should reflect the scope of the role and your level of experience but should not be the sole deciding factor in the process. Instead reflect on the above and which job best aligns with you.

As an employer multi job offers are becoming increasingly more common in today’s market. Our advice to ensure you are not on the back foot in this situation is if the candidate is of interest to move quickly in setting up an interview and have an open mind throughout the process. By working with an agency, the recruiter can keep you across timeframes from the candidate's point of view in terms of other processes they may be in and the interview stage they're at. If there is tentative interest in a candidate, we recommend getting them in for an interview regardless, that way if you do decide to move forward with them they are already within your process and engaged with your business. If a candidate is offered another job it’s very easy to turn down an interview, but if they have already met you and like you, they are much more likely to stick through the process. At the offer stage you need to signal your confidence and interest in the candidate ensuring they are open to continuing conversations with you. A low ball offer at this stage, even if in your mind there is room to negotiate on the offer, can be a negative first impression and hamper their willingness to negotiate with you at all so it's best to put your best foot forward with an offer for candidates you're keen on.

As experts in Legal Professional and Legal Support recruitment the CoLegal recruiters have an in-depth insight into salary levels and expectations in the industry and can guide you to get this right from the outset. Contact one of our team today.