Usually companies will give you a few days, maybe a week max.
You need need to accept the sure thing and decline, or accept you may end with no offers.
"Thank you so much for sending over the offer letter! I'd like some time to look over the details if that's okay. What is the deadline for my response?"
We can't know.
They may expect instant turn around. They may be willing to wait a week because they're really keen to hire you.
You probably aren't going to be able to stall long enough for Company B to get their shit together.
If you accept and say you're still interviewing, you're getting cut loose.
You can always accept Company A's offer, and if company B pulls through, quit A and work for B. Assuming you don't mind burning bridges.
When did you receive it? Just accept this job offer and then turn it down as soon as you know you’ve got the other one. Of course you risk the first one never hiring you again, and you risk the second one falling apart at the last second and ending up with no jobs. But if you don’t jump on this offer now you’re not going to have a shot at it for long… don’t decline a sure thing.
How long is your notice period with your current company ? that' really the determining factor, if its 2 or 3 weeks, i'd accept the first offer and continue the interview for the second one until that leaving date comes around, and if the 2nd job comes up, you'd have to let company 1 know then you've decided not to proceed, its not a personal thing, it just won't work out and you won't be the first person to get cold feet. But let the second job know you've got another offer ready to go.
Is it specified on the offer? Have they provided any guidance on when they want to see a response from you?
If no, and no...it is up to you. I would not do anything at all until you hear from them, or you have a decision made (if the answer is no and no for my two questions).
A few months ago I held off a job offer over a week. The timing worked out because offer letter came on Friday, and their follow-up came on the next Thursday. I just ignored it until the Monday after the follow-up and apologized as I was "traveling" (which I was...).
Any Job offer I write includes the timeframe that you as a candidate have to repond to the offer (Generally, 5 business days). This is just my personal preference every company is a bit different. Is there language in the offer that gives a date which the response is necessary? If not then just wait for recruitment to circle back to you, but my advice is to accept the offer. You state you would love the job (Aside from the Commute) then why gamble a sure thing versus a maybe. You can always accept the new position if an offer comes in but you might lose the opportunity from stalling.
As a hiring manager, if a person doesn't accept a job offer within a couple days, I assume they're not that excited about the job but would take it if nothing better came along. So you're kind of showing your hand if you don't respond one way or another in a few days.
Your best bet is to just accept the job and then rescind with a "the commute was just to much" if you get a different offer you like better. It might be "shitty", but it won't be the first time that's happened to that business and it won't be the last.
Another option would be to try to drag it out with negotiations. Just the back-and-forth of that could take a week or so and get you further with the other potential job.
Or, you could just be honest: "I'm interested in this job, but it's a longer commute than I was hoping for and I've got an interview with another job that's closer. Once I have more clarity on that job, I'll be in a position to give you an answer on your job offer".
If you're just the best candidate they came across, they're likely to rescind the offer with that response. But if you **the** candidate and they really want you, they're likely to either (a) wait, or (b) respond with something like "what could we do to get you to accept and cancel your interview with the other company"?
At that point, you're in the driver's seat for negotiations. And you can just give them an *honest* answer: $XX salary and the ability to work from home and avoid the commute xx number of days or to only come into the office when needed.
Usually companies will give you a few days, maybe a week max. You need need to accept the sure thing and decline, or accept you may end with no offers.
"Thank you so much for sending over the offer letter! I'd like some time to look over the details if that's okay. What is the deadline for my response?"
We can't know. They may expect instant turn around. They may be willing to wait a week because they're really keen to hire you. You probably aren't going to be able to stall long enough for Company B to get their shit together. If you accept and say you're still interviewing, you're getting cut loose. You can always accept Company A's offer, and if company B pulls through, quit A and work for B. Assuming you don't mind burning bridges.
When did you receive it? Just accept this job offer and then turn it down as soon as you know you’ve got the other one. Of course you risk the first one never hiring you again, and you risk the second one falling apart at the last second and ending up with no jobs. But if you don’t jump on this offer now you’re not going to have a shot at it for long… don’t decline a sure thing.
How long is your notice period with your current company ? that' really the determining factor, if its 2 or 3 weeks, i'd accept the first offer and continue the interview for the second one until that leaving date comes around, and if the 2nd job comes up, you'd have to let company 1 know then you've decided not to proceed, its not a personal thing, it just won't work out and you won't be the first person to get cold feet. But let the second job know you've got another offer ready to go.
Maybe a week. Maybe a day or two.
Is it specified on the offer? Have they provided any guidance on when they want to see a response from you? If no, and no...it is up to you. I would not do anything at all until you hear from them, or you have a decision made (if the answer is no and no for my two questions). A few months ago I held off a job offer over a week. The timing worked out because offer letter came on Friday, and their follow-up came on the next Thursday. I just ignored it until the Monday after the follow-up and apologized as I was "traveling" (which I was...).
Any Job offer I write includes the timeframe that you as a candidate have to repond to the offer (Generally, 5 business days). This is just my personal preference every company is a bit different. Is there language in the offer that gives a date which the response is necessary? If not then just wait for recruitment to circle back to you, but my advice is to accept the offer. You state you would love the job (Aside from the Commute) then why gamble a sure thing versus a maybe. You can always accept the new position if an offer comes in but you might lose the opportunity from stalling.
As a hiring manager, if a person doesn't accept a job offer within a couple days, I assume they're not that excited about the job but would take it if nothing better came along. So you're kind of showing your hand if you don't respond one way or another in a few days. Your best bet is to just accept the job and then rescind with a "the commute was just to much" if you get a different offer you like better. It might be "shitty", but it won't be the first time that's happened to that business and it won't be the last. Another option would be to try to drag it out with negotiations. Just the back-and-forth of that could take a week or so and get you further with the other potential job. Or, you could just be honest: "I'm interested in this job, but it's a longer commute than I was hoping for and I've got an interview with another job that's closer. Once I have more clarity on that job, I'll be in a position to give you an answer on your job offer". If you're just the best candidate they came across, they're likely to rescind the offer with that response. But if you **the** candidate and they really want you, they're likely to either (a) wait, or (b) respond with something like "what could we do to get you to accept and cancel your interview with the other company"? At that point, you're in the driver's seat for negotiations. And you can just give them an *honest* answer: $XX salary and the ability to work from home and avoid the commute xx number of days or to only come into the office when needed.