Juggling Many Offers

Oh, if we could all be so lucky. We can all attest to having to juggle many interviews, but how many of us have found ourselves in the not entirely unpleasant task of juggling many offers after those interviews? While this scenario wasn’t likely in the past few years due to the economy, attorney A. Harrison Barnes, founder of LegalAuthority.com, says he’s heard more stories of late that tell of lawyers suddenly having to decide between two and sometimes more than two job offers from different law firms. What’s a lucky soul to do? Barnes says that it sounds like a dream come true (we all have that human weakness of wanting to be “wanted”…even in our careers), it can also be a bit of a burden. After the excitement wears off, you’re still left with having to make a decision…and a phone call decline another’s offer, which is never pleasant.

So what does the LegalAuthority.com founder suggest? You might be surprised: Sleep on it.

Well, sleep on it if you can afford to wait twenty four hours, that is. You owe it to yourself to give both offers a lot of thought and consideration. Not only that, but you also have a smaller obligation to the offering firms. They want you as part of their legal team for a reason and it’s a courtesy to consider their positions, as well. Another point A. Harrison Barnes makes is that sometimes, the right answer isn’t always the obvious answer. One firm may offer a more generous benefits package, but what kind of position are they in terms of profits and new clients? It could be the other firm, while not as generous in its initial offerings, may have incredible plans in store for whomever chooses to accept their offer. This, of course, could lead to far more than what’s initially placed on the table.

Ask yourself which firm, if either, you could see yourself at ten years from now. Which firm has better odds of you making partner in specified time period? Which firm treats its clients better and what kind of clients does each firm attract? All of these questions, plus many more, must be considered if you’re to make the best decision for you and your family, says Barnes. It’s not about only the short term, but long term goals that you’ve set for yourself. Each offering law firm may have its strong points, but there’s so much more that goes into it.

Finally, sometimes it comes down to what just feels like a better fit. You might think you want that office on the fortieth floor, but your job satisfaction may lie in that small one story building with two partners who are more interested in what’s best for their clients. They could have made their big money years ago and are now focused on other things. That’s not to say that your salary expectations wouldn’t be considered, it’s just that there are other things that are balanced with the bottom line.

Matinez Betheliza – Ph.D. – Organizational Psychology. Provides you with a deep level of insight into your career direction and career development.