First of all, congratulations. It’s like you’re on an episode of The Bachelor, and most people are out here begging for one callback. You have two offers on the table. It’s a huge show of strength.
But also? It’s very stressful.
People like having options. In fact, having options can make you feel stuck. You are scared that if you choose Door A, you will miss out on the magic behind Door B. You are afraid that in six months, you will be crying in the bathroom at your new job, saying, “I made a huge mistake.”
Stop going in circles.
The truth is that there isn’t usually a “wrong” choice. There are only two choices: Choice A and Choice B. Your life will change based on which one you choose. You need to ignore the flashy things, like the salary, and focus on the things that really matter so you don’t wake up with buyer’s remorse.
This is the unfiltered guide to choosing the winner when you can’t decide.
1. Salary Trap
First, let’s talk about the money. Offer A is worth $80,000. Offer B is giving $85,000.
“Offer B!” your brain screams. It’s five thousand dollars more!
Stop. Add it all up. About $250 a month is what $5,000 a year comes out to after taxes, insurance, and other costs. That is a nice meal or two. Money that changes your life.
If Offer B pays more but requires you to drive an extra 45 minutes, you are actually losing money on gas and losing your mind in traffic. If Offer B pays more but the boss looks like a psychopath, is your mental health worth $250 a month?
The Rule: Don’t worry about the pay difference if it’s less than 10%. It’s just noise. Choose based on the job, not the extra money for pizza. If the difference is 20% or more, then yes, take the money. We’re not monks.
Similar More: How to Change Careers in Your 30s
2. Stalk Your Future Boss
People don’t leave their jobs. They left their jobs as managers. If your boss is a micromanager who texts you at 9 PM on Saturday, you will be unhappy within three months, no matter how good your job description is.
You need to check them out. Difficult.
- Check LinkedIn: Look them up on LinkedIn. Have people said good things about them? Or is their profile empty?
- The “Vibe” Check: Did you feel energized or drained after talking to them in the interview?drained?
- The Turnover Rate: Check out the team on LinkedIn. Did the last three people in this job leave after nine months? That is a huge warning sign. That means the boss makes people work too hard.
“Will I dread having a one-on-one meeting with this person the next morning on a Sunday night?” If the answer is yes, don’t take the job. No matter how great the benefits are.
3. Big Fish vs. Little Pond
In most cases, the two offers are for two different paths.
Offer A: The Big Corp.
- Pros: The brand name on your resume (it will always look good), stability, better benefits, and a slow pace.
- Cons: You are just a part of a machine. It will take you six weeks to get permission to change the color of a font.
Offer B: The Startup or Growth Company.
- Pros: You wear a lot of hats. You pick things up quickly. You look smart if the company goes under.
- Cons: There is a lot of chaos. Danger. You might have to stay late.
What part of your career are you in?
- If you’re young (in your 20s or 30s) and need to learn new skills? Take the mess. The learning curve is steep, which is a good thing.
- If you’re older (40s+) or need stability for your family? Take the Big Corp. Get the good things. At 5 PM, go home.
Think about your next job. Which logo on your resume will help you get the next job?
4. Tuesday Morning Visualization
Forget about the first day of work. On Day 1, everyone is happy. Think about a random Tuesday in November, six months from now, when it rains.
Job A: You get up. You wear a suit. You drive for 40 minutes. You sit in a small office. The work is steady, but it’s not very interesting. Job B: You get up. You go to your living room (Remote). The job is stressful and fast-paced, but you can do laundry at noon.
What reality makes you want to get out of bed less? We often think about how “prestigious” a job is (Job A), but we have to live the “lifestyle” of the job (Job B). Always choose the way of life. You work more than you do anything else. If work every day is bad, your life is bad.
5. Golden Handcuffs vs. Risk
One offer is safe, but the other is a risk.
- The Safe Bet: You know you can do the job without even looking. It’s free money.
- The Stretch: You only meet 60% of the requirements. You will need to work hard to keep up.
Take the Stretch if you want to do well. The Safe Bet is fun right now, but in two years, you’ll be so bored. Boredom ends careers faster than failure does. You have to grow when you take a job that makes you a little scared. Growth means more money in the future.
Others: Engineer के लिए सरकारी नौकरी, B.Tech की डिग्री रद्दी नहीं है, बस रास्ता सही चुनो
6. Psychological Trick
Are you still stuck? Alright, get a coin. Heads means Offer A. Offer B is Tails.
Turn it over.
Don’t look at the coin yet. What did you want it to land on while it was in the air? Did you have a brief thought of “Please be Tails”?
That’s the answer you were looking for. Your gut knows what it wants. “Logic” and “pro/con lists” are just making your brain more confused. Believe what your gut tells you. Your subconscious mind picks up on things that your conscious mind doesn’t, like a strange vibe in the office or a cool coworker.
7. Negotiate the Loser
This is a pro move. You really want Offer A (The Startup), but Offer B (The Corp) pays more.
Go to Offer A and say, “I really want to be a part of this. I love the goal. But I have another offer for $X. If you can match that (or get close), I’m ready to sign today.”
You have the most power: you can walk away. Use the second offer to make the first one better. They might not be able to match the salary, but they might offer you a signing bonus or extra vacation days.
This is the secret that no one tells you: every job is bad sometimes. There is no perfect world where the coffee is always hot, the boss is always nice, and the work is always fun. There will be days when you want to quit both jobs.
Final Thoughts
So, choose the one that has better problems. Would you rather have “boring work but good pay” or “exciting work but crazy deadlines”?
Pick your fight. After you sign the offer letter, burn the bridge. Don’t follow the other company on LinkedIn. Don’t think about “What if.” Stick with your choice. Where you water the grass, it is the greenest.
FAQs
Q: If I accept an offer and then the other company calls me later with more money, can I back out?
A: In a technical sense? Yes. You don’t have to do this; you can quit before you start. But what about socially? You are dropping an atomic bomb on that bridge. That company and probably that recruiter will never hire you again. Do this only if the second offer is a lot more money (like 50% more). For a $5,000 raise? It’s not worth it to hurt your reputation.
Q: How long can I put them off while I wait for Offer B?
A: 48 to 72 hours is normal. A week is a lot. If you make them wait too long, they will think you aren’t interested, or even worse, they will find out you are looking around and take back the offer. Just say, “I need to talk to my family about this. Can I get back to you by Thursday?” Most normal people will say yes.
Q: Should I let Company A know that Company B has made me an offer?
A: Yes, but don’t be rude about it. Don’t show it to them. You could say, “I’m very interested in this job, but I have to deal with another offer timeline.” Can you change the salary to make this decision easier for me? It makes things hard to get. It makes you look good.
Q: What if both offers are bad?
A: Then don’t take either. Really. The “scarcity mindset” makes you believe that these are the last two jobs in the world. No, they aren’t. If your gut is telling you “No” to both of them, stay where you are (or keep looking). If you hate your job, it’s better to be unemployed for another month than to be stuck in it for two years.
Q: One offer has “Equity/Stock Options.” What is that worth?
A: Treat equity like a lottery ticket. Give it a value of $0. For real. That “paper money” might never turn into real cash if the company isn’t already public, like Google or Amazon. Don’t take a huge pay cut for startup equity unless you really think they will be the next Facebook. Don’t pay your rent with dreams.
