Should I cancel my job interview appointment?

[mozar]

I had a phone interview today with job a. They told me they wanted me to come interview on the 22nd but maybe September 15th. I got an email this evening with a time for September 15th.

I am waiting for an offer letter for job b where we have already negotiated everything and they really went to bat for me and got me the money I wanted. It's a cool job and I will likely take it.
If I get the offer letter and I decided to take it, should I still interview with job a? I don't really want to, it's going to be a long interview and it sounds like I will have to suck up to them to get considered. Would I be wasting their time if I decide to take the other one? I can see going just in case job b doesn't work out for some reason? I could also go to practice my interviewing skills? If I bomb the interview I don't think that would prevent me from getting another interview a year or two in the future.

I wouldn't cancel until I receive the letter and have signed it and sent it back. But that might be tomorrow (tomorrow is Friday, the interview is next Tuesday).

[BlueHouse]

If you have a signed letter and an agreement to start (when?), then I would not take another interview.  You've already committed to Company A.  And they have committed to you.  If you have not yet committed to Company A, then I would probably take the interview with Company B. 

[Retired To Win]

I had a phone interview today with job a. They told me they wanted me to come interview on the 22nd but maybe September 15th. I got an email this evening with a time for September 15th.

I am waiting for an offer letter for job b where we have already negotiated everything and they really went to bat for me and got me the money I wanted. It's a cool job and I will likely take it.
If I get the offer letter and I decided to take it, should I still interview with job a? I don't really want to, it's going to be a long interview and it sounds like I will have to suck up to them to get considered. Would I be wasting their time if I decide to take the other one? I can see going just in case job b doesn't work out for some reason? I could also go to practice my interviewing skills? If I bomb the interview I don't think that would prevent me from getting another interview a year or two in the future.

I wouldn't cancel until I receive the letter and have signed it and sent it back. But that might be tomorrow (tomorrow is Friday, the interview is next Tuesday).

Wait to cross this bridge until you actually have that offer letter in front of you.

Good luck.

[Papa bear]

I would get that offer letter, go to the interview on Tuesday, and see if the place is any good.  If you get the official offer tomorrow, you can hold off a few days before accepting.

If you like company B, you can tell them you have a formal offer from A and see if they can move fast.



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[Zamboni]

I'm with Papa Bear. Even if you get an offer letter tomorrow, tell company a that you need a few days to decide. Go to the interview with b, and if they bring it up, do let them know that you just received another offer. Two offers is your best negotiating tool. Even without 2 offers, you should make a long list of what you want (besides higher pay, there are things like signing bonuses, more vacation days, an account of discretionary money for travel and entertaining, professional development funds, etc.) and ASK about these things with any place that makes an offer. Don't expect to get everything you ask for, but only a fool just takes the first offer and asks for nothing. I've never heard of an offer being totally rescinded when someone was negotiating in good faith.

[mozar]

Say I take the offer from job b, would anybody else still go to the interview?

I've been interviewing a ton, and I used my other contingent offers as a negotiating tool to get the potential offer (they want me to start the 28th so they would have to get me the letter tomorrow for that to happen). Their benefits are worse than what I currently have (no 401k match, one week less vacation) so I asked them for an extra 4k and they said yes. This is after I asked them to come 2k above another offer.
The other job that I would interview with on Tuesday said they might be able to match it, but it is possible they will offer less $ because they have better benefits and "prestige."
I'm not really asking which job to take. The one with the potential offer letter has better opportunities. The one with the interview on Tuesday flat out told me that they would never promote me. I also feel it would be pretty douchy to negotiate so hard with the one with the potential letter and then walk away.

[okits]

If I'd signed and returned the offer letter for job B I would probably cancel the interview with A.

There are practical reasons to go (practice, "just in case"), but in the end I'd feel it was a waste of my time and dishonest to company A.  Maybe that makes me insufficiently calculating/self-interested, but that's what I'd do.

Hope you get that offer letter soon, mozar!

[Papa bear]

They can request you have a certain start date but that isn't set in stone.   You would not be douchy if you negotiate and then not take a job.  It's your right and imperative to negotiate for a position and it still is your choice in the end on what to do, take it or not.  This happens quite often.

The only thing I will caution you is to be mindful of your timing.  I don't think you'll get more than a few business days to decide on the written offer from job A before they get grumpy and start questioning what is going on.  If you tell them you'll have a decision by Wednesday at 3pm, then have your decision ready. 

As you said, I can't tell you what job to take or what even looks better, I can only advise you on the general process and what generally will happen.

*disclaimer, I own a staffing agency and see this everyday.




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[mozar]

The interview on Tuesday place wants me to pre-interview. Ugh. I can pretty much tell from the interview process that its not going to be a cultural fit. But I feel like I shouldn't cancel unless I have another offer.
So consensus is that if I accept I should cancel. Sounds good to me.
I wasnt saying the date was set in stone, just that if they want me to start in two weeks they need to send me the offer letter today. Both companies say they are moving as fast as they can. Still waiting. This is giving me a stomach ache.

[Matt_D]

Totally feel ya on the stomach ache...

My take: if you have accepted an offer (have it in-hand and have said yes and have a start date), don't waste someone else's time going through an interview process. Hiring managers don't appreciate it, and you don't want to offend people needlessly. Give them a call, thank them for the opportunity and inform them that you've accepted a different offer.

If you do not have an offer in-hand and have not accepted it, do the interview.

[AZDude]

Sounds like you do not really want the job you are interviewing for on Tuesday. If that is the case, then just cancel since you have a 90% done offer already.

Also depends on your current situation. If you have a job and are looking to switch for more money or whatever, then I'd be more likely to call the latest place and cancel. If you have no job and need one, then cancel nothing until you are actually getting a paycheck.

Everyone has had that "sure thing" fall through at some time in their life.