How to treat a Tentative Job Offer

[Anonymous]

I have a TJO from a federal agency. I'd be very happy if it worked out, but they can't tell me how long it's going to take. I'm interviewing for other jobs that are similarly appealing and would be able to start me sooner.

Should I disclose this when I interview? Is backing out of a TJO considered unprofessional? I'm in a very small community in terms of my occupation where the people interviewing me across various agencies are likely connected to each other. If I have to just wait for everything to go through I can, but it's going to mean having to pick up short term project work that will make things complicated for me.

[Anonymous]

You do what you need to do.
But just know that there is usually no leveraging in your favor when it comes to federal jobs. They are t trying to string you along, it’s just out of their hands. So I like with a private company where you might be able to apply a little pressure by hinting you need to know soon or will need to move on to accept another position—the federal agency isn’t going to respond to that by scrambling to make the offer official. Because they can’t.

However, they will understand if you are not able to wait.

[Anonymous]

Ooooops that’s “they aren’t trying to string you along…”

[Anonymous]

You don't need to say anything at the temp offer stage, although I might if asked directly. Everybody understands you are likely applying multiple places and could get another offer. As soon as you accept a firm offer, withdraw from any other interviews.

[Anonymous]

8:48, meant to add that the place making the temp offer also understands this. If you back out because something else comes through faster, they may be annoyed but not at you specifically. Agencies understand that slow hiring means they miss candidates.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, this is helpful. I'm interviewing both for other agencies and for non-civil service positions that may be able to expedite hiring. But I'm not sure if I actually want them to, because I hope the agency position works out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, this is helpful. I'm interviewing both for other agencies and for non-civil service positions that may be able to expedite hiring. But I'm not sure if I actually want them to, because I hope the agency position works out.

Then you need to be very clear with the fed hiring official if things start to speed up on the private sector side. There *are* things can fed agencies can do when they need to (read: if they want to and have enough leadership clout pushing for you) - otherwise the HR process is maddeningly slow.

[Anonymous]

All you can really do is get your stuff in (fingerprinting, etc) as soon as possible for the job you want. Negotiation will also prolong the TJO process, as much as another month or two.

[Anonymous]

In a tentative offer - have you landed on salary and you are just waiting for clearance?

[Anonymous]

I now have two tentative federal job offers. I'm waiting on salary and clearance for both. The one I want more is the one that's almost certainly going to take longer to go through because of the clearance.