got an offer but....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I've always gotten a verbal offer, negotiated it at the verbal stage, and not gotten a written letter until it was finalized. (And once I had the written letter, I gave notice).

It's odd they don't want you to consider it overnight - that is a flag for me.

I do think it's a bit much for you to insist on a written letter before you'll consider the offer.

+1 This is basically how every job I've ever gotten worked out -- verbal offer, I accept, they complete reference check (verbal offer is contingent upon good reference check), then they send the written offer, then I put in notice.

The only odd thing is that they won't let you think about it overnight. I've always been able to take an evening to think it over.

But no job has ever given me a written letter before I accepted. Part of the concern on the part of the employer is that you aren't really interested in the job and are taking the letter to use as leverage to get a raise at your current employer and will stall the prospective employer.

The other concern on the part of the employer is that they don't want to issue a written letter until they did the reference check, but most people don't want their current employer called unless there is an offer. So the prospective employer gives a verbal offer and gets your consent to do the reference check. Then, when the reference check is complete, they give you the written offer.

[Anonymous]

^^^ I would add that the other thing is every employer I've had didn't want to do the written offer until they had a tentative starting date negotiated. So the written offer included that information.

[Anonymous]

OP, did the recruiter share with you the benefits page for candidates? I had looked it up on my own but landed on a different, less detailed, page than what the recruiter sent me. Have her share that and take a day to read it all over, so you can understand the full context of the offer.

Also remember that the recruiter is totally divorced from the team you'll be working with once you're on board. It's okay if you're not 100% on her desired schedule. If your manager-to-be is hostile to you taking time, I'd see that as an issue, but if it's just the recruiter pushing you, I wouldn't worry about that.