Do not put all your eggs in one basket

I got a call this morning and it was from someone who had scheduled an interview with me for 2 positions.  The interview was for this morning.  She called saying that she was going to cancel her interview with me because she had got a job offer and was going to accept it.  I was happy for her and asked her where she got her job and when was she starting.  It then came out.  She was only going to a second interview.  But, in her mind, she was offered the job. I was reminded this morning how common that has happened to me.  It is very apparent that some people in life only hear what they want to hear.  In this scenario, this person is putting all of her eggs in one basket.  We have not one, but two full time permanent positions that would be interested in meeting her.  And in fact, she will have the opportunity with one of them to make more money than what she had the opportunity to make at her “second interview”. There are a couple of things that I would like to point out about what a second interview means: 1)  They are not completely sure whether they would like to hire you or not.  They are definitely still skeptical or they would have just offered you the position. 2)  There is almost 100% certainty that there is another candidate that is at least as qualified, if not more qualified than you are. 3)  This is not a done deal yet 4)  Having other options (job opportunities) would help you be in a much better position if you are ever offered a job.  It would give you an opportunity to negotiate for more money giving that you have another offer/opportunity on the table. For me “a professional recruiter”  I know very well that this lady is going to be competing now with the strongest competition that her perspective company can find.  There is probably a 50% chance that she will not get this position. Let me suggest another way of handling this situation.  Go to any interviews that you have.  Just make sure and schedule them around your second interview since that interview obviously takes precedence.  Then go and see what other opportunities you have.  At the very least go and meet them and see if either of them would be a better option for you. There are many people who have incredible opportunities come and land in their lap and they never take advantage of those opportunities.  Those that prosper in life have an uncommon ability to notice good opportunities when they present themselves and jump on them quickly.  Opportunity only knocks at your door every so often.  It never hurts to obtain information.  And that is all you would be doing with interviewing; gaining information.  Do yourself a favor and do not dismiss them.  You may be missing an opportunity of prosperity. Article by Cory Minter, President of Tulsa staffing company Trinity Employment Specialists