You go on B. See if you can parlay that into a full time gig, if so, call A back and tell them something else permanent came up. Thank them profusely for their time and state that it was a tough decision. But ultimately you have no real decision but to go with the full time gig. They will understand. If they don't understand, it's a place you wouldn't want to be working anyways.

If B doesn't work out, kick ass at job A and hopefully they keep you around.

Gotta look out for numero uno, my friend.

Good luck.

Accept A and see if B comes in with an offer and take it if they do. You likely won't be expected to start A immediately i.e. the next day. You have to look out for yourself.

Taking 6 weeks for a 6 month gig is BS. You don't owe them anything. They call you before B, tell them you will have them an answer by Monday morning. If they don't like that, you accept on the spot, go see B and stand A up if B offers. Bird in the hand and all that.

If A calls you, take the job. Don't even mention Company B, but make sure the start date is a day or so after your interviews with Company B.

Then Go on the Interview and meet with Company B.

If Company B offers, call Company A and tell them you had a better offer and that you are letting them know you are going with Company B.

This has happened before and its kinda shotty to do...but you have to look out for your interests first, especially in this economy.

You have no relationship with company A and so you don't owe them any loyalty. They didn't show you much loyalty by slow walking the interview process and they are guaranteeing you nothing after 6 months. They are looking out for their own interests. You need to look out for your own. Once you develop a relationship then show them the same loyalty they show you.

Until then, you really owe them nothing.

Sorry but you're the backup at Company A in case things don't pan out with the other person.

UndergroundAg said:

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Sorry but you're the backup at Company A in case things don't pan out with the other person.

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Who cares.

If you get the job, you get the job. I was third string in my current job.

Such antiquated thinking is why people get screwed by companies. What if OP accepts with Company A after passing on Company B and they cut his contract after 3 months due to budget issues? Are they supposed to come to the Career Center for more sage advice? Companies don't think twice about letting people go if if fits their needs. You can throw out words like "core values" if you think high-minded rhetoric is the way to go. At the end of the day, you have to do what's best for yourself. The company you want to go work for is doing the same. Don't let it be at your expense.

78bc3 said:

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I Am A Critic said:

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Such antiquated thinking is why people get screwed by companies. What if OP accepts with Company A after passing on Company B and they cut his contract after 3 months due to budget issues? Are they supposed to come to the Career Center for more sage advice? Companies don't think twice about letting people go if if fits their needs. You can throw out words like "core values" if you think high-minded rhetoric is the way to go. At the end of the day, you have to do what's best for yourself. The company you want to go work for is doing the same. Don't let it be at your expense.

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We can play what if's all day. What if company B cuts after 3 months?
My focus is to speak to integrity. If you say you are going to do something, do it. Sometimes it hurts but it is right.
Second Aggie applies to company A. Manager says I see a new trend toward renegs from Aggies.

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"Renegs" on a temp job for a full time job isn't a situation where someone shows a lack of integrity no matter how many times you insist otherwise.

78bc3 said:

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I Am A Critic said:

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Such antiquated thinking is why people get screwed by companies. What if OP accepts with Company A after passing on Company B and they cut his contract after 3 months due to budget issues? Are they supposed to come to the Career Center for more sage advice? Companies don't think twice about letting people go if if fits their needs. You can throw out words like "core values" if you think high-minded rhetoric is the way to go. At the end of the day, you have to do what's best for yourself. The company you want to go work for is doing the same. Don't let it be at your expense.

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We can play what if's all day. What if company B cuts after 3 months?
My focus is to speak to integrity. If you say you are going to do something, do it. Sometimes it hurts but it is right.
Second Aggie applies to company A. Manager says I see a new trend toward renegs from Aggies.

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I can't speak to your industry, but nobody in my industry would hold it against you if you bailed on a temp job for a full time position.

If the company wanted to lock you in they would at a minimum offer you a full time job.

Yeah, I would go full speed ahead with both. Take A, jump ship for B if they offer.

As a general rule I shut down my search immediately and explicitly once I accept an offer, but in a 6 month temp job they are treating you like a replaceable part. They should understand that they aren't committing to you so you're not committed to them, and if something FT comes up you have to take care of yourself and your family.

I believe in following through on commitments, but if you commit hard when the other party doesn't, you're letting people take advantage of you.

But... as long as you're in the temp role, treat it like a full time job and put all your effort into it. Don't take it for granted, and do everything you can to prove that they need to hire you full time.

in a six month contract the employer has to understand full well that your job search isnt ending. you have to continue looking for work unless you want to be without income when the contract is up.

you are 100% in your right to accept A and bail when something better comes up. even if B doesnt pan out, you absolutely should not abandon your job search. Company A is sending a clear message with a 6 month contract. We need labor, but we're not willing to commit to you long term. why do they deserve any different from you?

integrity has nothing to do with the situation. you arent lying by accepting the job. you arent compromising your morality by doing so either. you arent doing anything at all except for managing the situation as a line on a spreadsheet, which as a temporary employee is exactly what you are.

get yours, and dont let anyone make you feel bad for doing it.

78bc3 said:

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Wow This is disappointing.
Let's say you take the job at Company A, then meet with Company B, and you then accept the offer from Company B.
Now you call Company A. You tell them you have accepted a better offer. If I'm at Company A you will never get my business. (You can't ethically renegotiate with A because you already have a contract).
Now you report to work at Company B.
Company B says we are sorry but while we were waiting for you someone better showed up and we gave them your job.
If you said reneging on Company A was appropriate then Company B's renege is similarly appropriate.
The Aggies before me taught core values that keep me out of those situations.
The question is ... Of the two jobs, which aligns with your long term career goals and strategy.
You have resources to support a search in this economy which provide you a competitive advantage if you will use them. Please make the right decision, even if it is a longer path.

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I don't agree with you in this instance. It's a temp position and as an employer, I would have no reasonable expectations that a temp employee would or should refuse a full time offer elsewhere. We should frankly expect better of employers as humans. They have made an unemployed person wait 6 weeks for a contract position. In my opinion, they have surrendered any sort of moral high ground on that basis. I would be hustling to help an unemployed person start if I wanted them. This idea that an employer is always right is horse s.

I have been in this situation as the hiring employer several times where someone has backed out for a better position. I don't blame them. They're people, not commodity parts, and I don't want anyone on my team that doesn't want to be there. Maybe I'm soft, I don't know. But this approach works for me and I am just fine.

I get why the career center takes the approach they do, I am assuming because you are more concerned about A&M's overall reputation as a reliable pipeline than you are with what is the absolute best for the individual students, especially if it provides a minor inconvenience to an employer to find another candidate.

OP - my advice if this isn't settled is the same as everyone else: pursue B, settle for A if you must. Try not to start at A and then join B, but if you have to, do it. I would tell B that you have another temp offer and want to do the right thing in case they can speed things along.

The notion of company loyalty is really antiquated. I once spent eight months being recruited by a company that touted its legacy of employer/employee loyalty. The function I was brought in to handle effectively disappeared after about six months on the job and i was unceremoniously dumped.

I'd tell OP to accept A as soon as offered and set start date after B interview. I would not tell A about B nor would I tell B about A. If B offers the full time gig, A can suck it because that's what you should expect when you drag someone along for six weeks over a temp gig. If A doesn't understand, that will reinforce what should be obvious.

Matsui said:

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What's the update?

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I went to the interview for Company B, and spent 2 hours with the head of department interviewing and doing a tour of the building/meeting the team. He offered me the job before I left. I told him I would be very happy to accept the position. They are emailing me the full offer with all the details on Monday.

Company A called me on Thursday and offered me the position but I let them know I had another offer that I would be taking, but thanked them for their time. They asked me what made me choose the other position and they were respectful and understanding about the full time vs. contract thing.

Congrats!!

Great job handling the situation.