How do you postpone a job offer until you are ready to accept?

elkpark · Mar 16, 2007

Let's say you send your resume out to 10 places and 8 call you back. You have interviews set up for the next 3 days and you don't have a preference of where you want to work- but maybe you will feel comfortable in one facility over the next and want to see what others have to offer (benefits, hours, nurse/patient ratio, ect).
How do I word it to them if they offer me a job on the spot without looking ungrateful or not interested? What would you say? I don't want to rush into my first nursing job and make a mistake by not looking around if the possibilty is there. I never had to deal with this one before. Thanks!

You tell them exactly what you just said above (the part I highlighted). That is a perfectly reasonable response. Although it's not likely you will be offered jobs "on the spot" -- too many requirements in healthcare about criminal background checks, drug tests, pre-employment health screenings, etc. -- even if you get a call back from one facility making you an offer and you're waiting to hear back from another facility you prefer, it's fine to say that you need some time to think about the offer before you make a decision. Of course, you will need to respond to a job offer (yes or no) in some reasonable amount of time -- you can't just keep potential employers dangling indefinitely.