If you have to switch jobs, you may want to know how to ask for time to consider a job offer to compare the companies to each other.
The easiest way to make this request is via email, so here are a few sample emails.
How to ask for time to consider a job offer due to personal reasons
If you need to ask for time to consider a job offer due to how it may affect your family or personal life, it can be tricky.
What makes it tricky is that your potential employer may not value the things that are important to you. Here are tips to get you more thinking time:
01I would like to extend my gratitude for this opportunity you’ve offered me.
I’m happy with the terms you’re offering. However, I have seen that your business premises are in Atlanta: my family and I live in Jacksonville, so this means I will only be able to see them on weekends.
I’m excited about starting as soon as possible at your company but I think I will have to consult with my family first as they may get affected.
We may have to discuss moving closer to where I might work and therefore change schools for the kids.
These changes are quite big for the family so I’d be grateful if you would grant me some time to consider the job.
Photo by Ann Danilina under Unsplash License
02Thank you for the job offer you’ve sent me- it looks very interesting and I would like to start working as soon as possible.
However, I have been volunteering in the neighborhood’s soup kitchen for five years, which has made me a crucial member of our small team, so I’m not sure if the work hours stipulated would suit me.
The work we do at the soup kitchen is important to me, as I enjoy helping people, and I do not believe anyone should go hungry.
This job sounds exciting though, so I want to see if I can find someone to fill in for me for a few hours at the soup kitchen. Therefore, I would appreciate if you can keep my candidature as a possibility during that time.
03Thank you for offering me this job. I am sure I will enjoy working for your company as everything about it aligns with who I am.
There is just one concern I have though and it is about the hours and working on the weekends.
I have elderly parents that I take care of after I finish each day at my current job and I’m concerned about what will happen if I take this job.
I have thought about hiring a caregiver and I would obviously like to get someone that my parents will be comfortable around.
Before I decide how I will proceed, I would appreciate having just a little time to consider my options and their possible outcomes.
Photo by Georg Arthur Pflueger on unsplash
Asking for time to consider career development opportunities
Most people are interested in finding out just how far they can go in their career and some job offers out there may promise that only to prove otherwise.
To avoid making a mistake that will ruin your career, you may want to know how to ask for time to consider a job offer. Here’s how:
04Firstly, I would like to thank you for considering me for this position. It means a lot to me as I have seen the great career advancement opportunities you have.
I enjoy adding value in the workplace and I appreciate companies like yours who reward employees that put in their best efforts.
While your job offer is very exciting, I do not think it will be convenient for me to end my work at my current job so abruptly and start working elsewhere.
The company that I work for currently also has a few incentives that I would like to consider before making this big decision of switching over to yours.
That is why I would like some time to consider the benefits that you are offering. Please allow me a little time to think about it and most likely, things will turn out to be positive for us.
Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi from Pexels
05Working for your company would be a pleasure as it’s closer to home than my current workplace and the work hours are great.
I would love to start working for your company straight away but there are aspects of it that I would like to think about for a bit longer.
I value career development as I enjoy striving to be the best professional in my field.
That is why I would like some time to think about the offer and review the career advancement opportunities your company has before I leave my current place of employment.
Ask for time to consider the job offer by mentioning about the current job handover
06I have read up on (name of company) and so far, I like everything about it from its philosophy to its people.
I would love to start as soon as possible on the job you’ve offered, but I also have a job right now where there is a key project that I need to hand over in a month’s time.
When I looked at the career development options your company has for people in my profession, I was thrilled as I saw that you’re committed to seeing people improve.
Before I commit myself to your company, however, I would like to hand over the project and round things off professionally as per employment terms.
To do that, please may I have some time to organize things and I will give you an answer soon.
Photo by Alexander Suhorucov under pexels license
How to get time to consider a job offer’s pay
One of the major reasons that people need to know how to ask for time to consider a job offer is because they would like to know how much that job will pay them, and if it will be enough for them.
A job can pay someone in ways that go beyond monetary gain, so to consider how that job offer may prove rewarding for you, try this:
07Thank you for your job offer. I’m interested as I’ve seen that your company might just be the perfect place for me to work.
Everything about it, from its thoughtful benefits to the kind of environment you like your employees to work under, makes me eager to start working there.
Before I start though, I would like to see how other aspects of this job offer will benefit my family.
I am particularly interested in seeing whether the proposed pay will be sufficient for our needs before I agree on a start date.
So, if it is acceptable, I would like a little more time to consider this great offer you have presented me with.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko under pexels license
08I would like to extend my gratitude to your company for considering me for this position. Working for a company as distinguished as yours would be a privilege.
I am aware that the pay is very good and so are the working conditions of your employees.
Starting as early as possible would be ideal.
However, the workplace that I’m in currently provides me with challenging work and my team relies on me.
That is why I would like to determine whether switching jobs would be the best option for me and I would like to see if I would enjoy the same benefits as my current position if I do.
To do that, I would like to ask you for some time to consider this job offer.
