| On the one hand: If you in fact "came to an agreement" on compensation, why are you still not on-board? Was your negotiating position actually, "if you offer me $X then I'll stop asking for more but still need some number of days to think"? Are you waiting to hear from other potential employers? Are there any red flags other than their impatience? On the other hand: If they've truly given multiple people offers simultaneously but said they'll only hire the one who accepts first, that's a bit of a red flag. (Are you sure they don't just need your definitive no to issue an offer to their next-choice?) Often exploding offers are just bluster: if you made sense as a hire on this Monday, you'll usually make sense as a hire on the next Monday as well. Back to the first hand: You haven't quantified at all the deadlines they've suggested or that you think would be reasonable. Maybe they're sensing a red-flag from you: "We came up to a compensation number they agreed to, but they still haven't said they'll join or even given us a date-certain when they'll answer. We'd better force the issue. We've been burned before waiting for Hamlets to make up their mind!" Everyone wants to move fast, and be affirmatively wanted by their co-party. They don't just want to be a stalking-horse for a counter-offer from your current-employer, or your fall-back if another slower process falls through. How much time would you want to take to decide, and what new information would you have after that much time goes by? They may legitimately think that if you're not enthusiastic now, just after the interviews and negotiations, then N more days of holding a spot for you isn't going to help. |
This is completely fair and I think they want to move fast being a small company and all. There's lot of interesting work to do and I'd like to help them do it. They seem like good people anyways.
I'm mostly waiting to hear back from other interviews I've had.
Thanks for your input.