Staying in touch

Has anyone had a really good interview with a firm, but decided to take another position, and successfully kept in touch with the first firm? I interviewed with the department head of a large bank and his team. He got back to me (not HR) personally and told me they went for an internal candidate, but really liked me and planned on adding a new position soon, and would contact me if I was still interested. In the meantime I accepted a pretty sweet offer at a small firm. The department head just emailed me again detailing the new position, and if I was still interested, so he may speak to HR. I’m going to have to politely decline, but it’s such a cool position that I definitely want to stay in touch should I want to come back in a few years (for a higher level position). How do you go about that? It was a pretty junior position, and like I said, this guy heads the department of a huge bank. Would adding him to LinkedIn be appropriate? Or should I just sign off with “hope we may stay in touch” and hope he remembers my name 2 years from now?

Why are you declining? Do you want a different role on the team? You’ve got an out - you just started this position blah blah blah but your end goal is ‘describe role’ with ‘insert bank name here’ on ‘his name’ team, so you’d like to stay in touch. You are burning him a little by turning down a position that’s open and he reached out to you on, you may not get another chance (if you really wanted the role, you’d take this one).

I have. It takes some active effort on your part, but minimally so. It’s reasonable to ping him/her every 3-6 months for coffee/drinks/some other professional event. Definitely worthwhile to keep in touch with competitors at other firms and even headhunters; the market color/gossip can be invaluable.

Thanks for the input. I’m declining because I couldn’t hinge my job search on the possibility of their adding another position, so in the mean time, I accepted a position with another firm. I’m not sure about hitting him up for coffee/drinks, as I mentioned - it’s a very junior position and he’s the department head. I wasn’t sure about how much more he’d humor me. But I will be working in the same geographic market at this new place, so maybe just send him some interesting news about the market every 3-6months. All agree LinkedIn would be pushing it?

What if he counter offers?

PallasAthene Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > All agree LinkedIn would be pushing it? Go for it. Life’s short, man.

I would definitely do linked in. You still didn’t answer why you won’t accept? Is it a better job than your current one? Is the pay less? Put it this way - if you had an offer for this job and your current job right now, which one would you accept? If you’d accept the one he reached out to on, you owe it to yourself to interview.

jcole21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You still didn’t answer why you won’t accept? Is > it a better job than your current one? Is the pay > less? Learn to read? He didn’t get an offer and would be waiting on them adding a position.

justin88 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > jcole21 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > You still didn’t answer why you won’t accept? > Is > > it a better job than your current one? Is the > pay > > less? > > Learn to read? He didn’t get an offer and would > be waiting on them adding a position. I think you should look into learning to read - sounds like a great idea: "The department head just emailed me again detailing the new position, and if I was still interested, so he may speak to HR. I’m going to have to politely decline, but it’s such a cool position that I definitely want to stay in touch should I want to come back in a few years (for a higher level position). " He has declined interviewing for a position RIGHT NOW. I’m asking why is he not interviewing for it, if the job is better than his current one (it sounds like it’s because he hasn’t been in his current role that long, and if that’s the case I think he should reconsider if the position is better for him).

jcole21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > He has declined interviewing for a position RIGHT > NOW. I’m asking why is he not interviewing for > it, if the job is better than his current one (it > sounds like it’s because he hasn’t been in his > current role that long, and if that’s the case I > think he should reconsider if the position is > better for him). It’s not clear there is a new position yet. And it’s not exactly smart to be interviewing after just taking another job. It’s a small world after all. I think it makes sense to “keep in touch” informally, rather than formally interview. IMO, it doesn’t make sense to switch unless you get a significantly better position. It doesn’t make sense to switch jobs for a moderately better gig. You’ve only got a few hops in your career.

It is clear there is a new position: “The department head just emailed me again detailing the new position” And I agree - unless it’s significantly better (future opps, salary, whatever), don’t switch - but that’s what I’m trying to clarify - if the position is way better he shouldn’t pass on it SOLELY because he just started a new job, although that makes the hurdle rate higher. I think we’re agreeing - just over different interpretations of what’s been said…

Hey dudes - Yes, I am declining right now the position that was just added. I already interviewed with them (when they gave it to the internal), so I don’t think I have to interview again. Reason I’m not considering his offer is because I already accepted another offer (which I start next week) and which is also pretty cool. I also think that I have a much better chance to grow a few ranks in a small firm than I would in a large bank starting out, so if I decide to explore the bank again in the future, I can come back a bit higher up. I also wouldn’t attempt to have them counter, as I’m pretty set in my decision, signed an offer letter, and set the transition to my new gig in motion. I’m happy with my choice, I just didn’t want to burn any bridges should I want to look into the bank once more - especially if I have a department head that likes me already. Thanks again for all the input!

jcole21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It is clear there is a new position: > “The department head just emailed me again > detailing the new position” > > And I agree - unless it’s significantly better > (future opps, salary, whatever), don’t switch - > but that’s what I’m trying to clarify - if the > position is way better he shouldn’t pass on it > SOLELY because he just started a new job, although > that makes the hurdle rate higher. > > I think we’re agreeing - just over different > interpretations of what’s been said… Good catch – that’s not what I took it to mean, but you’re right.