Boring Question Alert: No Spanking, Breastfeeding, or Salacious Details

3 of my 4 siblings are in HR and it makes their life so diffuclt when people do what you are doing. I've done it a million times myself because we have to do what is best for us. So you can do 1 of 2 things.

1.) Take the job at B and keep the lines of communication open with A. If you'd be miserable, then why would you want to tsay there for a long time?

2.) Call A and tell them you have an offer on the table and ask if they will be able to move things a little faster with you? I'm willing to bet they will if they want you - BUT if they are a highly sought out company, then you never know.

What's wrong with where you are? Is B better than where you are? If so, go ahead and take that and see where the chips fall.

Good luck and congrats!

Here's my boring answer.........B offered the job, it might not be what you want now but make the best of it.
Congratulations!!!

Jobs are few and far between these days. If you have been offered a job snap it up. There is always a reason things happen. It may just be that you are meant to be at job B and job A while it looks better on paper may not be the right fit for you. I would grab and go with option B You can always take a day off and interview with job A if they call you. in the mean time you will be making money and updating the resume with a current job.

needed to add that if you have been regularly calling / applying at job A chances are pretty good if they have not called yet your just not right for the job they have there. don't loose the job at B

Accept the job if you need it. Then when you get the call for your dream job, go on the interview and accept that one if you get it, and put in a notice at the current one. Sucks, but sometimes that's how you have to work, it's business. After all, organization A may never call you back, or you may not get an offer, than you will be stuck unemployed.

*oh, just read Diane C's answer. It's a good one, I agree with her.

Since A is so hard to get into, I would accept B. Then if in 3 weeks or a month it actually does work out at A - so what if the people at B think you're a flake? I would just explain very honestly that A has always been your dream job.

I think I would accept the offer at Organization B, but try to put off my start date for a couple of weeks to see if you even get an interview at Organization A.

If you do get the interview at Organization A, but a job offer is not made until after your start date at Organization B, I would go ahead and take it. Hopefully it won't be long and Organization B will not have "wasted" a lot of time training you.

Good luck!

A bird in the hand.............don't miss a good opportunity for a great someday maybe

Accept the position with B.

Keep on applying and interviewing with A. If you get picked up with A, GREAT! And if not...you still have a job.

Congrats!

I may be the odd bird out here, but I wouldn't take a job that you have many reservations about. To me, it sounds like you are settling and feeling flattered is not a good enough reason to accept a job that sounds like you're not really into.

Can you just stay where you are and keep at it with organization A.?

Don't wait too long or they will call someone else. If organizaton A is not calling then I would take a job at organization B.

You can always change jobs again later.

Hmm, I have a different response. I do some hiring and from my point of view...
If I were in HR at company A, I'd want to know that you were thinking of taking something else. I'd want you to call me, tell me what's going on, and ask if you were on the short list for interviews. If you are on the short list, that would give me the chance to move more quickly if I thought you were really the right person for the job. I know I hate losing my top choice person to somewhere else, and I'd want to know if that was about to happen.

On the other hand, if I were at organization B, I'd be really ticked if you accepted the position, delayed the start, and then quit before you started to take something else. You will have delayed my entire hiring process by weeks, I've already turned down the other good candidates for the position and they may have moved on. Now I have to start again. What a hassle. And what if job A doesn't work out? You'll have burned your bridges with organization B forever. Only do the "Take B, delay the start, then take A" option if you are ok with burning those bridges.

I concur with Diane C. Call A and let them know you got an offer from B. See if that will hurry things along a little. If you take the job at B, make sure to keep the lines of communication open with A. Don't leave B in the lurch if you can help it. But also remember, this is business and should probably be driven by logic not emotion. So if you start at B and the dream job at A opens up to you, give your notice at B and generally behave like an adult. They will respect you for it.

I think it's wise to have stalled a little anyway before accepting it right away.

Accept offer from B, and if need be negotiate a better salary/benefits. That might keep you much happier in the long run, regardless of ever getting an offer from A.

I would not contact A at all. Wait it out, and see how it goes. You do not want to come off desperate with either company.

Take B for now (tell them you'll start in 2 weeks) while you keep trying for A.
B might be better than you think.
If A is so hoidy toidy their HR is not getting back to you, I don't know, but it's not a good reflection on the company as a whole.

Call them back and say you can start in two weeks?

Worst case scenario, you hate the job, you quit, you don't put them on your resume, and you are back to where you started.

The is no *law* that you cannot accept a better offer just because it comes along quickly.

I sent flowers to all of the responses so far. Take the job and delay the start date!

Take B! Some people are really struggling to find ANY work at all. If A doesn't hire you, you will wish you had taken B. Take B and be grateful!

Congrats on your job offer!

Org B may not be your first preference, but you still applied! So, that means you were willing to give it a go if you had a chance.

You have now. As for their quick hiring, you have no clue what went on within the org for this particular position. So, if I were you I wouldn't form a negative opinion already.

Like how many have suggested below, I'd either continue to negotiate with them for a higher salary/benefits, and ask for 2-3 weeks before I could join, while in the meantime either A works out, or I can try applying at other org which I'd feel better with. But if nothing works out till then, I'd join B.

Until you actually join and see for a day or two, you cannot be sure that you don't want it.

Call A and check on status... you'll probably get no response (seems par for course these days). Then unless you hear something promising take B....don't take your hat out of As ring though. If down the road if A calls, go for the interview - it could be months or years ahead and these days you never know.

I've had friends @ higher levels who have gone through "just one more round" after being told that was the last round or to come in and do presentations after being told that they would make a decision & it lasted months - only not to get the job...

So take care of yourself first, get yourself in order with B and if A is so fabulous as to call someday so you can see for yourself great if not remember it is what you make of it.. that and most of work where we are employees @will so you never know...

Definitely take job B! Congrats! There is no guarantee that job A will call or even offer you what you want. And if they do, then you can always still consider them. I was in this same situation years ago! Best of luck!