Drawing to a Close - Not Quite, but Almost!

It is just right there - albeit verbally. After two greulling days of negotiation, I think this long drawn out process (beginning with even before I lost my job, and the ups and downs of the subsequent job search process) is finally drawing to a close. The smoke, however, hasn't cleared.

I received a firm written offer on Wednesday night.

It was just too fast, I tought.

I had just barely come back from the interview - in fact, I received a call about three hours after the interview (it was an hour and a half commute from the office to my house), and was told by the hirer that he had sent me the offer by e-mail.

When can I start?

I told him I needed time to read the offer and talk to my family, consider my options and then come back to him.

There were a few things to consider. The job may mean we have to move, although I was assured that I could work from home.

The company is a good sized company and the opportunity seemed fantastic. They are willing to allow me to build my own department, with appropriate administrative, marketing and even technical support, and the people I met at the company seemed very friendly and highly skilled.

The only thing I was hesitant about is their process. It was just a tad too fast. Too loosy-goosy. If that is the process they use to hire me, I guess the firing process might probably be as non-methodical, apparently haphazard and quick. Can I really take that risk again after having gone through two lay-offs in three years??

In the meantime, I had interviewed with a separate company (Company A) a few times.

It started with a half-hour telephone interview on a Thursday two weeks ago with the Director of the hiring group, and then a face-to-face meeting with said director at the local Starbucks that evening. He was eager to meet with me after the phone call because otherwise, we had to wait a while for his schedule to clear. The Starbucks interview meeting lasted two and a half hours that evening.

He then asked me to prepare a presentation to part of the CSG team which I did the following Tuesday morning. The CEO also came along to the presentation. Everyone had only good feedback after the presentation.

After the presentation, the Director met with me for probably an hour, after which he brought me to meet with the CEO, which lasted for another hour. We seemed to hit it off and everything went very well.

Next, they invited me to attend a corporate seminar on the following Thursday which they organized jointly with Microsoft for their clients. After that seminar the director and CEO took me out to a delicious dimsum lunch where there were more discussions.

Then the Director met with me on Thursday of this past week to discuss/negotiate the compensation package. It went for the entire morning! We started at 9 in the morning and ended at about 12:30 with the director promising that he will speak with the CEO about my requests and calling me back that afternoon.

In the meantime, the other company (Company B) had given me until 5 pm to response to their written offer.

I received a call finally from Company A at 4:30 pm. He needed more time!

He said they were willing to give me almost everything I asked for, but they needed to revise the conditions, in particular the sales revenue target in order to have me on-board.

Further, he said he needed time to think through the strategy, as well as he needed to talk to my references. I was a little perplexed. Talk to my references? Didn't they do that before they start negotiating the offer to me?

So I had to call Company B to let them know that I needed more time.

Company B's CEO, who made the offer, said he was going to Cancun the next day and he needed to know pretty much right away. He upped his offer, upped the commission rate and promised me that I can in fact work from home and in fact start the division as a branch office in my County rather than at the head office. All too good to be true!

And that was what continues to trouble me. So, I remained firm for asking for more time.

He said, "OK, then, I will call you tomorrow from Cancun. Can you give me an answer by then?" Yes, of course, I said.

Friday. 12 noon came and went. I thought that was when Company B CEO was going to call. It was not until 1:45 pm when Director of Company A called. They had been busy and both he and the CEO had been on the road he explained. Can he send me the firm offer on Monday, but can I agree verbally, if I was still in the market, to an offer to an offer meeting my salary requirements but with the stipulation of a sales figure (which was actually lower than what I had expected). I cautiously replied, yes, I will accept. Inside, I was jumping for joy!

However, it was a verbal offer right now. I have yet to wait till Monday for the offer in writing.

At 2, CEO of Company B called. I explained that even though I was excited about the opportunity with his company and am flattered by the offer, I had to decline. I thought he would be angry but he said, "OK, call me if it doesn't work out with Company A." I promised to do so if that happens.

So, at the end, I hadn't quite burned that bridge, and I have a verbal offer from the company that I believe is the right fit for me. I leave it in God's hands now as I await that all important offer in writing on Monday!

As you can imagine, I was exhausted by yesterday evening, so after attending a soul-refreshing contemplative Good Friday remembrance and reflection service at my church, I was ready for a long, deep, sleep!

Through this process, I have learned so much about trusting God, and am still learning, as there are still a few major huddles to jump over. It is far from over, but the ride has been an exhilarating one, and I thank all my friends who have joined me in this roller-coaster ride. Even though you don't know me by name, yet I feel the power of your fellowship, and I thank you for your willingness to pray with me and for my family and me. I have been much strengthened, and have grown to know a little of the power of Christ's love through the process.