Managing multiple startup job offers

Question

Situation  I was recently applying for jobs at health AI startups after being let go from my previous role. Fortunately, I received three offers:  Company A (Series A startup)* – Gave me an *exploding offer** with a three-day deadline after extending the formal offer. They mentioned that since they had given me a verbal indication a week prior, I should have had enough time to decide. Company B (Series B startup)* – Offered a *reasonable compensation package** and gave me a more standard timeline. Company C (Seed-stage startup, my top choice)* – Initially made a *very low offer**, but it was the company I was most interested in.  I counteroffered Company C but didn’t receive their response until 10 minutes before Company A’s deadline. By that point, out of fear and pressure, I declined Company A and accepted Company B. Immediately after doing so, Company C sent a much stronger counteroffer—one I would have taken had I known about it earlier.  Now, I’ve been feeling regretful, both about how I managed the timeline and the fact that I couldn’t accept the offer I truly wanted. All things considered, all three roles are decent companies with decent roles and with roughly similar comp (in the end).  What I’m Hoping to Learn  How could I have handled this situation better to reduce stress and ensure I picked the company I truly wanted? How damaging is it to renege on a verbal acceptance of an offer? I hesitated because all three companies are in the health AI space, which I assume is a relatively small and interconnected community.  I’d really appreciate any insights or advice from those who have navigated similar situations!

Rahul Pandey · Accepted Answer

I don't think it's that bad of an option to renege on a verbal acceptance of an offer, especially if you inform them shortly after you accepted (< 1 week).

Of course they'll be disappointed, but what has really changed on their end? They likely didn't allocate much time/energy to onboard you yet. This is especially true if this is a large company and your start date would have been months away.

If you are respectful and tell them that another company made a compelling offer (talk about something beyond just money here, e.g. opportunity/team), they won't permanently block you.

RE: your question about what you should have done, my advice is to gracefully push back: Negotiating With An Exploding Offer

Managing multiple startup job offers

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