Alright so here's the situation. I'm a Chemical Engineer about to graduate in May, I already have one job offer on the table from International Paper up in Frankin, Virginia (not far from Norfolk) and I went on an interview this past week with Schlumberger in Oklahoma City. My deadline to accept the International Paper job is December 12th and there is little room for extensions (I was told a few days max). Last night in my exit interview with Schlumberger, they told me I would hear back in January, which obviously is too late for the other job. I informed my interviewer that the time conflict didn't work and he said that's the best they could do, but the recruiter (who I didn't get to exit interview) could possibly up it to a sooner date. I have been told most hear back from Schlumberger in less than 2 weeks, which would be great, but I can't hold out until 2 days before my other offer is due to make a good enough decision.

Can you accept a job, then decline it later (giving back all bonuses, etc)? In today's economy, I can't just let a job opportunity go by, especially one that pays pretty well in a very cheap area. However, I am torn as to if I want to work in oil or paper or whatever really. Has anyone here either worked at the Franklin Mill for IP or Schlumberger and would you recommend it or move on?

Like I said, with an economy as bad as ours, a job offer is a job offer and I'll be making pretty good bank with either company (just Schlumberger I would hardly spend any of it), so that's not the issue. I just don't want to get caught with my tail between my legs and miss out on both opportunities, when I had one guaranteed. What would you do?

11/26/2008 10:14:08 AM

I would ask again if they can let you know earlier than January, however there may be reasons that they can't respond before that (financial forecasting, budgets, etc.). In this economy, having a job is step number 1 and it doesn't look great for you to accept a job and then back out at a later date because the company will have told other candidates that they don't have an offer if you are accepting.

I'd recommend asking again if you can have an extension on accepting for Job #1 and a shorter turnaround for hearing back from Job #2.

11/26/2008 10:26:41 AM

Man if I were you I would jump on the job you are getting right now because if you wait for the other one and you don't get it you'll be making minimum wage. You can always transfer to the other company later in your career.

Also, now the companies report people to Consumer Report Agency if they back out after accepting the job. Most companies check the Consumer Report when they hire new employee now days so it might not look good on your record that you screwed some company at the last min after they made all arrangements.

[Edited on November 26, 2008 at 10:30 AM. Reason : Just a thought]

11/26/2008 10:28:06 AM

^I agree...I work in Boykins, VA which is a 15 min drive from Franklin and from what the plant manager told us yesterday, that IP mill is laying off 100 people so you are lucky as hell to get offered a job

11/26/2008 10:32:50 AM

I'm visiting the mill sometime next week I believe and am going to actively pursue both the extension and the move up date. Like I said, most people I met who interviewed with Schlumberger heard back within 2 weeks, and I was a little baffled by the 5 week or so time frame. I think in the end, I will probably end up taking IP as I really liked the company when I visited a different location and the people who work there are great, so I think it's a good fit. I just am not sure if I want paper or oil, as I've worked in oil, not in paper and I enjoyed oil, so it's just one of those things.

punisher, I had never heard about the Consumer Report Agency thing, that's pretty interesting, but I guess it's a good thing to have if there is a pattern.

Like I said, I don't want to get caught with my tail between my legs in this economy and will probably end up taking IP so I don't have to deal with the lack of job issue.

11/26/2008 10:34:29 AM

I'm a BSME and I co-oped with Domtar/Weyerhauser for a year and I really enjoyed it...What position did they offer you? I'm guessing you're gonna be a tech or process specialist or something working for the Tech Services Dept.

11/26/2008 10:43:00 AM

Quote :

"Also, now the companies report people to Consumer Report Agency if they back out after accepting the job."

this is not true in any way, shape, or form

in fact, i'm pretty sure it's illegal

11/26/2008 12:59:54 PM

Quote :

"Consumer Report Agency"

did you make that up or are you stupid enough to really thiink that?

i'm going to file a report with the CRA saying that you are an idiot - your job possibilities just went to shit

11/26/2008 1:02:59 PM

I'm being hired into their REACH program which is their career development program where you move around the mill and all into different areas to get a pretty well rounded exposure to all parts of the process. I saw they recently shut down one of the paper machines at Franklin and another mill altogether was closed in Louisiana in the past month so I've become a little weary I guess of IP. From what I was gathering from Schlumberger when I was there is that they were pretty interested in me and I really enjoyed the prospect of working on oil rigs and other cool extraction methods and on Monday I'm going to call the recruiter and see if there's a way I can at least know if it's a no and if there's anyway to push the date up.

I'd like to have options, but who knows really. I liked IP down in Pensacola and will be visiting Franklin during exam week and seeing if I can get an extension since that's the earliest I can get up there. Hopefully it works out, because this economy is pretty awful and you basically got to take what you can get at times. So hopefully Schlumberger's January notification was really to not keep you anxious as I was told by IP it would take about 2 weeks and I heard back the first business day after the interview. So who knows really.

11/27/2008 11:39:05 AM

take the IP offer...you arent graduating until May.....you can always say a better offer came along and you took it. I doubt it would be the first time that has happened to them...just make sure you dont sign something that locks you in for a minimal amount of time.

11/27/2008 12:12:35 PM

Take the job only if its what you want, IMHO I'd suggest the IP job because if it's in hand already, it's a sure thing. Think about it, if Schlumberger wanted you so badly they could have been more forgiving on the decision date issue or even let you unofficially know they were going to hire you. IP has a bunch of plants to transfer to if you don't like it up there. Especially if it's good money. Just know you'll need to get used to the black/green/white liquor odor if you haven't already or you'll be hating life. If it turns out you don't like it, spend a year or two building your work experience and try to get into oil.

11/27/2008 3:50:25 PM

I would avoid IP unless you really like smelling like a paper mill.

11/27/2008 5:52:29 PM

seriously, don't paper mills kill like thousands of puppies and baby seals every year?

11/27/2008 11:44:44 PM

You do have a good 2 weeks to hear back from Schlumberger. A 6-week turn around is really unacceptable when they know that potential candidates are intervewing with other companies and have deadlines. The middle of Dec seems to be a popular deadline though. Every company I interviewed with got back to me in less than 2-weeks, though admittedly I did not interview with Schlumberger.

I would email the Schlumberger recruiter on Monday again highlighting your rapidly approaching deadline with another company and how impressed you were with Schlumberger and how this position is more aligned with your interests, etc. I assume this is a process engineering/design engineering type role.

I assure you that Schlumberger has no shortage of work. Schlumberger needs people and it would be to their benefit to get new hires that are excited about working in oil. Maybe you can email/call one of your interviewers and talk to them.

Quote :

""Also, now the companies report people to Consumer Report Agency if they back out after accepting the job.""

While this probably isn't true, I do know that companies do talk to each other. It's very awkward to be talking to a recruiter at one company and having them ask you about how your interview went at another company.

I would meet with Dr. Bullard on Monday to talk more about this.

11/28/2008 10:50:03 AM

that offer time table seems unreasonably long unless they are still interviewing for a few more weeks (even then, it's still long).

i would guess their top choices hear back much sooner which allows them time to make their decision, and based on the spots left open, they get back in contact with second choices. if you accept the first offer and then reject it, it goes against professional etiquette, but probably won't have long term consequences.

just dont plan on working for them down the road if you burn that bridge.

11/28/2008 2:02:19 PM

puppy mils?

haha

11/28/2008 2:11:28 PM

I planned on calling the recruiter on Monday and doing all the "Thanks for the interview, I'm impressed, I have this deadline but you're more aligned with my interests" thing. The paper mill smell didn't bother me in Pensacola, but I'll be visiting the Franklin Mill soon and seeing if I can get an extension after the visit (I don't have time to visit it until Exam week which is also deadline week). So maybe that'll buy me more time. I am also in agreement with everyone about the deadline and how they should/probably will get back with candidates they like more sooner.

I really enjoyed the Schlumberger thing, it's not necessarily process work in the beginning, more grunt actually. But I kind of want that, you learn the most that way and the hours, though sucky, make it so I can't spend my money and when I come off of Field work I'd have a lot of money for a down payment on a house and other goodies.

The thing that makes it hard is the uncertainty, I do plan on meeting with Dr. Bullard Monday (pending she's around) and asking her opinion about the situation, but hopefully Schlumberger gets back to me this coming week (this past week was kind of shot after we left since it was Thanksgiving the next day) and I can make a more informed decision. I mean afterall it is my future and I don't want to just settle on IP if I don't have to. As for accepting, it's not a concrete contract they sent me in the mail, no binding really, so I don't think it'd be troublesome to back on my offer (signing bonus is on first check, not in advance) though it goes against business etiquette and my own really.

11/28/2008 8:19:11 PM

If your job doesn't accept your questions, clearly you must restate them in a way that gets accepted.

Capice?

11/29/2008 11:04:40 AM