Thetownend.com

Here's the situation... my wife was offered a job last week, conditional on some checks (she's a medic) and an occupational health form of some sort. She's sent them the info they need but a week later they haven't come back with a definite 'yes'. My thinking is that there shouldn't be any issue (despite history of depression and anxiety) but you never know.

Today she was offered another job, but only has until 11.30am tomorrow to accept it. However, the second job is only for 12 months, and pays half the salary of the first. What should she do?

I'd chase up the first offer to find out what's going on, maybe even let them know she has another offer but really wants this first job.

This.

Agree, chase them up and appraise them of the situation - she'd love to take their offer as it's best for her and she'd be a great fit, but she does have another offer on the table.  Anything she can do to help them reach a point where they feel they can make a written offer, even if that has conditions - I'm assuming she won't be starting the next day, so it is very common for checks to be done post written offer but before employment start date.  Is it a CRB type thing? They can take a while, but I've offered plenty with checks being done even after employment start date - it can get a bit messy when they fail mind!

It's not a CRB, it's something to do with being in the first five years of registration as a doctor, and it has to go via the DWP for some reason, which suggests to me there'll be no quick answer.

Agree about phoning up to explain the situation, but I fear that they company won't be able to hurry things along. So my question is more based on the assumption that there is no definite answer by 11.30am!

Ask them if they can make a conditional written offer at least.  The company can still fall back on the results of their checks even after employment starts if they had to.

Accept the position offered, and if successful with the preferred option give the mandatory notice period.
She would be well to explain this to the first company so they're aware of a potential difference of availability time frame
Out of curiosity, the position offered what is the notice period required?

Also, if the 2nd company want her, they should be willing to give a short extension to the response criteria..  giving less than 24hrs to consider is not exactly fair and reasonable..  If they are not willing to shift, maybe she should consider whether she really wants to work for a company that does business like that..

I would accept the second job as a safety and as/when the first is confirmed withdraw that acceptance.  Until your wife starts she has no notice period issues if she withdraws her acceptance other than pissing off employer number 2.  All the other advice above is good re chasing offer number one, but there is nothing stopping her accepting offer 2 and then pissing them off/saying "sorry, I changed my mind" other than moral issues of doing that  (believe me - it happens all too frequently in my world where new starters fuck off the day before they join)

Fuck both jobs. Sell everything and go travelling instead.

Why does one job pay half the salary of the other?

Sorry if that was unclear - the salary of one is half that paid by the other. One is for a big US firm with government contracts, the other is more academic and based in a university.

I posted this earlier elsewhere... big decision, choose carefully.

I concur. Similar comment I was going to offer. After all, it's not unheard of of an employer withdrawing an offer after acceptance by a prospective candidate before they actually start for a myriad of reasons.