You mastered the interview questions and answers and it happened! You’ve been offered a job. Suddenly anxiety and anticipation have given way to cold reality: Do you want this job or not? Here’s how long you can take to answer a job offer, and what you should consider before you say yes or no.
1.) The official offer.
Most job offers have an expiration date. Either the recruiter/employer will outright tell you over the phone or through email, or the job offer letter will specify a deadline. It’s usually one week after you get offered the job—that’s a standard time to “think it over” and come to a decision.
Sometimes there won’t be a specified date. Whoever offers you the job will say something vague like “let me know soon,” or an email will ask for a response at your “earliest convenience.” This is a little tricky. You can justifiably take about a week if you want, but the employer might expect you to respond sooner (as in a situation where they think they’ve offered you a really good position). Generally, you can wait up to three work days without hurting any feelings if there’s not a hard deadline.
